Alerts & Conditions

Alerts

 

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55 Saves Live, Arrive Alive! Preserve Roads with dips and curves are HAZARDOUS at high speeds.

NPS / J. Meekins

WARNING: Mojave National Preserve Roads are not Designed for Speed!

Please drive carefully while in the preserve. Most paved roads have a speed limit of 55 MPH or below. Auto accidents are the leading cause of injury and death. Drivers who speed here can easily loose control, especially on the many dips and curves. We want to prevent deadly collisions with oncoming traffic, cars running off roads, and vehicle rollovers.

Speeding also contributes to wildlife mortality and road-kill, including deaths to the iconic and threatened desert tortoise.

ARRIVE ALIVE from your travels in Mojave National Preserve - 55 SAVES LIVES.

 

MOJAVE ROAD 4WD ROUTE: As January 2022, Soda Dry Lake is impassible due to muddy conditions, please use detour to avoid hazardous conditions, and protect wilderness resources. NOTE: This detour does not affect motorists using paved roads to visit the Preserve.

NPS Cartography

Road Conditions - Updated January 3rd 2022

For roads and highways outiside the preserve, visit the Caltrans Highway Information center at Road Conditions (ca.gov) or call [phone]

Watch for potholes on all roads.
Please Obey Posted Speedlimts for your safety and to help keep the wildlife alive.

• Mojave Road 4WD Route - IMPASSIBLE HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS at Soda Lake Crossing due to recent wet weather. Detour recommended via Rasor Road, I-15, and Kelbaker Road.

• Black Canyon Road - OPEN, road surface rough with washboard

• Essex Road - OPEN, watch for missing shoulder areas

• Ivanpah Road - USE CAUTION, watch for road crews and heavy equipment Monday through Thursday 8 am to 5 pm see news release

• Kelbaker Road - OPEN

• Cedar Canyon - OPEN- four wheel drive, high clearance recommended due to washouts east of Black Canyon Road Intersection

• Kelso-Cima Road - OPEN Obey 55 MPH speed limit- Dips in road bed are not designed for higher speeds

• Cima Road - OPEN

• Zzyzx Road - OPEN to day use only

  NOTE: Trespassing Prohibited around Buildings of Desert Studies Center without Prior arrangements. Visit CSU Fullerton Website for more information

• Morningstar Mine Road - OPEN Please Obey Posted Speed Limits to Reduce Tortoise Mortailities

 

Please observe mask requirements posted for all indoor areas of the Preserve.

NPS Sign / Harpers Ferry Center

COVID-19 Response and Facility Status

The National Park Service and Mojave National Preserve is working service-wide with federal, state, and local public health authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local public health authorities, access to Mojave National Preserve is as follows:

OPEN:
Hole-In-The-Wall Information Center (Friday - Monday 10 am to 4 pm), All Trails, Most Restrooms, All Roads, Mid Hills Campground, Hole-In-The-Wall Campground

NOTE: Masks are required inside all building regardless of vaccination status

CLOSED:
Kelso Depot Visitor Center (Due to HVAC System Failure), Hole-In-The-Wall Restrooms (Alternatives available in nearby picnic area), Barstow Headquarters VIsitor Center

While the listed areas are accessible for visitors to enjoy, a return to full operations will continue to be phased, and services may be limited. When recreating, please follow local area health orders and recreate responsibly by keeping social distance, wearing a face covering when social distance cannot be maintained, avoiding high risk activities, and staying home if you feel sick.

The CDC has offered guidance to help people recreating in parks and open spaces prevent the spread of infectious diseases. We will continue to monitor all park functions to ensure that visitors adhere to CDC guidance for mitigating risks associated with the transmission of COVID-19 and take any additional steps necessary to protect public health.

Can I still get a National Park Cancelation Stamp, Park Map, or Junior Ranger Booklet?

• All Passport to your national park stamps for Mojave National Preserve and Castle Mountains National Monument are available at the Hole-In-The-Wall Information Center. You can even download a PDF form and put in your desired date for the stamp remotely
• Junior Ranger Programs can be downloaded and printed at home. Junior Ranger badges and books can also be obtained in person at Hole-In-The-Wall Information Center. This is subject to ranger staffing. In person materials are subject to change without notice.
• You can write Mojave National Preserve e-mail us or call us at [phone] to obtain cancelation stamps, junior ranger books, and Junior Ranger Badges. Please leave us a postal mail address in your email or voicemail message to send the requested materials.

Are emergency services available?

Mojave National Preserve cooperates with internal and external emergency services, which can be contacted dialing 9-1-1

Are ranger walks and other ranger-led programs available?

Evening programs, ranger walks, and ranger talks are not currently available. Visitors are invited to learn more about the park by viewing one of our virtual presentations on our video channel.

Is the bookstore open?

