Caruthers Canyon in the Mojave National Preserve was the perfect spot to pitch my “swag” for the night while traversing the Mojave Road. The swag is extremely popular in Australia and has many devotees now in the U.S. as well.
Links: Hiking in Mojave Preserve
The lava tubes off Aiken Mine Road in the Mojave National Preserve are a great place to explore and are only a short hike from the parking area. Three separate beams of light were shining through from above ground on the day I visited.
Links: Lava tubes
The Kelso Dunes are situated in the southwestern corner of the Mojave National Preserve, covering an area of 45 sq. miles, with the tallest part of the dunes reaching 650 feet in height. They are accessed down a 3 mile graded dirt road that takes off of Kelbaker Road, not far from the Kelso Depot/Park Visitor’s Center. Hiking is allowed.
Links: NPS previous related post
The Kelso Depot was constructed in the Spanish Colonial Revival architectural style in 1923 by the Union Pacific railroad and served as a depot until 1962. The restaurant and boarding rooms remained open until 1985 when the depot was closed. It fell into disrepair and was scheduled for demolition but a group of local citizens was able to forestall its removal. Ownership was transferred to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in 1992. With the creation of the Mojave Preserve in 1994, the Depot became part of the National Park Service (NPS). Restoration began in 2002 and the landmark was reopened in 2005 as the visitor center for the Mojave Preserve.
Explore California 