Latest news with #JoshuaTree
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13 hours ago
- Health
I Put These Versatile Travel Pants Through Desert Hikes and a 6-hour Flight—Now, They Never Leave My Carry-on
After sitting in an economy seat for six hours, I was curious: how on earth could these pants still be comfortable? It wasn't my first time wearing these magical pants; I had just tested them out two weeks before the flight on a nine-mile hike near Joshua Tree National Park, where they also kept me cool and comfortable. However, any frequent flier is well aware that sitting nearly still for several hours in economy is a different level of difficulty, so when I arrived at my destination with that same level of comfort, I knew the pants were something unusual. Whether it was the cramped plane seats or the volatile temperatures and dusty trails of Joshua Tree, these pants have proven to be a major winner. I had picked up Kuhl's Radikl Pants for the hiking trip, and was immediately impressed with their functionality and versatility. Little did I know that in addition to hiking, they'd become a permanent staple in my suitcase for year-round trips. Whatever the occasion, the Radikl Pants deliver. In fact, I'm wearing them right now as I write this. $109 at REI $109 at I never thought I'd find high-tech, durable hiking pants under $150, but the Radikl Pants have exceeded expectations in both quality and value. Available in a variety of colors—from the graphite-inspired Carbon to the neutral, light-khaki Fossil—there's a shade for everyone. The inclusive sizing ranges from a 28 to 42-inch waist and a 28 to 36-inch inseam, offered in both classic and tapered fits. Lightweight, quick-drying, and trail-tough, these pants have been a reliable companion for hiking and travel. In one instance, when a seatmate accidentally spilled a drink near me, the pants dried quickly and cleaned up with ease. "The Radikl has quickly become my favorite pants for competing, hiking, and teaching," a self-described seasoned adventurer shared in one of the 3,400 five-star reviews on the brand's website. Another shopper added, 'They are lightweight [and] durable, and I love the stretch panel that flexes when I move. I've used these for work in the Southern summer heat, as well as the West Coast desert.' $109 at REI $109 at I reached out to Kuhl's design team to see if they'd share the secret behind what makes these pants so comfortable, even in challenging conditions. Fortunately, they offered some insight: the pants were designed by completely deconstructing the garment from the ground up. 'Traditionally speaking, pants were designed for standing; so in the 90s, we introduced pants for people on the move,' Kevin Boyle, Kuhl's head of design, shared with Travel + Leisure. 'This was unprecedented at the time. People with active lifestyles finally had pants that could keep up.' Boyle says the Radikl Pants also feature a 3-D-articulated knee design, which provides a greater range of motion without the constriction of traditional pants, and the structure of the pants themselves is designed for forward-motion activities, such as walking or hiking. I've noticed the extra range of motion when I'm hiking up inclines or navigating subway steps in a city—the stretch at the joints is helpful and welcomed. The team also shared that they developed exclusive fabrics featuring strategically placed stretch to ensure all-day comfort without sacrificing versatility. Best of all, the material is incredibly durable—tough enough to be washed in a sink and ready to wear the next day—and includes built-in technologies like advanced UV protection. $109 at REI $109 at After nearly 25 years of traveling and visiting over 30 different countries, the perfect travel wardrobe always seemed to be a mystery. I'd often find clothing that was functionally great but not visually appealing, or great-looking clothes that weren't durable enough for an airport. The Kuhl Radikl Pants changed the game for me, with high-quality travelware that's comfortable yet fashionable enough to fit in a variety of scenarios. If you're looking to trade in your stiff travel pants for something way more durable and comfortable, we've got you covered. Keep scrolling for more travel-ready hiking pants at Amazon—all under $40. Love a great deal? Sign up for our T+L Recommends newsletter and we'll send you our favorite travel products each week.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Joshua Tree fire: Eureka Fire at popular national park is 65% contained, officials say
