Mojave National Preserve
CA
Park Alerts (7)
About Mojave National Preserve
Mojave preserves a diverse mosaic of ecological habitats and a 10,000 year history of human connection with the desert. Offering extensive opportunities to experience desert landscapes, the preserve promotes understanding and appreciation for the increasingly threatened resources of the Mojave Desert. This remote preserve encourages a sense of discovery and a connection to wild places.
Things To Do
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Hike the Kelso Dunes
Hike the Kelso Dunes
Hike the Rings Loop
The Rings Loop Trail is a popular 1.5 mile hike that takes you past beautiful scenery and ancient petroglyphs, and up a series of metal rings. This is a moderately difficult hike, and generally flat until the rings climb.
Visit Kelso Depot
Kelso Depot Visitor Center and Museum contains a wealth of information on the human and natural history of the area. Come learn about the plants, animals, and people who have called this area home at some point in history. Rangers are available to answer questions and distribute maps. There is an auditorium featuring a 20 minute film, which is a good introduction to Mojave National Preserve.
Visit a Lava Tube
Come explore underground in a lava tube! Around 27,000 years ago, lava flowed across the surface here. As the red-hot liquid lava stream flowed, its top cooled in the air, blackening and solidifying like a freezing creek in wintertime. The liquid lava beneath continued to flow under the solid surface, which left behind this hollow tube: frozen in time.
Teutonia Peak trail
The Teutonia Peak Hike is a great way to examine the aftermath of the Dome Fire up close. The hike is three miles round-trip and takes between 2 and 3 hours for most people.
Wander Through the Joshua Trees
The densest concentration of Joshua trees lies along Cima Road. Although about 1/3 of the Preserve's Joshua Trees were burned during the August 2020 Dome Fire, many healthy individuals remain on Cima Road. This makes it a a wonderful spot to observe Joshua trees, icons of the Mojave Desert! Explore by car or foot. We recommend walking the Teutonia Peak trail if you want to get close to Joshua trees impacted by that fire. This area is hot during the summer, so plan ahead.
Available Activities
Weather
Mojave Desert experiences change with the seasons. In winter, freezing temperatures and strong winds can be expected, with rain and snow in the mountains. With enough moisture, spring wildflowers may carpet the desert floor with vivid colors.
Summers are hot, and temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit are typical. In summer, adventurers head for the higher elevations such as Mid-Hills and the New York Mountains. The cooler temperatures of fall mark hunting season.
Getting There
Note: There is no fuel inside the Preserve. Please fill up with gas BEFORE you enter. Park headquarters in Barstow, California is 60 miles from the Preserve, and offers maps and information.
Our main visitor center, Kelso Depot, is located inside the Preserve, 95 miles east of Barstow and 90 miles west of Las Vegas at the intersection of Kelso-Cima and Kelbaker Roads. Kelso Depot is currently closed for renovations.
Plan Your Visit
Let Roamze help you plan the perfect trip to Mojave National Preserve with AI-powered itineraries.
Hours
Park Operating Hours
Outdoor areas of the Mojave National Preserve including trails, roads, campgrounds are OPEN 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. Be sure to check Alerts and Conditions for any temporary closures.
