Mojave National Preserve

Route 66 the Road to a Million Dreams

No other road in all of America has inspired more dreams than Route 66. The 2,200-mile asphalt ribbon once stretched from Chicago to Los Angeles and set free the imagination of dreamers all over the nation. It opened up the modern-way west to California.

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Mojave National Preserve an Introduction

As you hike up to the top of Kelso Dunes you might just find that the dunes sha-boom, sha-boom, sha-boom for you. Geologists speculate that the extreme dryness of the East Mojave Desert, combined with the wind-polished, rounded nature of the individual sand grains, has something to do with their musical ability.

Except for the sha-booming dunes, the Kelso Dunes are absolutely quiet. Often hikers find they have a 45-square-mile formation of magnificently sculpted sand, the most extensive dune field in the West, all to themselves.

Two decades of park politicking finally ended in October 1994 when Congress passed a Sen. Dianne Feinstein-sponsored California Desert Protection Act that transferred the East Mojave National Scenic Area, administered by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, to the National Park Service and established the new Mojave National Preserve. The Mojave’s elevated national profile has not yet attracted hordes of sight-seers, although some 17 million people live within a four-hour drive.

To many travelers, the East Mojave is that vast, bleak, interminable stretch of desert to be crossed as quickly as possible while driving Interstate 15 from Barstow to Las Vegas. Few realize that I-15 is the northern boundary of what desert rats have long called “the Crown Jewel of the California Desert”—so close to Glitter City, but truly a world apart.

Although virtually unknown, Mojave National Preserve is quite accessible; it’s bounded north and south by two major Interstates, I-15 and I-40, and on the east by U.S. Highway 95. Just south of I-40 is one of the longest remaining stretches of old Route 66. Still, the area bounded by these three highways has long been dubbed “The Lonesome Triangle” and will probably keep this nickname for many years to come. (continued >>)

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Ten Reasons to Visit

Explore the wonders of Hole-in-the-Wall, the Mojave River, Kelso Dunes and Mitchell Caverns. Tour the world's largest Joshua tree forest. Follow paths of history to Fort Piute, Kelso Depot and Zzyzx. Hike the enchanted canyons and intriguing summits of a dozen mountain ranges. Get your kicks on Old Route 66.

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New Visitor Center Opens

After years of restoration efforts, Kelso Depot Information Center is now open. The historic depot, which once served as a train station, lunch room and employee dormitory has been transformed into Mojave National Preserve’s chief information center.

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Desert Safety

Follow Desert Survival guidelines. People have died within the borders of the preserve. Make sure you have plenty of water for any activity, whether it be on a backcountry trail, or on the main highway. Should you become stranded while driving, stay with your vehicle as it is likely to provide the only shade in the area.

Read more desert safety tips here >>

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