Mojave National Preserve: A Visitor's Guide

"A lively and detailed description of attractions, habitats, and issues."
—Sunset Magazine

Long before most travelers had heard of Mojave National Preserve, John McKinney and Cheri Rae were exploring its hidden canyons, singing sand dunes, volcanic landscapes, forgotten mining camps, and lonely stretches of old Route 66. Their work helped introduce the East Mojave to a wider public and build appreciation for the remarkable desert that would become Mojave National Preserve.

Updated over the years, Mojave National Preserve: A Visitor's Guide is the definitive companion to this extraordinary national parkland—1.6 million acres of towering sand dunes, Joshua tree forests, rugged mountain ranges, lava fields, limestone caverns, historic railroads, and remarkable desert solitude. It's a land of extraordinary diversity, easy to enjoy on a first visit and rewarding to explore for a lifetime.

Whether you're planning a scenic drive, a weekend camping trip, or several days of hiking and discovery, this comprehensive guide helps you experience the Preserve with confidence.
Inside you'll discover:

• Scenic driving tours and carefully selected hikes
• Hole-in-the-Wall, Kelso Dunes, Mitchell Caverns, the Lava Beds, the Mojave River, and dozens of other natural wonders
• Historic Route 66, Kelso Depot, Goffs, Nipton, Fort Piute, Zzyzx, and fascinating stories from the desert's past
• Nature notes that bring the Preserve's plants, wildlife, geology, and history to life
• Directions and practical travel advice for memorable adventures

Unlike many Western parks, Mojave National Preserve remains wonderfully uncrowded. Here you'll discover every landscape people imagine when they think of the American desert—and several they don't. Explore it one canyon, one back road, and one unforgettable sunset at a time.

From The Trailmaster's California National Parklands Series:

• Hike Mojave National Preserve: Best Day Hikes
• Hike Death Valley: Best Day Hikes in Death Valley National Park
• Hike Joshua Tree: Best Day Hikes in Joshua Tree National Park

John McKinney is the author of 30 books about hiking, parklands and nature, including The Hiker's Way and Hiking on the Edge: Dreams, Schemes, and 1600 Miles on the California Coastal Trail.

For 18 years, John, aka The Trailmaster, wrote a weekly hiking column for the Los Angeles Times, and has hiked and enthusiastically described more than ten thousand miles of trail across America and around the world. The intrepid Eagle Scout has written more than a thousand articles about hiking plus numerous trail guidebooks, including HIKE Southern California: A Day Hiker's Guide and Day Hiker's Guide to California's State Parks.

One of the nation's top hiking experts, John is particularly passionate about sharing the trails of his home state of California. John solo-hiked the entire California coast while pioneering the California Coastal Trail and is the only one to have visited, hiked - and written about - all 270 California State Parks.

When John McKinney says, Take a hike! people do. Many people - hikers and not - credit John's talks and books with inspiring them to hit the trail to a better life. John and his team created The Trailmaster Pocket Guides to share the best day hikes around California, and to give hikers the information they need in an engaging and easily accessible way.

A passionate advocate for hiking and our need to reconnect with nature, John McKinney shares his expertise on radio, TV, online, and as a public speaker. John has been featured or interviewed in major media from the Los Angeles Times to NPR to ABC World News, and appeared on numerous regional talk shows and news programs. Organizations that ask John to share his tips, trails, and inspiring tales include: schools and colleges, churches and retreats, the health and wellness community and conservation and trails organizations.

As John explains it, I've walked a lot of life trails, happy and sad, easy and challenging, and, frankly, more than one path to nowhere. What I've learned along the way I want to share and help others enjoy the benefits of hiking.