Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [147]
SHORTER TRAILS
Kelso Dunes Trail
3 miles RT (to the dunes). Moderate. Access: Parking area 8 miles south of Kelso Depot.
These are the second-highest dunes in California, covering 45 square miles and reaching almost 700 feet in height. The dunes are visible from Kelbaker Road. Three miles of graded dirt road lead to a parking area, where several interpretive signs give information on dunes ecology. Follow the trail out past the vegetation, then ramble to your heart's content, trying to spot examples of the many plants and animals that live in the seemingly barren dunes. Among them are rodents, kit foxes, lizards, sand verbena, and desert primrose, which color the dunes with brilliant blooms of yellow, white, and pink in springtime. Note: Climbing the soft dunes requires time and exertion, but tumbling back down is the fun reward.
Mary Beal Nature Trail
.5 mile Easy. Access: Providence Mountains State Recreation Area Visitor Center, Essex Rd., 16 miles northwest of I-40.
Suitable for all ages, the path winds past examples of the diverse plant and animal life found in the Mojave. Named for a prominent naturalist who spent 50 years exploring this desert, the trail has numbered posts keyed to a brochure that's for sale at the visitor center.
LONGER TRAILS
Mid Hills/Hole-in-the-Wall Trail
2 miles RT to 8 miles one-way. Easy to strenuous. Access: Hole-in-the-Wall Picnic Area.
Stretching between the two campgrounds, this maintained trail can be hiked in part or full. The entire hike is a grand tour of canyons and tabletop mesas, large pinyon trees, and colorful cacti; it's an all-day, one-way undertaking if you can arrange a car shuttle, and is much more enjoyable in the downhill direction, from Mid Hills to Hole-in-the-Wall. If you're not up for a long day hike, the 2-mile hike from Hole-in-the-Wall Campground to Banshee Canyon offers an easier alternative. From Hole-in-the-Wall, the initial segment of the trail offers the most adventure; climbers descend through a vertical chute in the rock using a series of metal rings. Even with handholds, the climb requires agility and concentration—don't try it if you have any doubts.
Teutonia Peak Trail
4 miles RT. Moderate. Access: On Cima Rd. between I-15 and the town of Cima.
This trail leads up about 600 feet to Teutonia Peak, atop Cima Dome, an unusual volcanic formation. The top affords panoramic views of the dome and surrounding desert. You'll walk among Joshua trees, Mojave yucca, and cholla ("teddy bear") cactus. Near the summit, the trail is faint but marked with cairns (small piles of stones). This land is leased for grazing, and the hiking trail incorporates two ranch gates; be sure to close them as you pass through.
BIKING
Opportunities are as extensive as the preserve's hundreds of miles of lonesome dirt roads. The 140-mile-long historic Mojave Road, a rough four-wheel-drive route, crosses the preserve east to west and visits many of the most scenic areas in the East Mojave; sections of this road make excellent bike tours, but you'll definitely need a mountain bike. Prepare well—the Mojave's dirt roads are rugged routes surrounded by miles of desert wilderness. There are no bike rentals in the park.
CAMPING
The preserve has three established campgrounds, all open year-round on a first-come, first-served basis. None have showers, laundry facilities, or RV hookups, though the Hole-in-the-Wall Campground has a dump station.
The Mid Hills Campground, with 26 sites, is in a woodland of pinyon and juniper and offers outstanding views, but it can be snowy in the winter. It is 35½ miles northwest of Essex, off Black Canyon Road. The mile-high camp is the coolest in the East Mojave. Pit toilets, fire grates, and drinking water are provided, but there are no public telephones. Cost is $12 per night.
Nearby Hole-in-the-Wall Campground perches above two