The Mojave National Preserve bookstore is run by our nonprofit partner, the Western National Parks Association. Their bookstore is located within Kelso Depot, which is closed. Their online store is open while Kelso Depot remains closed. Search for "Mojave National Preserve" in their online bookstore

 

Physical Address

See the Directions Tab below for GPS Directions. The mailing address is for the administrative headquarters in Barstow, which is over an hour and a half away Mojave National Preserve's visitor areas.

 

Directions

Cities to use for your GPS to find Mojave National Preserve:

Kelso, California
Hole-in-the-Wall, California
 

Operating Hours & Seasons

Weather

Fees & Passes

Entrance Fees:

Internet & Cellular Access

Public WiFi is available.

Internet & Cellular Access Details

 

Fire Conditions at Mojave National Preserve

Check the Fire Conditions to see what is allowed or prohibited for campfires and other open flame activites.
FIreworks are always prohibited.

 

Current Weather Conditions

 

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Kelso Depot Area Forecast (Elev 2126 ft.)

Hazardous Weather Conditions

Lat: 35.0147705096965 Long: -115.65181265424168

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Hole-In-The-Wall Area Forecast (Elev. 4400 ft.)

Hazardous Weather Conditions

Lat: 35.04493209813445 Long: -115.3941445520776

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Backcountry Road Conditions - Updated January 3, 2022

Warning: Many unimproved and bacgrountry roads in the Preserve require high clearance of 8" or more and 4-wheel drive. Road conditions can change quickly. Cell phone service is unreliable throughout most of Mojave National Preserve. Check with a Ranger for vehicle requirements and conditions on the specific roads you plan to travel before you leave the pavement.

Road	Clearnace	Description
AIKEN MINE ROAD	2WD / 4WD High Clearance	2WD accessible to the lava tube from Kelbaker Road; beyond that 4x4 high clearance only. Rocky with washouts and heavy sand.
BLACK CANYNON ROAD	2WD / 4WD High Clearance	Road surface rough with washboard conditions. Watch for snow and ice during inclemt weather.
BRANNIGAN MINE ROAD	4WD High Clearance	Sandy with washouts.
CASTLE MOUNTAINS	4WD High Clearance	Very rough roads.
CEDAR CANYON ROAD	2WD / 4WD High Clearance	2WD to Rock Springs and past Black Canyon junction, but beyond that the road has sandy washes and 4WD high clearance is recommended. If it’s graded and maintained after flooding events, this road could be two-wheel drive accessible. Although, there are sandy sections that a 2WD will get stuck in.
CLARK MOUNTIANS	4WD High Clearance	All roads need 4WD and High Clerance.
COLOSSEUM MINE ROAD	4WD High Clearance	Beyond BLM boundary. Steep grades, impassable in sections.
DEER SPRINGS ROAD	4WD High Clearance	Sandy with deep washouts.
FORT PAIUTE ROAD	4WD High Clearance	Very rocky; no street tires.
GLOBE MINE ROAD	4WD High Clearance	Sandy in spots.
GREEN WELLS CUTOFF	4WD High Clearance	Rocky with washouts.
HIDDEN HILLS ROAD	4WD High Clearance	Sandy with washouts.
IVANPAH ROAD	4WD High Clearance	The dirt portion of Ivanpah Road is not normally accessible to 2WD unless it has been graded recently and there has been no flooding. Otherwise, the dirt area is impassible in areas for 2WD. The dirt area is very sandy and rocky. Many of the 2WD that drive down the rocky portion, which is on the north side, end up with flat tires. Passenger vehicle street tires are not suitable. One section of Ivanpah Road past Morning Star road is broken and full of large potholes.
KELSO DUNES ROAD	2WD / 4WD High Clearance	2WD accessible to the camping area, then 4WD High Clearance required.
LANFAIR ROAD	2WD / 4WD High Clearance	Potholes in pavement section. Sandy in the washes, but with no flooding a two-wheel drive could make it to the junction with Ivanpah. Use caution.
MACEDONIA CANYON ROAD	4WD High Clearance	Sandy and rocky.
MOJAVE ROAD	4WD High Clearance	4WD and High Clearance the entire road. Soda Lake section IMPASSIBLE due to muddy conditions, detour via Rasor Road, I-15, and Kelbaker Road Recommended.
NEW YORK MOUNTAIN ROAD	4WD High Clearance	West of Carothers Canyon, sandy and rocky with washouts.
VALLEY VIEW ROAD	2WD / 4WD High Clearance	2WD until you reach the ranch. Aftwards its 4WD and High Clearance beyond the ranch.
VULCAN MINE ROAD	4WD High Clearance	Very rough on east side.
WALKING BOX RANCH ROAD	2WD / 4WD High Clearance	2WD accessible, but any roads off Walking Box Ranch Road are 4WD high clearance only.
WILDHORSE CANYON ROAD	4WD High Clearance	Sandy and rocky in parts.
WOODS WASH ROAD	4WD High Clearance	Sandy with washouts.