3-28-2014 Boondock Sites and Camping in Mojave National Preserve

This post is specifically about what we found when wandering around the preserve this past few days.  If you aren’t interested in boondocking, just skip it.  I have included more detail than usual for some of the folks that I know who are definitely interested in boondocking. 

Link to live google map

First, I have embedded a live Google Map I created with labels for sites and intersections.  Hopefully if you click on the map, you will be redirected to Google and will have the ability to zoom in, mouse hover over the points to read the labels. Eventually I will figure out how to actually “embed” the map so that it shows rather than just the link, but this will have to do for now.

The rest of the maps are clipped images for each area.

When we first stopped off at the visitor center at the Depot in Kelso, the attendant was a bit vague about RV camping in the area.  The words in the brochure say “Roadside camping is permitted in areas that have been traditionally used for this purpose:  Sites with existing rock or metal fire rings should be considered suitable for roadside camping.”

He pointed vaguely to a couple of areas on the preserve map, including the area near the cross, and the area at the dunes, but didn’t tell us about the other two sites, or have any indication of road conditions getting into any of the sites.  The only developed campground that is suitable for larger RV’s (even our size at 26 feet) is the Hole in the Wall Campground where we spent one night.

I do have to correct the last post.  It is Hole in the Wall, not Hole in the Rock, and I will edit the previous post accordingly, but anyone reading has probably already read the post and will not see the correction.

The first site where we camped was actually a small developed campsite, with a picnic table provided by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and a fire ring, at the base of the white cross WW I memorial.  We attempted to enter via the eastern side of the road and found it rutted and too rocky for the rig, had to unhook and back out, and continue to the west side of the small loop to enter the site.

Some folks with pickups had traveled from this spot to the other sites I have mentioned, but we wouldn’t take our rig back there from this direction.

Walking around checking roads the next day, we found the easternmost entrance to the camping area, and walked the road back to the pavement.  Here we found two great sites.

Site number 2 on the list was the very best, with a dirt road access that we could easily handle in our rig. It was my favorite.

Site number 3 is just west of site 2 on the same side road, however there is a bit of a rough patch that might be trouble for clearance for motorhomes.  We probably wouldn’t try it in the rig, but some might. I would highly suggest that before taking your motorhomes to these sites, that you check them out with your toad.

We were exploring on foot, and there may be other sites on the road toward the mine north to discover if you have the time and a toad to do so. 

The Dunes road, as I mentioned, was incredibly rough, but after we turned around we discovered if we kept our speed to less than 5 mph, literally, we could have traveled the 3 miles to the campsite.  A previous commenter mentioned this site, so I included it in the map if you are willing to drive the road.

The Granite Mountain sites are incredibly gorgeous, just incredible.  With any kind of small rig with high clearance you could probably get back in there and it would be worth it.

At the Hole in the Wall campground, there is a dump station and potable water with a hose to fill your water tanks.  We didn’t see anything requiring campground registration in order to use the dump or take on water.  It may have been there.  At half price for the senior pass, it would have been worth the $6. fee to dump and get water if we wanted to stay out longer in the area.

The Wildhorse Canyon road that travels west and then north from just south of the Hole in the Wall visitor center is also good dirt road.  It isn’t nearly as rough as the Dunes road to sites 4 and 5 on the map. 

These sites are big and flat and are close to the Ring Trail and some fascinating volcanic rock cliffs.  They could accommodate 2 or 3 rigs if you were friends.  There was only one fire pit at site 4, but plenty of space.

The road from this area north toward Mid Hills campground is also dirt, and rough and narrow.  We were in 4 wheel drive, but probably didn’t need it.  I wouldn’t take a motorhome that way.  A truck and camper could manage it OK.  Mid Hills wasn’t nearly as charming as the other areas of the park.  Once a juniper woodland, there was a devastating fire in recent years that has left the place feeling desolate and rather depressing.

We did see the entrance to the Black Canyon Group Camp, near the main Hole in the Wall campground, and I would imagine this is where the rally that Carol spoke of will be held.  There is no camping anywhere around the Kelso Visitor Center or on any of the major paved roads in the preserve.

The Mojave National Preserve is a treasure land of wild desert space.  We visited in late March, which I would imagine would be the high season before summer heat.  There were some flowers blooming, the winds were extremely high, but that was case all over the southwest on the days that we were there.

If you want a true desert boondocking experience, and like to be alone in the wild open space, this a a perfect place to be.