The Mysterious Hum in Joshua Tree — Am I the Only One Hearing This?

 I wanted to get this in writing in case anyone else out there has experienced something similar. I’m writing this from Joshua Tree, California — so whether you’ve heard this hum here in the high desert or anywhere else in the world, just know you’re not alone. Someone in this little desert town is hearing it too.

For the past eight years, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve turned to my wife and asked, “Did you hear that sound?”
And without fail, she’ll deadpan back:
“For the umpteenth time… that’s the fridge compressor, right?”

Every time I doubt myself.
Every time I shrug it off.
“Yeah, you’re probably right… must’ve been the fridge.”

But this week felt different.

I was doomscrolling Facebook when someone on our local town page mentioned the hum. That stopped me cold. I commented that I always assumed it was my fridge. He dismissed it immediately and told me:

“Next time you hear it, flip your breaker. You’ll know real quick.”

Fair enough.
I haven’t had the chance to test his theory yet, but when I do, I’ll update this post.

Back to the hum itself:
It’s a deep, machine-like vibration.
Not small machinery — this sounds like something big, distant, and constant. Along with the sound, there’s a physical sensation, like a soft wave of pressure rolling through the room. Not violent, not rattling… more like a heavy soundwave you can feel in your chest. It gives me a mild headache and a touch of nausea when it lingers.

My wife hears something too, but she sticks to her theory that it’s the fridge doing what fridges do. And maybe she’s right. Maybe I’m overthinking it. But I can’t ignore that other people in town are posting about this now.

So I’m putting it out there.
If you’ve heard something similar — here or anywhere else — drop a comment. I’d love to know.

Joshua Tree has long been rumored to be full of vortices. Sedona, Arizona has its share too, and people there report strange sounds, pressures, and sensations they can’t explain. Maybe there’s a connection. Maybe not.

All I know is… the hum is real enough that I’m finally writing about it.

Updates coming when I run the breaker test.

Demon House — A Haunting That Wouldn’t Die

Campfire Story — Joshua Tree Encounters

Every corner of the world carries its own ghost stories.
It doesn’t matter if it’s a tiny village in the Philippines or a high-rise condo in New York — every place has a whisper about something lingering just beyond the veil.

Most hauntings feel… familiar.
Souls who seem to have forgotten their way home.
They stay where they lived, drifting through hallways, replaying the routines of a life they no longer have.
A shadow in the corner. A footstep at the wrong hour. A presence that feels more sad than sinister.

But every so often, there’s something else.

Something with weight.

A darkness that settles into a place like a thick fog, pressing into your chest, making the air feel heavier than it should. The kind of presence that isn’t confused, or lost, or gentle.
It’s angry.
And it wants you to feel it.

Our minds go straight to the word we all fear:
demonic.

An evil that isn’t human, never was, and doesn’t care who you are or what you believe. An intelligence that moves with purpose — and malice.

And that’s where the story of the Demon House of Gary, Indiana begins.

A haunting so violent, so unrelenting, that even after the house was demolished, its reputation didn’t fade.
If anything… tearing it down only made the legend stronger.

A family tormented.
Officials terrified.
Investigators shaken.
And a story that still crawls under your skin long after you hear it.

Here is the tale of the Demon House — a haunting that refused to die.

3 Tips That Could Save Your Life When Hiking in Joshua Tree National Park

This is especially important during the off-season or on a midweek visit when the park is almost empty. A few simple precautions can make all the difference if something goes wrong. Every year there are stories of people going missing in the park — some are found in time, and some, unfortunately, are not.

3. Text someone the trails you plan to hike.  

There is no cell service in Joshua Tree National Park, so send a text message before you leave your short-term rental, motel, or campground if you stayed outside the park. If something goes wrong, rescuers need a starting point. JTNP is roughly 800,000 acres — narrowing it down to just three or four trails can be the difference between finding you quickly or not finding you at all. People love climbing boulders here, and every year hikers slip, fall, and get injured. Time matters in the desert.

2. Stay on the trail.  

Simple advice, but ignored every year. Even hikers with experience get disoriented. I’ve been hiking these trails for almost ten years and there are days when I catch myself distracted and suddenly something looks “off.” It happens. Some trails can be confusing, and if you miss a marker you can wander off without realizing it. After rain, footprints disappear and sandy paths can look brand new. And if you intentionally go off trail, the rock formations start looking identical — the “landmarks” you thought you remembered can disappear in an instant.

