• Providence Mountains

    Mojave

    National Preserve California

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  • Kelso Depot Visitor Center will be closed two days per week

    Effective May 8, 2013, Kelso Depot Visitor Center in Mojave National Preserve will be closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays. The Visitor Center will remain open Fridays through Tuesdays from 9 am to 5 pm. More »

  • Rabies Alert

    San Bernardino County Public Health Officials are trying to find a man who may have been exposed to Rabies. The bat landed on the man's neck outside Kelso Depot Visitor Center on Tuesday April 30, 2013. More »

Ranger Programs

image of park ranger stetson hat
NPS/Anne Maasberg-Spillane
 

Fridays

Rock Spring Ranger Hike 3:00 pm
Join a park ranger for a one-mile walk and imagine life on the East Mojave frontier. Meet at the Rock House parking lot. Bring water (none available at the site) and dress for the weather.

Saturdays

Dunes Walk 11:00 a.m.
Meet at the Kelso Dunes Trailhead
Hike to the base of one of the largest and most extensive sand dune fields in the United States. Learn about the geologic forces that created Kelso Dunes and the mysterious booming sounds they make. Explore the unique adaptations of the plants and animals that call the dunes home. This easy 1/2 mile hike (one-way) will take 30-45 minutes. Please bring water and dress for the weather.

Petroglyphs: Rocks that Talk 3:00 p.m.
Meet at Hole-in-the-Wall Information Center
For thousands of years the Mojave Desert has been home to diverse cultures. The artifacts they left behind are both beautiful and mysterious. Discover how previous cultures survived in this harsh desert climate and the meanings of the rock art they left behind. This easy 1/4-mile walk (one-way) will take about one hour.

Evening Program - Various topics 7:00 p.m. (Programs are at 7:30 beginning March 23)
Hole-in-the-Wall Information Center
Gather behind the visitor center at the amphitheater and munch on some popcorn (provided) while a ranger talks of special places in this lovely, lonely desert. Meet inside if the weather is poor.

Sundays

Coffee with a Ranger 8:30 a.m.
Hole-in-the-Wall Information Center
Do you have specific questions or would you just like to chat with a ranger? Bring your own mug and share conversation and coffee with Ranger Greg.

Geology of the Mojave 9:00 a.m.
Hole-in-the-Wall Information Center
Hole-in-the-Wall's seemingly tranquil landscape has not always been this way. Great geologic forces have altered this area both subtly and abruptly. Discover the meaning behind the name and what carved the dramatic slot canyon that lies within it. This easy walk takes about an hour.

Did You Know?

photo of detail on Kelso Depot.

The railroad town of Kelso in Mojave National Preserve was named in 1905 by railroad construction workers. Two men placed their names in a hat, along with that of a third who had just moved away. The name drawn from the hat was that of John H. Kelso, the man absent from the drawing. More...