Home / Mojave Preserve and Desert bikepacking trips / 2009, Fall: Mojave National Preserve / Day 4: Hike to Cornfield Spring on the west side of the Providence Mountains, Mojave National Preserve 50
I camped here in May along Cornfield Spring Road amidst the warm rocks. Hot valley temperatures were setting in and I didn't make it to Cornfield Spring on a hike that I planned (I stupidly didn't carry enough water to get me that far).
On this late-November day, it's much cooler, and I will easily make it up to Cornfield Spring on foot. Great scenery, and I will filter fresh water from the spring there to get me through another day.
I won't see another person today. I'll drink a bit more than two litres of water and eat two energy bars during 9.5 round-trip hiking miles and 1838 feet of elevation gain. Temperatures recorded at Baker, CA today are 68F (high) and 34F (low).
The suns feels good as it warms the chilly morning air on the fan near the former Kelso reservoir
As I start the walk up Cornfield Spring Road, I stop at a concrete box that I missed when I camped here a few months ago
A former road that connected the old Kelso reservoir to Cornfield Spring Road is still discernable
The exact location of Cornfield Spring Road has moved a few times over the decades
It looks flat, but the walk up the fan toward the Providence Mountains is a gentle uphill at about 4% grade
Looking back down to Kelso Valley, I watch a train slowly climb the Kelso-Cima grade
About 3 miles up Cornfield Spring Road from my tent, I pass an abandoned corral and the edge of the Providence Mountains block
Along the wash near the old Cornfield Spring Road corral is a rock wall with lots of mini-caves carved into it
Cornfield Spring Road climbs over a few big hills during its final two miles to avoid the flood-prone wash below the spring
The soil on this steep stretch of Cornfield Spring Road has eroded over decades, leaving just a trail of rocks
From this hill at 3450 feet, Cornfield Spring Road zigzags down into a gulley and then up along the ridge of the next hill
I'll follow Cornfield Spring Road around the sharp U-turn at the bottom of the hill just ahead
Cornfield Spring Road's final switchback takes me up a hill and around a bend to this tripod-like end-of-road marker
I don't see Cornfield Spring yet, but following the old pipe should take me there
Anticipation: Cornfield Spring is obviously somewhere down there at the upper end of the green area
I climb down the steep hillside and notice the remnants of a switchback road on the other side of Cornfield Spring wash
I push my way through rabbitbrush and other plants to get across Cornfield Spring wash
Coming up what's left of the old switchback road at Cornfield Spring
I'm not sure where the old road went because it's grown-in, but I can now hear a trickle of water down in Cornfield Spring wash
The source of Cornfield Spring is just ahead; I keep getting scratched by catclaw bushes when I try to climb down to it
I turn back and notice a grown-in, but relatively flat, spot near the still-invisible stream that I can hear
Yes, that should be the stream from Cornfield Spring, that green patch right there
I step across some rocks in a patch of plants (maidenhair ferns, I think) under which a dark blue stream trickles vigourously
Sitting here in deep shade pumping water from Cornfield Spring makes me feel like I'm somewhere other than the Mojave Desert
After filtering 10 litres of Cornfield Spring water in the shade, it's time to climb under that tree again and out of the wash
Cornfield Spring canyon here is already in the shade; it will be dark by 17h, a bit before I make it back to my tent
Rock wall at Cornfield Spring, Mojave National Preserve
Remnant of old switchback road near Cornfield Spring, Mojave National Preserve
Looking north from the south side of the wash near Cornfield Spring, toward the old water pipe that leads to Kelso
As I leave Cornfield Spring, I think about camping up here some day here instead of pitching my tent so close to Kelso
I follow the old pipe away from Cornfield Spring and back to the road
Excellent end-of-day light on the Providence Mountains as I walk up a steep hill to avoid one of the switchbacks on the road
A few barrel cacti dot the hills near Cornfield Spring
Now at the summit of Cornfield Spring Road, I have a nice partial view across to Cima Dome on the other side of Kelso Valley
I can see Kelso down in the valley, and I'll be staring at it for the rest of my hike down Cornfield Spring Road in the sunset
A final glance at the little valley near Cornfield Spring, and the unnamed canyon beyond that I was hoping to have time to hike
I'm coming dowwwn Cornfield Spring Road
Parts of Cornfield Spring Road are quite rideable; perhaps I could have used my bicycle for part of today's hike
Passing the Cornfield Spring Road corral again, I exit the Providence Mountains for the day
Behind me, sunset smears reddish light over parts of the Providence Mountains as I walk back down Cornfield Spring Road
Walking down Cornfield Spring Road toward Kelso at sunset, Mojave National Preserve
I can't stop myself from constantly looking behind me to see the newest lighting effects on the Providence Mountains
A soft glow illuminates the Providence Mountains behind me as sunset fades away
It's getting dark, and I can see that the lights are already on down at the village of Kelso
One last glance back at the Providence Mountains at dusk before there's no light left at all
Sunset went away half an hour ago, and I arrive back at the tent just past 17h30
I settle in for the evening and am surprised to hear a small moth outside flitting against my tent
I boil some water for a cranberry vitamin-C drink, which will hopefully help combat my cold; supper is next!
Cornfield Spring hiking route, Mojave National Preserve
Elevation profile of Cornfield Spring hiking route, Mojave National Preserve