Nicely placed in southeastern desert of California, US, the Mojave National Preserve is an exciting and refreshing weekend getaway destination. The vast stretch of desert land is a combination of various deserts like Mojave, Great Basin and Sonoran.
Come to Mojave National Preserve to witness beautiful mountain ranges, attractive sand dunes and breathtaking steep elevated areas. The Clark Mountain is a home to ancient rocks that are over 2 billion years old. There are many exciting activities that you can do on your weekend trip to Mojave National Preserve.
1. Camping
At the Preserve, you won’t find any lodging place. There are plenty of camping grounds at Mojave National Preserve. There are dedicated campgrounds located along the roads. Black Canyon Equestrian & Group Campground, Hole-in-the-Wall Campground, Mid Hills Campground are some of the sites that offer services like picnic tables, drinking water, pit toilets, and fire rings. Since campgrounds are available for the tourists on first-come, first-served basis, you should make your bookings in advance. Also, through any campground, you can witness stunning views of sunrises and sunsets.
2. Flora and Fauna
Thanks to the presence of numerous seeps, springs and canyons, you can find wide range of plants, birds and animals at the preserve. The Joshua tree forests and cactus gardens are something you should check out at the Preserve. Animals and birds can be seen according to the season and weather. Some of the animals that you can easily see in the preserve include mountain lions, foxes, bighorn sheep, and jackrabbits among others.
3. Kelso Dunes
What attracts people to the enormous Kelso Dunes is the loud ‘booming’ sound it emits. The booming sound occurs because of a natural phenomenon which happens due to sliding of sand when there is enough moisture in the sand. To reach at the top of the top, it can take at least an hour.
4. Kelso Depot
The Kelso Depot is the center point for visitors at Mojave National Preserve. It is an ancient Union Pacific railway station Spanish building which was saved from getting destroyed during the 1980’s and then it became part of the National Park Service. At the Kelso Depot, you can find the only lunch counter of the Mojave National Preserve. It remains open between 9 am to 5 pm. For dining, you can go to Baker, California.
5. Biking and 4-Wheel Driving
Riding a bike at the backcountry roads of the Mojave National Preserve can be an exciting experience. A drive through the remarkable Mojave Road is one of the ways through which you can enjoy the beautiful landscape and flora and fauna of this place.