Mojave National Preserve
The Mojave Desert isn’t always associated with words like beautiful and awe inspiring, but that what the Mojave National Preserve is. North of Interstate 40 in eastern California, scenic Kelbaker Rd. winds up through the hills of the preserve, flanked by mountains on both sides. Joshua trees and cholla cacti dot the landscape and vivid red and black cinder cones lines the horizons.
KELSO DUNES
45 sq. mi. of sand dunes, some over 600ft. tall, surrounded by mountains. Hang around until sunset for spectacularly painted dunes and watch as the shadows pour over the ripples of sand. The dirt road from Kelbaker Rd. is a bit bumpy and is littered with large potholes, but the road is wide enough that you can maneuver around the majority of them.
MOJAVE LAVA TUBE
The drive back to the tube may not be worth it if you don’t have a high clearance vehicle. The tube is relatively small and short and the drive to it can be a bit arduous, but the sky lights in the tube offer incredible photography opportunities. Bring a flashlight (an actual flashlight, not your phone) because the narrow opening to the chamber with the spotlight is difficult to find since the entrance of the tunnel is so bright your eyes cannot properly adapt to the low light in the cave. Getting in and out of the tube is easy with the help of a metal staircase, but you might have to crawl through the narrow opening to get into the good chamber. From the parking area the tube is roughly 1/2 mile walk through rugged basalt.
