Bordered roughly by Interstate 40 to the South, Interstate 15 to the West, the Nevada State Line, the Mojave National Preserve covers a huge tract of lands that offers much to the desert visitor.

Managed by the National Park Service (a Preserve is essentially a National Park, but limited hunting is allowed), this large expanse contains volcanic domes, lava flows and tubes, sand dunes, dry lakes, petroglyph sites, abandoned army camps, historic roads, underground caverns, mine sites, ghost towns, and several state-operated campsites.

This is a place of solitude. Here you may watch a hawk, or an eagle soar. Here you can listen to the plaintive cries of coyotes, trying to shut out the moon’s light with their howls. Here you may find a solitary spring, providing host to myriad animal forms.

A great way to learn about the Mojave National Preserve is to visit the Kelso Visitor Center and get some of their free pamphlets, or purchase some of their excellent maps. These people are very helpful, and if you tell them that you are involved with Boy Scouts they will even volunteer extra information.

The Preserve, however, has enough advertised places to keep you busy enough without having to look for those hidden and remote spots.

One, easy to follow, route begins at Kelso Sand Dunes. Here you can climb some of the tallest sand dunes in California. The view from the top is worth the struggle to get there. These are known as “singing” dunes. The movement of the sand deep within the dunes makes sounds that, at time, are quite audible. After a visit here, maybe to have lunch, you can continue on to other nearby attractions.

There is the Kelso Depot, now the Preserve Visitor Center, located just a few miles up Kelbaker Road. This old railroad station can be a very interesting stop for railroad buffs.

The Cima Dome is a truly unusual site as it is the most symmetrical geological formation in the United States. This intrusion is visible over a great distance with a particularly good view from Mid-Hills Campground.

Mid-Hills, which charges a fee, is a spacious campground situated at 5,000 feet elevation. Here the nights can be chilly in the winter, but very comfortable for the rest of the year. Since water is available, along with fire rings, tables, and pit toilets; this is a very good campsite. Also, here you will find a trail that runs about 9 miles to another popular campground, Hole-In-The Wall. And from the Desert Interpretative Center at Hole-In-The Wall, it is just a short drive to the underground world of Mitchell Caverns. This campground is quite limited in size. You can still benefit from the fascinating Ranger-guided tours. If time still remains, you can take a neat side-trip to Amboy Crater where you can hike and climb up into a real volcano.

Mojave National Preserve…you have to see it to believe it!

Camp Rock Springs

If the boys in your unit are interested in military history, especially in regards to the time period involving the Civil War, then a trip to Camp Rock Springs might be in order.

Located just South of Cedar Canyon, about 5 miles East of the intersection with Black Canyon Road (near Mid-Hills Campground), you will find, after a little searching, all that remains of this old desert military outpost.

As you proceed Eastward from Black Canyon Road, an old windmill will come into view on the right. This was originally called “Banning’s Well” after Phineas Banning who operated a freight line. Banning was, at the time, one of the wealthiest men in Southern California, responsible for many of the installations at the port of Wilmington, where the military had there stores. The name was later changed to “Government Holes” after the wells that the Army dug there to increase water flow.

On a low knoll, to the right, you will see a structure, resembling a blockhouse, made of rock. This was the headquarters, for many years, of a local cattle company. A dirt road leads to the house, take it and park in the area outside the fence.

This is a private residence and this is private property. However you can walk past the gate and look around the property. A sign on the door warns trespassers that the caretaker lives nearby and watches the house with binoculars. Believe it! South of the house you will find the remains of an old mine with some of the machinery and timbers, as well as tailings, scattered about.

Back at the gate, you will see a corral fence leading downhill. Follow the road in front of the fence to lead you to the streambed. Depending on the time of year, substantial water flows. Walk downstream. You can sometimes find Indian “birdpoint” arrowheads in the sand.

On the walls of the cliffs around you petroglyphs can be found, as well as some graffiti painted there by Civil War era soldiers.

The streambed changes from the meandering horizontal toward the more inclined vertical in a very short distance, requiring in-stream boulder hopping (a lot of fun); or you may elect to follow the patch around the steep places, on the South side of the stream. One February we were rewarded by being able to sit “inside” a small waterfall here, letting the spray thoroughly drench us!

