The Mojave National Preserve is a huge area of pristine desert landscape in south eastern California. My blog on Mitchell Caverns and Hole-in-the-Wall covers our first trip there. We expanded on that trip over the past two days by visiting Kelso Depot. We intended to camp in a primitive campsite alongside the Kelbaker road that crosses the Preserve from south to north from Interstate 40 at exit 78, to Interstate 15 at Baker, CA. The road tops 3000 feet on both sides of Kelso and for a time exceeds 4000 feet elevation. For comparison both I-40 and I-15 pass through this area at about 1000 feet.
Our literature also indicated there was a campground in Afton Canyon run by the BLM just outside the Preserve. It was four miles off Interstate 15. We found exit 221 easy enough and the BLM signs gave us the confidence to start down a very dusty looking desert road. It was nice and wide and well graded. The washboard effect soon had us crawling at 10 MPH. After a couple of miles the road turned into Afton Canyon and became steep and narrow. I mean like it felt like we were 4-wheelin’ in our 34 foot motor home being pushed by three tons of trailer full of tools.
We reached the campground easily enough and I have developed confidence in Arcturus; He would have the power to pull us back up the hill out of the canyonÂ….if he could get enough traction! We were the only campers last night. There are a total of 22 campsites and there is water and pit toilets available. We spent the night wondering how many trains would wake us up. We were right beside the Union Pacific main line to Las Vegas. Surprise! Not a single train came by in the night. However, five trains passed the campground between sunrise and ten when we left. Thank you UP.
The literature calls Afton Canyon the “Grand Canyon of the Mojave River.” We hiked in the canyon and I have placed a collection of photos on the web site at www.dinsmore-enterprises.com/20091203.html. Judy also took photos of me driving Arcturus up the big hill out of the canyon. Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning not a single car or truck came down the road to the campground. Just as I started up the big hill, here comes the UP maintenance truck. I had to back part-way down the hill to allow him to swing of onto a side road leading to the train tracks. See the photos of the UP-Arcturus Saw-By.
By the way, that is a real railroading term. It is how two trains pass when the available side track is too short for either train to get in the clear. I will leave the details to your imagination. E-mail me if you can’t get your two trains past each other.
Tonight we are in Mojave, the town, and tomorrow we will climb the Tehachapi over to Bakersfield. This is the art of moseying that I have spoken of before. We will be going under a hundred miles again.
See you all down the road somewhere, Gary and Judy
