Mojave National Preserve - Kelso Dunes

Our February 2015 trip to southern California continued with a second day at Mojave National Preserve to hike over 3.4 miles on the Kelso Dunes. The dunes are located south of Kelso. To reach the trailhead from Kelso, drive 7.8 miles south on Kelbaker Road to a signed gravel road on the right. Drive 2.9 miles west on the gravel road to a parking area with interpretive signs and a vault toilet. The first ½ mile of the trail is very obvious and consists of a fairly solid combination of sand and gravel. Once in the dunes, the trail splits into numerous paths through the soft sand. The elevation gradually increases as each wave of dunes is higher than the previous. Walking sticks make this part of the hike much easier. We deliberately chose a path away from the few dozen other hikers that included a Cub Scout troop on a holiday weekend outing. Once away from the crowds, we enjoyed a leisurely walk along the ridgelines of the dunes until we reached the summit over 500 feet above the surrounding landscape. We used a combination of plunge stepping and glissading to descend the steep face of the dune. While descending, we heard and felt the low frequency booming sound that Kelso Dunes is noted for. The sound is only created in dunes with uniform small grains of silica sand. The sound is generated by surface sand slipping past stationary sand. This can be caused by wind or by the mini-avalanches our descent created.

Please be prepared when hiking in the desert. This includes having a first aid kit, map and plenty of sunscreen. We carried and drank plenty of water, even though the temperature was in the mid 70s.

Hiking route

Elevation profile

Three mile gravel access road from Kelbaker Road

Parking area at trailhead

The trail quickly heads into the wilderness area of the preserve

The initial trail is well defined and relatively easy walking

Looking back at part of the Granite Mountains

The trail splits into multiple paths

Looking east to the Providence Mountains

Following a little used ridge line

Vegetation helps stabilize the dunes

Looking back at the trail

A few more foot prints along this ridge

Another view of the Providence Mountains

Ripples created by the wind

A saddle between dunes presents our first view of the Kelso Mountains to the north

Not much further to the top

Looking south toward the trail with the Providence Mountains
on the left and the Granite Mountains on the right

Continuing to climb higher

My lovely wife on the dunes with the Providence Mountains

Taken by my wife as I was taking her picture

Another picture taken by my beautiful bride

The final ridge to the top

Granite Mountains from the top of the dunes

Looking south across the dunes to the trail and access road

Looking southwest across the Bristol Mountains to San Gorgonio Mountain

Looking across Devils Playground and Jackass Canyon to Old Dad Mountain

Looking east with Kelso on the left and the Providence Mountains on the right

A beautiful day for a hike on the dunes

Looking west across the dunes to the Bristol Mountains

Looking northeast across the Devils Playground to the Kelso Mountains

Looking east across the dues to the Providence Mountains

Looking south with the Providence and Granite Mountains

It is steeper than it looks

Looking back at our steep descent

Clouds forming over the Granite Mountains

Looking back at the dunes from the trail

Entrance to Mojave National Preserve is free.

The park website is http://www.nps.gov/moja/index.htm.