Home / Mojave Preserve and Desert bikepacking trips / Spring 2012: Mojave National Preserve Bicycle-Camping and Hiking / Day 13: Cave Spring hike, Mojave National Preserve 47
It's another hot day (102 degrees F today at nearby Cima), so I take it slowly. I don't know what to expect in the Cave Spring area, and it turns out to be an excellent short hike. 4.7 hiking miles, plus 17.6 bicycle miles.
A cow is near my tent this morning; I shoo it away before leaving for the day on today's hike in the Cave Spring area
I arrive at the Hole-in-the-Wall Visitor Centre after 5.5 bicycle miles, 3 cups of coffee and granola breakfast
I recharge my phone and headlight battery from the outdoor plug at the Hole-in-the-Wall Visitor Centre, which is closed today
My cell phone recharged to 65%, I ride the 3+ miles down Black Canyon Road to the Cave Spring area to start today's short hike
There it is, the old road leading to Cave Spring, closed by a couple of Wilderness markers; I stash my bike behind some bushes
The old road to Cave Spring is easy to lose at first, but I eventually find it and follow it up a gentle hill
This old water tank on Cave Spring Road is dry and shot-up, but has great views over to the Woods Mountains
There are so few flowers on this hot late-spring trip that a few expiring Desert senna flowers here are an exciting find
I see a bit of greenery over there; that must be Cave Spring
Yes, Cave Spring, Mojave National Preserve, just ahead
I arrive at Cave Spring, Mojave National Preserve and take a look at the water tank
Apparently, water has flowed over this rock at Cave Spring for a very long time
I think I'll walk over to that rock outcrop over there and see what I find...
I stumble across some cool rock igloos in the Cave Spring area
Cave Spring rock igloos
Cave Spring igloos
You could crawl through this rock igloo near Cave Spring
The beginnings of a nest in one of the igloos near Cave Spring
Close-up of one of the rock igloos (I guess it's a natural arch, really) near Cave Spring
I catch a good front-on view of the Cave Spring area from the rock igloos
I walk away from the rocks igloos to further explore the area near Cave Spring
I find that many big air bubbles made holes in the volcanic rock in the area beyond the rock igloos
More little natural arches in the Cave Spring Hills area
Bighorn-sheep-head rock?
Maybe it's a seahorse head?
No, it's a hawk head!
I decide to walk down the hill and around this volcanic outcrop, since I have no hike plan for the day
So many little holes in the rocks provide shelter for wildlife
I hike a short distance up an adjacent canyon near Cave Spring, but decide not to continue too far, given the heat of the day
Barrel cacti and layered rocks near Cave Spring
Since I've seen so few flowers on this trip, it's great to come across a few barrel-cactus flowers
Cholla cacti and barrel cacti pick up the late-afternoon sun while I walk across this area above Cave Spring
I walk though the Cave Spring area again on this short and pleasantly aimless hot-weather hike
Oops, this barrel cacti fell over and, I think, died
Hmm, a leaning barrel cactus ahead
I suppose this leaning barrel cactus will eventually fall over like the one I saw on the trail a short while ago...
Life in a tilted world for this barrel cactus near Cave Spring, Mojave National Preserve
On my way back to my bicycle near Black Canyon Road, I pass a rather svelte Mojave yucca
Before I leave the Cave Spring area, I hike up onto a low mesa above the old road
Walking down Cave Spring Road on the way back to Black Canyon Road where the bicycle is parked
After a stop at Hole-in-the-Wall Visitor Centre to recharge my phone and fill up on water, I ride over to Woods Wash Road
Great views behind me of Woods Mountains (left) and Wild Horse Mesa as I ride back to camp
Riding the bicycle back to camp on Woods Wash Road
Back at the tent on Woods Wash Road for sunset, I crawl inside, home again for the night!
A close-to-full moon sits above the Woods Mountains just before sunset on this hot day
Bicycle route (red) and hiking route (blue), Cave Spring, Mojave National Preserve
Elevation profile of Cave Spring hike, Mojave National Preserve