The Eureka Fire blazing at Joshua Tree National Park has reached 65% containment as of 11 a.m. on Sunday, June 2, officials said. The brush fire was reported around noon on Friday, May 30, in the Covington Flats area, the National Park Service said, producing smoke plumes visible for miles. The fire is at 214 acres and 65% containment as of 11 a.m., according to Joshua Tree National Park's update. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation. Crews continued to battle the fire during the weekend, and the fire withstood 'strong winds' from 8 to 10 p.m. on May 31, according to the national park. Here are the temporary closures in place as fire containment remains active: Lower Covington Flats Road and La Contenta within Joshua Tree National Park's boundary; Backcountry camping in the zones covering Black Rock, Covington, Quail Wash, and Juniper; California Riding and Hiking Trail starting in Black Rock; Creosote/Bigfoot Trail starting off Park Boulevard in Joshua Tree National Park. The national park saw over 2.9 million visitors last year, according to the National Park Service's statistics. The figure isn't too far off from the 3.2 million attendees Glacier National Park in Montana recorded last year. The park was the 10th most visited national park in America last year, USA TODAY reported. Air quality in parts of the Coachella Valley is largely good or moderate as of the late morning of Sunday, June 1, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District's hourly air quality map. Good on the Air Quality Index means that 'air pollution poses little or no risk,' while moderate means that while air quality is acceptable, some people may be at risk, particularly those who are 'unusually sensitive to air pollution.' Paris Barraza is a trending reporter covering California news at The Desert Sun. Reach her at pbarraza@ This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Joshua Tree National Park fire is 65% contained; See road closures
CBS News
4 days ago
- Climate
- CBS News
Firefighters continue battling Eureka Fire burning in Joshua Tree National Park
Firefighters are still battling the Eureka Fire, which is burning in Joshua Tree National Park. The blaze was first reported on Friday just before noon in the Covington Flats area near Carmelita Place in Yucca Valley, according to the San Bernardino County Fire Department, who are assisting the National Park Service. Flames quickly spread throughout the day, engulfing 175 acres by the end of Friday. As of Saturday night the fire is said to have burned 212 acres and is 40% contained, according to Joshua Tree NPS. Along with crews battling the flames on foot, there were 11 engines, two water tenders, two hand crews and one helicopter assisting on Saturday. Several areas are closed due to the ongoing firefight, including: Lower Covington Flats Road and La Contenta inside of Joshua Tree National Park, Backcountry camping in zones covering Black Rock, Covington, Quail Wash and Juniper, California Riding and Hiking Trail starting in Black Rock, Creosote/Bigfoot Trail starting off of Park Boulevard. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. There are no reports of injury or structural damage.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Eureka Fire: Several roads closed in Joshua Tree National Park due to wildfire
A brush fire that broke out on Friday in Joshua Tree National Park has grown to over 200 acres, resulting in several road closures as firefighters work to contain the blaze over the weekend. The Eureka Fire, reported around noon on Friday, is located 3 miles northeast of Eureka Peak in the Lower Covington Flats area. Firefighters had the 212-acre fire 40% contained as of Saturday morning, the park said in a news release. Areas that are temporarily closed while firefighters work to contain the fire: Lower Covington Flats Road and La Contenta within the park boundary; Backcountry camping in the zones covering Black Rock, Covington, Quail Wash and Juniper, California Riding and Hiking Trail starting in Black Rock; Creosote/Bigfoot Trail starting off Park Boulevard. Several agencies are responding and worked overnight to manage the blaze, including the Bureau of Land Management, Cal Fire, U.S. Forest Service, and San Bernardino County Sheriff and Fire Protection. Firefighters contained a 4-acre slop over fire, which refers to a fire that crossed the containment line, in the morning, the park said. The park said fresh crews will be working on containing the fire during the day, which will be warmer at nearly 86 degrees with 5 to 10 miles per hour south-southwest winds and gusts up to 20 mph. The equipment they'll be using include 11 engines, two water tenders two hand crews, and one helicopter. Joshua Tree National Park said it does not know what caused the fire to break out and that it will be under investigation. This is a developing story. Ani Gasparyan covers the western Coachella Valley cities of Desert Hot Springs and Cathedral City. Reach her at This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Eureka Fire updates: Joshua Tree National Park road closures, size