1. Bring more water than you think you’ll need.  

It sounds obvious, but it needs to be said constantly. Keep an extra 24-pack of bottled water in your trunk. Carry a hydration pack even on short hikes. Dehydration hits fast, especially if you’re not acclimated to desert heat. And remember: no cell service. A midweek afternoon hike can leave you completely alone on the trail or even in the parking lot. Every year people underestimate the High Desert heat — don’t be one of them. Bring more water. Always.

Out here, the desert has its own rhythm. Listen closely—and you’ll start to feel the Joshua Tree Frequency.

Be safe and enjoy your stay!

Weeknight Escape to Joshua Tree

 

Weeknight Escape to Joshua Tree

Not everybody has weekends off, and that usually feels like a bummer. But if you’re free on a Tuesday or Wednesday and itching for something interesting to do, a mid-week trip to Joshua Tree might be the perfect fall escape.

The cooler months from October to May are the best time to visit Joshua Tree—without the weekend crowds. That alone makes the 2.5 hour drive from DTLA worth it. You’ll also find great deals on accommodations, from classic motels to the literal thousands of short-term rentals in the area. Feeling adventurous? Camp out on the BLM land just 10 minutes from the Village.

If you’re a hiker, this is your moment. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced climber, nothing beats an early morning hike in a quiet JTNP. No lines of tourists waiting to take photos at Skull Rock, Heart Rock, Penguin Rock, or Arch Rock. If you plan well, you can hit all the highlight photo spots in just a few hours.

There are some good food spots in town, but be mindful of their hours—many close earlier than you might expect. For an early dinner, I personally recommend Sky High Pie for excellent pizza and a nice outdoor area to enjoy one of our famous desert sunsets. Or grab Pad Thai, Chicken Satay, and Crispy Tofu to-go from Royal Siam and take it to the Quail Springs picnic area inside the park to enjoy under the stars. And if you want to close the night out right, swing by Joshua Tree Saloon for fish tacos and a couple of beers.

Only staying one night and heading out in the morning? Breakfast + one last hike. Here’s the plan. Start with a true local gem: Larry & Milt’s Western Café. They open at 7 a.m. and are located right on your way out, at the edge of Yucca Valley. It’s a nondescript spot off Highway 62—you’ll see it on your right just before Walmart.

For your final outdoor stop, hop back on the 62 until you see the big blue horse statue in front of Spaghetti Western. Turn there for Big Morongo Canyon Preserve. It’s a lush little oasis in the middle of the desert and the perfect short hike before heading back to LA.

Mid-week trips don’t have to feel like leftovers—out here, they feel like the real thing.

3 Places to Avoid in Joshua Tree During Busy Season (and Where to Go Instead)

Busy season in Joshua Tree runs from October to May, when the desert finally cools down and half of Southern California decides to visit at the same time. If you’re trying to avoid crowds and long waits, here are three spots locals know to steer clear of — plus better alternatives.

3. Joshua Tree Saloon

You’ve just finished your early morning hikes, you’re sunburned, starving, and finally out of the National Park. The Saloon is a great place — their wings really are fantastic — but lunchtime on a Saturday during busy season is chaos.

They have a tiny kitchen, and getting that much food out for that many people takes forever. If you can wait it out, go for it. But if you need food immediately, cross the street to Roadrunner Grab + Go and get a cold drink and a quick sandwich.

Save the Saloon for the evening when the crowd thins out, grab a beer, and enjoy the live music.

2. Barker Dam

It’s a beautiful and easy hike — and because of that, if you don’t get there early, don’t bother. I’ve seen full tour buses unloading at Barker Dam on a Saturday. The trail gets shoulder-to-shoulder crowded, and if you were hoping for quiet desert serenity… you won’t find it here during peak hours.

Instead, head across Park Blvd to Hidden Valley Trail. It’s usually less packed and has plenty of places to wander outside the main loop. Stunning rock formations, lots of photo ops, and a few first-come-first-served picnic tables.

1. The West Entrance of Joshua Tree National Park

It’s tempting to turn right off Highway 62 into Joshua Tree Village and enter through the iconic West Entrance. But during busy season, skip it completely.

Even though the park has opened more gates lately, you’ll still get stuck in a long, slow-moving line of cars.

Instead, take the extra 20-minute drive to the North Entrance in Twentynine Palms. It’s far less crowded, and the total time saved is almost always worth it.

