In 1925 the industrial revolution was building momentum, and Mr. Ford’s cars clogged the streets of Manhattan.  The world was changing; leaving the “wild west” behind.  However, in the Mojave Desert, a gunfight was erupting between the cattle ranchers and  sheepherders of the New York Mountains.  Drought had put a stranglehold on the land, forcing the homesteaders to leave and tempers to flare at Government Holes, one of the few productive wells in the area.  The Cattle companies’ hired gun, and the  sheepherders blazed away at each other, until all lie dead; ending a fateful chapter of Mojave history.

Our 160 mile trek along the Mojave Road occurred under considerably more peaceful conditions, but the history and arid environment of the Mojave Desert are still available to the hardy traveler.  This route, which starts near Barstow, and travels all the way to the Colorado river is one of the longest continuous off-highway treks available in the West, ranging from dry lake beds to nearly 6,000 feet and Pinyon Pines. Three or more days are required to cover its distance, which provides the opportunity for excellent remote camping. 

We left I15, just east of Barstow onto Harvard Road, and paralleled the rail tracks for 3 miles before leaving pavement and shifting into 4wd.  The trail is not particularly challenging; well within the capability of any high clearance four wheel drive; however, the spring rains were heavy, leaving long stretches of mud and water in the Mojave River Basin.  This slowed our progress, and resulted in several stuck vehicles, and long extractions.  Recovering the heavy loaded expedition vehicles took patience and over 90 feet of tow straps to get to firm ground. This delayed our arrival to camp one until well after dark.

Camp one was made on the slopes of the Mojave River wash, just below the basin cliffs.  The native influence on this area dates back over 7,000 years, and the evidence of their activities have left a lasting impression.  On the bluffs just north of the camp are the remains of dozens of triangle intaglios; created by removing the small stones that are inset into the surface.  All of the triangles point to the west, and vary in size from less than a foot, to several feet across. 

The Mojave River basin continues northeast and the bluffs overhead form the mouth of Afton Canyon, one of the most spectacular segments of the trek.  Massive walls tower above the wash, and several water crossings are encountered in the canyon bottom. During our spring visit, even the main wash was flowing, minus the silt and mud we encountered the day before.

After exiting Afton Canyon, we entered the Rasor OHV area, where route finding becomes more challenging.  The river fractures into multiple tributaries, cutting deep, cross-axled ditches into the trail.  4wd-lo was required for most of this area to contend with the soft sand and tall ledges.  That effort rewarded us with a crossing of the 20 mile long Soda Lake.  Use extreme caution if the weather has been wet, as the usually dry lake will turn into a bog.  In addition, the soda in the lake is caustic to vehicles, and should be sprayed off immediately after the trip.

The route after Soda Lake becomes much more rugged; gaining and losing elevation to several small mountain ranges. The trail travels along the base of the Cinder Cone Lava Beds, before turning east to the Marl Mountains.  This area is beautiful, and the spring flowers carpeted the hillsides, shifting the colors from yellows, to purples.  Our destination for camp two was Marl Springs, an abandoned mining and cattle operation with wooden fencing, a perennial spring, and several grinding mills.  Marl Springs was originally discovered by the Spaniard, Fray Francisco Garces, who named the spring Pozos de San Juan de Dios (Wells of St. John of God).

From Marl Camp, the trail climbs to the site of Government Holes, where the Ox Cattle Company’s hired gun had the deadly shootout with Matt Burts. The original windmill and water tank are still in operation.  In addition, there are several building foundations and rock work visible.  From the well, we gained more elevation, climbing towards Rock Springs, with its beautifully preserved rock cabin.  The area was green and healthy from the spring rains, and junipers dot the hillsides.

The trail from Rock Springs drops into the Lanfair Valley and runs for nearly 10 miles in a straight line to the east.  We explored the abandoned town of Lanfair, then traveled  further north to a spectacular petroglyph site with hundreds of carvings near Eagle Well. From there, route finding becomes more challenging, but the familiar rock cairns (on your left while heading east) guide the way.

We made camp three at the Fort Piute overlook, which was spectacular under the light of the setting sun.  Many level campsites are available here, though it is advisable not to camp on the overlook due to brisk winds. Within minutes of making camp, rain came, pounding our tents and sending the group for cover.  The storm lasted most of the night, but gave way in the morning, allowing for a beautiful sunrise and the sweet smell of creosote.

Day four was short, and included a visit to Fort Piute, which is tucked into a beautiful canyon overlooking the Piute and Dead Mountains.  The dirt track from the fort to the Colorado River is easy and can be covered in just a few hours.  Arriving at the Colorado River is a bit of a navigation challenge, as the original Mojave Road has been replaced by huge crop fields.  After a few detours, we made our way to the waters edge, taking in its impressive size and strength.  We imagined for a moment how travelers over 100 years ago would have looked at this monster of a river, having to cross it without the aid of bridges.  We also considered the impression this area would have left on the original travelers along this route.  I believe that not much separates the modern explorer from the likes of Francisco Garces; a desire to discover, the search for adventure, and the constant wonder of this beautiful land.

GPS Coordinates: (Datum WGS84)

Harvard Road and I15: N34 57.633 W116 38.696
Enter the Mojave River Basin: N34 58.583 W116 32.782
Camp One, Pyramid Intaglios: N34 59.206 W116 29.043
Enter Afton Canyon: N35 02.200 W116 22.843
Exit Afton Canyon, turn NE: N35 02.609 W116 18.414
East end of Soda Lake: N35 09.498 W116 01.694
Camp Two, Marl Springs: N35 10.136 W115 38.870
Lanfair Town Site: N35 07.115 W115 09.859
Petroglyph Site: N35 08.718 W115 09.547
Camp Three, Piute Overlook: N35 06.523 W115 00.609
Fort Piute: N35 06.894 W114 59.058
Colorado River: N35 02.651 W114 37.656