Mojave road advice only have 2 days

[CO_Hunter]

I've done some reading on this and sounds like a cool place. This is just part of a larger road trip between Christmas and New Years. We will have about 2 days and 2 nights for the area. From Las Vegas I'm not sure if we should go in from the north or head down and start on the far east side of the road. I'm thinking we will mainly explore the National Preserve area. I read that Soda lake is muddy and not recommended for travel right now so I think that will be a good place to bail out anyhow. I will have family and m416 in tow. Advice would be great. We will be leaving Colorado early this coming Sat. 26th. Thanks in advance.

 

[e9999]

Advice? : porta potty!

 

[D'Animal]

Keep an eye on the weather.

There is a storm coming and it is suppose to hit the central valley this weekend. The low lying area may get fash floods, etc.

 

[CO_Hunter]

Thanks for the heads up on the weather, will keep that in mind. I was originally seeking advice on sights to see places to camp etc.

 

[e9999]

OK, not being too terse now, there are some regulations you want to be sure you're familiar with.

As far as where, there are several threads here discussing just that.

 

[D'Animal]

This thread and one other thread. ???

OK, not being too terse now, there are some regulations you want to be sure you're familiar with.

As far as where, there are several threads here discussing just that.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/search.php?searchid=5407163

 

[CO_Hunter]

Uh, ok. I did lots of searching hence the questions. Not much in this section as D'Animal points out. I found stuff on the SoCal cruisers site, Expedition Portal, desertusa etc. Those describe 3 day trips starting on the eastern end of the road.

So with 2 days and the option of coming in from the north there are several camping/sight seeing options, some better than others, so again 2 days vs. 3 days there are options. Spare me the pretentious "search" response... oh and no porta potties required there, read the NPS web site... sheesh.

 

[calstyl2]

If your doing two days, start at the river and work your way West, you can do it in one hard day, but taking your time and not prerunning it and you can camp somewhere around Govt Holes or the Mailbox. The lake bed can be hit or mis but if you have two days, head west till you hit Kelbaker Rd then head home, its a few hours from KelBaker Rd to I-15 across the lakebed, there are a few outs from that point.

 

[lacruiser]

My favorite spot to camp out there is up Carruther's canyon, near the top. awesome camp spots, and a beautiful canyon as well. it will be cold this time of year however.

the aiken cinder mine is definitely worth the time, not too far from where the lava tubes are located, both are good to see.

if you can, try to find the Casebier book about this road, it's filled with good info, and mile-by-mile (using the odo reference) descriptions of sights in the area.

I'd say start from Laughlin and go west, then bail at the big muddy lake. (soda lake).

if you had more time to research, there's tons of great maps, etc, to look at.

have fun, it's worth the trouble.

 

[CO_Hunter]

Thanks for the input guys. We'll go in from the east side and it's good to know you can make some good time, if needed. We'll try to get to those places you mentioned. Busy packing up now.

 

[CO_Hunter]

pics

Since there isn't much in this section I figured I would give a quick recap. Well the trip was epic, me, my wife, 2 kids 2 dogs, 3100 miles and 9 days. Night 1 was in Red Cliff BLM campground near St. George, UT. Nights 2 and 3 dispersed camping in Mojave Preserve. Night 4 San Simeon State park on the coast. $35/night ouch. Night 5 State Park near Pt. Reyes national seashore. Nights 6 and 7 in NorCal visiting friends. Night 8 Salina, UT Roadway Inn via Rt 50, then home. Here are some teaser pics with link to the rest.


Camp amongst the Joshua Trees

Frozen Rock Springs, enough patchy snow to throw a few snowballs

abandon mine


MobileMe Gallery

 

[CO_Hunter]

more pics


Exploring lava tubes

Camp near lava cliff

San Simeon beach on the coast

 

[calstyl2]

So did you do the entire trail?

 

[Brentbba]

How'd your M416 behave on the Mojave Trail?

 

[CO_Hunter]

So did you do the entire trail?

No, we went in off of Hwy 95 about 25 miles south of Searchlight. The second night (in Mojave, 3rd night of trip) we camped on the south end of the lava field near the cliff so the next morning we bailed onto Kelbaker Road. Then we headed south on I-15 to the Afton Canyon exit. We crossed the Mojave River (a few times) and had lunch near those tall cliffs. Then back tracked to the highway and headed for the coast. Didn't have time to drive the whole road to Afton Canyon plus we heard Soda Lake was muddy. I think total we did about 80 miles in the dirt

How'd your M416 behave on the Mojave Trail?

The M416 did great. The trail isn't really too technical. The "worst spot" was dropping down into the wash near Rock Springs. I have had it on much more challenging trails where it tracked right behind me. We were packed to the gills though.

 

[Brentbba]

I've done Mojave with just the cruiser. Next time will be with the trailer, thus the question. I remember that drop...short but a little steep. More curious as to how slow you had to drive over all the wash board woopty doos.

 

[CO_Hunter]

More curious as to how slow you had to drive over all the wash board woopty doos.

Ahh, of course, how could I forget the woopty doos. I think speed was more limited by how much bouncing we could take in the cruiser. Definitely slower through those areas. Just guessing it would be pretty uncomfortable before you started throwing the trailer around. Seemed like when I checked the mirrors the tailer was fine. Wash boards, I didn't even think about the trailer, didn't seem to try to slide or anything.

That one wash is a little steep but even loaded heavy there was no problem. Wheels locked briefly but in the soft sand no big deal. The kids did get out and walk that section though

Check your drain plugs on the trailer before crossing the River near the campground, I got a little water in, and my plugs were open.

 

[lcolon]

I was supposed to do the Mohave Road over thanksgiving but we bailed on going down south. This is up there on one of my next socal desert trips...

right now I am planning to go to moab sometime this spring... maybe the Mohave road would be good on the way back...

 

[Wile E Coyote]

I really have to make the Mohave Road a priority this winter. I've lived an hour away from the eastern end since '96. Thanks for the trip report.

 

[Brentbba]

Ahh, of course, how could I forget the woopty doos. I think speed was more limited by how much bouncing we could take in the cruiser. Definitely slower through those areas. Just guessing it would be pretty uncomfortable before you started throwing the trailer around. Seemed like when I checked the mirrors the tailer was fine. Wash boards, I didn't even think about the trailer, didn't seem to try to slide or anything.

That one wash is a little steep but even loaded heavy there was no problem. Wheels locked briefly but in the soft sand no big deal. The kids did get out and walk that section though

Check your drain plugs on the trailer before crossing the River near the campground, I got a little water in, and my plugs were open.

Thanks.

Trailer does not have any plugs in the 4 drain holes! Didn't even think about it until you mentioned it. Once I put a lid on, I ought to get some rubber plugs. Didn't even think about that river crossing. My trailer has already had a SOA done so the bed sits up pretty high already...but better safe than soaked!!!