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
Viral, raunchy ‘ParkTok' trend aims to raise awareness of spending cuts to national parks
The 10-second video begins with a close-up on the abs of a sweaty, shirtless man wearing low-slung, gray sweatpants. But three seconds in, it cuts to a panoramic video of Havasu Falls in Arizona, with its striking turquoise water cascading down from red rocks. Welcome to ParkTok. The video — from an unofficial account posting about Grand Canyon National Park and other nature sites in Arizona — is emblematic of a trend that's gone viral on TikTok in recent weeks that pairs sexually suggestive clips or music with scenic images and footage of America's natural wonders. Unofficial accounts representing state and national parks, mountains and rivers have participated in the trend, sometimes trading playful barbs about which has the 'biggest trees' or 'longest lakes.' The videos are funny and moderately unhinged in the way TikTok trends often are, but they have a serious aim: to raise awareness about threats to US public lands amid the Trump administration's efforts to gut national parks staffing and designate more of America's wild lands for drilling, mining and logging. Many of the videos encourage viewers to donate to organizations such as the National Park Foundation or to call their local representatives to advocate for protecting public lands, part of a long tradition of using social media to organize social and political movements. 'This does go way beyond the thirst traps,' Kim Tanner, who runs the unofficial Joshua Tree account @joshuatreenp with more than 250,000 followers, told CNN. 'It's a way to pull people in, it's a way to hook them, and it works. But at the same time, you're showing them that beautiful imagery (of the parks) and hopefully, even if subliminally, you're educating them.' ParkTok emerged last fall, long before their videos started with sexy teasers and ahead of President Donald Trump's second term. At the time, many of the account holders just wanted to promote the beauty of their local parks, like Phoebe, a nature enthusiast who started the unofficial Multnomah Falls account @multnomah_falls to share her love of Oregon's Columbia River Gorge. Phoebe asked CNN not to use her last name to avoid being identified by her employer. Then in February, the Trump administration fired thousands of National Park Service and Department of Interior workers as part of widespread government workforce reductions, prompting national parks and monuments to announce closures, pause reservations and limit hours. In his first three months in office, Trump also signed orders to increase mining and oil and gas drilling in Alaska, expand logging in federally protected national forests and roll back rules that pushed car makers toward cleaner forms of energy — all of which have drawn concern from environmental groups. As the potential impact of Trump's environmental policies started to sink in, several ParkTok accounts joined a group chat on TikTok. 'We started thinking we could probably do some good with this instead of just sharing our hiking videos,' Phoebe said. The group decided to start 'doing coordinated, themed posts, in between our silly posts and our nature posts, about the threats of logging and the threats of our public lands being sold and all of these things that have been introduced by the federal government,' she said. The National Park Service and the National Park Foundation did not respond to requests for comment. Some ParkTok videos have racked up hundreds of thousands of views, including one Phoebe posted earlier this month showing videos of Multnomah Falls set to the explicit song 'Fat Juicy & Wet.' They're not all sexually suggestive. One video, posted by an unofficial Bryce Canyon National Park account, shows a scenic image of nature with a voiceover saying, 'show me the reason you have no money,' and then it cuts to an image of the White House. It's been viewed more than 1 million times. Canadian parks such as Banff National Park have also gotten in on the action to advocate for their American neighbors. Both Tanner and Phoebe said their ParkTok accounts are just hobbies aimed at raising awareness for places they love. They both have full-time jobs and aren't making money from the accounts, although they said they would donate any future earnings from TikTok's creator fund to the causes they're promoting. And Tanner said she thinks ParkTok can help bridge the divide between people from different political parties because 'one thing that does bring a lot of people together is the national parks and national forests.' 'If you see these beautiful images and these beautiful photos,' she said, 'you start to fall in love with these places, you start to get attached to them, then your natural instinct is going to be to want to protect it.'
