Mojave National Preserve
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grave
Senior Member
After researching google maps and other posts I have come up with this... if anyone has experience with this route, let me know.
→ 15S
→ Exit Cima Rd
→ At 7 miles, take Deer Spring Rd South
→ At ~10.5 miles, turn R on Aiken Mine Rd
....Take that for a while, stop at the lava tube
→ At mile ~28.5, head S on Kelbaker Rd
....Stop at Kelso Depot for some Visitor Center action
→ Head N on Kelso Cima Rd to Macedonia Cyn Rd for the infamous under-the-train-bridge photo, and, if time (wife) permits...
→ Continue to White Horse Rd
→ White Horse Rd E to Black Canyon Rd
→ Black Cyn Rd S to Essex Rd
→ Essex Rd to I-40W
if time (wife) does not permit, get the train bridge photo and head back to Kelbaker Rd S to I-40W.
Option with White Horse → Black Canyon → Essex → 40W
gmap-pedometer.com
Option without (Kelbaker → 40W)
gmap-pedometer.com
→ 15S
→ Exit Cima Rd
→ At 7 miles, take Deer Spring Rd South
→ At ~10.5 miles, turn R on Aiken Mine Rd
....Take that for a while, stop at the lava tube
→ At mile ~28.5, head S on Kelbaker Rd
....Stop at Kelso Depot for some Visitor Center action
→ Head N on Kelso Cima Rd to Macedonia Cyn Rd for the infamous under-the-train-bridge photo, and, if time (wife) permits...
→ Continue to White Horse Rd
→ White Horse Rd E to Black Canyon Rd
→ Black Cyn Rd S to Essex Rd
→ Essex Rd to I-40W
if time (wife) does not permit, get the train bridge photo and head back to Kelbaker Rd S to I-40W.
Option with White Horse → Black Canyon → Essex → 40W
gmap-pedometer.com
Option without (Kelbaker → 40W)
gmap-pedometer.com
Oneluv13T4R
New member
Ive done these routes you speak of...the train bridge photo...are you talking about in Afton Cyn?
BobsTrail
Senior Member
Mojave Preserve
Very good route, I have been to all those places. Fairly easy off road, OK in 2WD. The Lava Tube is good to go down into.
Nice photo of my Trail under the bridge at Macedonia.
I ran off to get the photo when I saw the train coming and left my wife sitting there. It was a WTF moment for her.
There is also a ranger station and restroom at Hole in the Wall for a rest stop if needed.
Aiken Mine road can be difficult to find. It's south of the old Mojave road crossing on Kelbaker and there is no sign. It's about 6.9 miles north of the depot.
Very good route, I have been to all those places. Fairly easy off road, OK in 2WD. The Lava Tube is good to go down into.
Nice photo of my Trail under the bridge at Macedonia.
I ran off to get the photo when I saw the train coming and left my wife sitting there. It was a WTF moment for her.
There is also a ranger station and restroom at Hole in the Wall for a rest stop if needed.
Aiken Mine road can be difficult to find. It's south of the old Mojave road crossing on Kelbaker and there is no sign. It's about 6.9 miles north of the depot.
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osidepunker
New member
osidepunker
New member
Ask [MENTION=117408]Oneluv13T4R[/MENTION] what condition his spare was in...
LMR
New member
So I guess that means he was not a "boy scout" as in "always be prepared"
osidepunker
New member
LMR
New member
haha! His spare was in perfect condition... sitting at home in his garageound:
Can't wait to see him again to give him sh*t about that.
boyfester
New member
Looks like a fun route. I've only been to the lava tube coming from the south (Mojave Road) so I can't speak to the road conditions from the north. Remember to time it right so you can see the beam of light shooting down (11am-1pm). We went at 3-4pm and it was shooting against another wall. You need to kick up some dust to see the beam, by the way.
As for the route that goes near the Kelso Dunes, it's worth a quick trip to see them up close IMO. It's an easy road with some washboards but I blazed across it in 2WD doing about 60 mph and didn't really notice them.
Kelso is really cool and the visitor center/museum is worth checking out. I stayed there for almost an hour checking out the museum's artifacts and old maps upstairs. The longer route that you have noted from Kelso to I-40 is paved so you can move along it pretty quickly.
You may want to swing by the Mojave Memorial Cross too. There's some history regarding the cross and plaque there that you can find on the internet.
You're shorter route that goes in the mtns east of Hayden looks cool. I've never tried it.
As for the route that goes near the Kelso Dunes, it's worth a quick trip to see them up close IMO. It's an easy road with some washboards but I blazed across it in 2WD doing about 60 mph and didn't really notice them.
Kelso is really cool and the visitor center/museum is worth checking out. I stayed there for almost an hour checking out the museum's artifacts and old maps upstairs. The longer route that you have noted from Kelso to I-40 is paved so you can move along it pretty quickly.
You may want to swing by the Mojave Memorial Cross too. There's some history regarding the cross and plaque there that you can find on the internet.
You're shorter route that goes in the mtns east of Hayden looks cool. I've never tried it.