Where the canyon mouth opens you will find what remains of Camp Rock Springs. A plaque on a solitary boulder tells about the camp.

The rock walls, obviously man-made, were part of the original corral, with the “mineshafts” being used as commissary storage areas.

An excellent book, available through the Riverside County Public Library, titled; “Camp Rock Springs,” by Casebier tells about the hardships of this insignificant (from a military viewpoint) outpost.

Duty at Camp Rock Springs was so bad in the 1860s that most soldiers assigned there merely deserted! Little water, little food, poor rations, no feed for the horses (and at one time no horses at all), miles from nowhere, cold winter nights, unbearably hot days, and constant threat of hostile Indian attack made Camp Rock Springs one of the least desirable duty assignments.

Today a visit lets you walk quietly through the dust of the past. Perhaps, like the last time I was there, you may turn around and find yourself staring at a 1,000 pound hunk of living range cattle answering to the name of Mr. Bull!

Camp Rock Springs is certainly not for everyone, but if you are a history buff or just enjoy solitude, then you may want to add it to you list of places to go.

Hole-In-The-Wall

This is a “must see!” Hole-in-the-Wall is located in a volcanic area that invites boulder scrambling. Near the West end of the campground you will find a marked trail leading you to “The Hole.” Farther West of “The Hole” is a trail leading down into the mud-hills that were formed from volcanic ash. The colorful walls invite you to explore further. The trail winds down and around with passages getting narrower and walls getting higher. Iron rings have been installed by someone to help you climb down some of the steeper spots. In a little while you will end the trip through Banshee Canyon (the name of the passage) and enter colorful Wildhorse Canyon with Wildhorse Mesa in plain view.

It is hard to tell why the mesa was so named as wild horses never set foot on its top. You can return to Hole-in-the-Wall by returning through Banshee Canyon, or you can turn this into a loop hike by traveling East (left) along the hills to Black Canyon Road. A short walk North (left) will return you to the campground. If you decide to follow this route be sure to stop and turn around after you leave the mouth of Banshee Canyon. Because of the nature of the rocks the entire cliff face, which extends for quite some distance, appears unbroken. You cannot see the opening that leads to Banshee Canyon. This, therefore, becomes a Hole-in-the-Wall. Legend tells us it was used by horse thieves in the 1800s. Perhaps, so, in any case it is a fabulous place to visit.

Hole-in-the-Wall also has a Desert Interpretative Center where Rangers will explain the collections and offer much interesting information about the local desert area. Make it a point to stop here to increase your knowledge and awareness of this most interesting desert area.

Hole-in-the-Wall is located at a lower elevation than Mid-Hills and is better sheltered from the strong winds that often blow here. A trail links both camps and it would seem to be easier to follow the trail from Mid-Hills down hill than the other way around.

This campground has tables, a picnic area, fire-rings, pit toilets, and limited water. It would be a good idea to bring water with you, if possible, and not rely on what may be a questionable supply. And bring firewood, especially for the colder winter evenings.

The campsites in the Mojave National Preserve are on a first-come/first-served basis. Although you may find a sufficient number of sites available, they may not be situated next to each other so plan to arrive early or have a back-up plan.

The area around Hole-in-the-Wall can be particularly stunning when the spring wildflowers bloom. Then carpets of pink, yellow, orange, purple, and white blooms flow between the mesas and cliffs.

This camp is also centrally located and can be used as a “base camp” where short trips can be taken to explore the local areas.

Kelso Sand Dunes

The Kelso Sand Dunes are found just South of the Kelso Depot and Visitor Center. There is a marked dirt road heading West from Kelbaker Road. About 2.5 miles down the road, you will find a parking area to the right. The Dunes are a short talk North from the parking area. Plan between one and one and a half hour if you want to do a little exploring and climb to the top of the dunes. The view of Kelso, the Cima Dome, and the surrounding mountains is excellent.

Kelso Station

Nearly forgotten as a small railroad stop along the Union Pacific, Kelso Station was recently renovated and turned into a museum and Visitor Center for Mojave National Preserve.

Plan to visit it. Here you will find two floors of excellent exhibits which include the telegraph used to send messages down the rail line, the beds used by the engineers which include Union Pacific-branded blankets, and a host of other interesting historical items. There is a small book store as well.