Bonus tip: Once inside, head to Split Rock Trail. It’s underrated, quiet, and beautiful. With a little planning, you can detour and visit Face Rock and Skull Rock along the way.

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More tips coming soon — the desert rewards those who prepare.

Paranormal Joshua Tree

If there’s one thing the high desert is known for, it’s the paranormal activity that seems woven into the land itself. From the legend of the Yucca Man to the never-ending UFO sightings over Joshua Tree, this place has earned its reputation as one of the strangest pockets in California.

When we first came here as tourists, that mystery was part of the draw. Now, after nearly a decade of living in Joshua Tree, we’ve watched the same pattern unfold with every friend or family member who visits. The sun drops, the desert gets quiet, and suddenly the questions begin:

“Why is it so dark out here?”
“What was that noise?”
And always — “Have you ever seen a UFO?”

We’ve had our own high desert encounters, and maybe one day I’ll share those stories. But after years of campfire conversations about the strange things people experience out here, I wanted to bring that same curiosity and wonder to anyone who’s ever felt drawn to Joshua Tree’s paranormal side.

The high desert has always had a way of pulling strange stories out of people. Some are old legends passed down through families, and some come from travelers who swear they saw something they can’t explain. Whether these encounters are true, misunderstood, or somewhere in between, each one adds another layer to the mystery of Joshua Tree.

If you’re curious about the history, the sightings, or the stories that never make it to the news, stick around — I’ll be sharing more soon.

About Joshua Tree Encounters:
I share real stories, historical cases, local legends, and eyewitness accounts of UFO sightings, cryptids, and high strangeness across the Mojave Desert and Joshua Tree area. Each post explores a different encounter — from the Yucca Man to unexplained lights, mysterious visitors, and the deeper folklore tied to the high desert.

If you enjoy paranormal stories, UFO research, or desert folklore, feel free to explore more posts on this blog.

Why did we choose Joshua Tree?

 

First time we visited Joshua Tree in 2013

12 years later on the same spot. Different car. Not tourists anymore.

Why did we choose Joshua Tree?

The short answer: we fell in love.

I grew up in the San Gabriel Valley. I’d been to Palm Springs a few times growing up, but I’d never even heard of Joshua Tree. Not once.

It wasn’t until I moved back from living in the Philippines for three years that this place even appeared on my radar.

At the time, my wife, our daughter and I were renting a room in someone’s house, dreaming about one day having our own home. We kept talking about land… something simple… planting vegetables, maybe even a few chickens. The kind of life that felt out of reach in Southern California.

Then one day, Google fed us a miracle: desert land for sale. Probably one of those old banner ads—you know, the one with the woman in the sea-shell bikini selling 5 acres for pennies.

And it worked.

So much land. So cheap. In California?

We didn’t have money. We didn’t know how to build anything. We had no idea what it cost to get water, power, septic—none of it. But the dream landed anyway.

In 2013, we finally drove out to see it.

Our car was a 1991 Honda Wagon with no AC, and we drove it into the high desert in the middle of June. I have no idea how that thing didn’t explode halfway up the grade into Morongo Valley.

When we finally rolled into Joshua Tree Village, it felt like we’d stepped into a time slip. Instagram wasn’t big yet. Joshua Tree wasn’t an influencer playground. It was just a quiet little desert town with a strange electricity in the air.

We never even made it to the National Park. We just wandered through town and eventually drove up the dirt roads behind the hospital. Parked on a rise. Looked out at the horizon.

And that was it.

We fell in love.

Not because of hype. Not because of real estate trends or travel guides. Just pure, desert spell.

We didn’t have money. We didn’t have work. But we did have a mission now:

One way or another—we would live here someday.

This was 2013. 

It took years, dozens of detours, and a whole lot of dreaming…

but the desert doesn’t let go of you once it finds you.

Why Joshua Tree Is the Smartest Move No One's Talking About in 2025

 

🏡 Why Joshua Tree Is the Smartest Move No One's Talking About in 2025

You can still buy a home in or around Joshua Tree, California for around $350,000 in 2025. That might sound high if you're outside California — or even in it — but let me give you the view from inside the desert.

This isn’t a generic real estate piece.
This is one family's real story of escaping Southern California’s rental trap by moving to the high desert — and why more people should be considering it.

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💸 From Renters Forever… to Homeowners in the Desert

Back in 2013, my wife and I moved back to SoCal after a failed detour to Florida. What we returned to was harsh reality: rising home prices, skyrocketing rent, and a feeling that we'd never own anything beyond a parking spot.

But this isn't doom-and-gloom. It’s just a snapshot of a non-traditional path to home ownership — one that might work for you too.

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💻 The Career Shift That Made Joshua Tree Possible

Eight years ago, we both switched careers into medical coding — which opened the door to working remotely. Suddenly, we weren't tied to LA anymore. We'd been visiting Joshua Tree since 2012, but couldn’t afford to move here back then.

In 2017, with our daughter finishing 3rd grade and apartment life shrinking around us, we rented a place in Joshua Tree “just to try it.” A few months later, we got pre-approved and bought a 5-acre home for $169,000. Yes — five acres. Under $200K. In California.

There’s no "we moved back" ending. We’re still here. And it was the best decision we ever made.

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🏡 “But Don’t You Live in the Middle of Nowhere?”

We get this a lot.

The truth?
Joshua Tree isn’t the sticks. It’s a small town with secret infrastructure.

• We live 10 minutes from Joshua Tree Elementary School.

• Walmart, Aldi, Vons, and Stater Bros are 15 minutes away in Yucca Valley.

• We have neighbors. Actual community.

• Even a Dollar General 3 minutes from our house.

• And yes, the stars at night are ridiculous.

You’re not miles from civilization. You're just far enough from chaos.

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📉 What the Airbnb Boom Left Behind

During the pandemic, Joshua Tree turned into a short-term rental gold rush. Investors bought up houses, glam-styled them for Airbnb, and listed like mad. But when travel normalized and profits dipped, many of those owners wanted out.

That means a wave of stylish, turnkey, furnished homes just sitting there — often under $350,000 to $375,000. In Southern California. With land.
Let that sink in.

Meanwhile, median home prices elsewhere in SoCal have spiked over $800K.

Inland Empire suburbs? Still expensive — with longer commutes and strip-mall vibes.

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🧠 So Why Joshua Tree in 2025?

• ✅ You can buy a real house for less than a down payment in West LA.

• ✅ You get space, not just square footage.

• ✅ You don’t have to sacrifice California weather or culture.

• ✅ You can keep your remote job or commute down the hill.

• ✅ You’re 2 hours from LA and minutes from the most surreal National Park in the U.S.

And there’s no stale suburb energy here. Instead, there’s art, music, stargazing, small-town friendliness, and a weird mystical vibe that people spend money to come and visit.

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🌵 Our Life After 8 Years in Joshua Tree

• Our daughter loves it.

• We’ve made friends.

• Our property has value and peace built into it.

• Old friends visit more now than when we lived near LA.

• And yes — we're still talking about this place like we're tourists.

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🗣️ Curious About Moving to Joshua Tree?

It’s not for everyone. The food scene is meh. Jobs are limited unless you bring your own. And you’ll occasionally find sand in your bed. But if you've ever felt stuck in the rental hamster wheel, or priced out of hip California life… this might be the path no one told you about.

Want honest answers about remote work, school, desert quirks, cost breakdowns, or neighborhoods?
Drop a comment. I’ll tell you what’s real — without the real-estate fluff.

Because for us?
Joshua Tree wasn’t a downgrade.

It was a chance to live like we meant it.

A Whisper into the Void

 A whisper into the void…

Blogpost? Or is it still called Blogger now?

The last transmission here was January 2020 — right as the pandemic was hitting full tilt.

Three years into our Joshua Tree life now, and honestly… it wasn’t a bad place to spend that whole ordeal.

Back then, it was still legal to rent out an old travel trailer as a short-term rental, and business was booming. People were desperate to escape the cities — two hours from LA, open desert, stars overhead… it made sense. 

The irony? While the world was in isolation, we ended up meeting people from all over the world in those two years.

And the question we got the most: “Why would a Filipino family move all the way out here?”

Simple answer: we were already remote before remote was a thing. We changed careers in 2016, slowed life down, and decided to be there for school events, sunsets, and everything in between. We visited this place for years before finally moving in 2017 — and it remains one of the best decisions we’ve ever made.

Eight years later, Joshua Tree is still special. Still magical. Still whimsical.

2025 is drawing to a close, and I thought I’d dust this blog off — if only to say we’re still here. And if you somehow wandered into this corner of the internet… welcome.

Soon you’ll be getting lost in the beauty that is Joshua Tree, too.

Hope to see you around.

Next time — a proper update. Maybe even a recipe, a story, or a strange thing seen in the desert night.