Home / Mojave Preserve and Desert bikepacking trips / 2009, Spring: Mojave National Preserve / Day 6: Howe Spring and back by bicycle from Mid Hills campground, Mojave National Preserve 59
After visiting Butcher Knife Spring and Cottonwood Spring in the northern Mid Hills last year, I've been wanting to check out other springs in that area. Today I'll ride to Howe Spring, stopping at Rock Springs along the way.
I will bring six litres of water for the day and drink 4.5 of those.
32.8 bicycle miles and 2000 feet of elevation gain (and drop) that feels like less because the average grade is just two percent. I'll drop down from Mid Hills campground at 5600 feet to just under 4800 feet at Rock Springs, then up to 5600 feet again at Howe Spring.
Morning at Mid Hills campground, Mojave National Preserve, before starting today's ride to Howe Spring
I ride out of Mid Hills Campground and down Wild Horse Canyon Road into Round Valley
Windmill near the junction of upper Wild Horse Canyon Road and Black Canyon Road, Mojave National Preserve
I ride almost two miles north on Black Canyon Road before turning right on a shortcut road that I've not ridden before
Just off Black Canyon Road on the shortcut road lies a campsite with a juniper tree
Beyond the campsite, the Black Canyon-Cedar Canyon shortcut road deteriorates
I see Cedar Canyon Road just down the hill
I arrive at the junction of Cedar Canyon Road too soon
This appears to be an old alignment of the Mojave Road, running parallel to Cedar Canyon Road
And there is a nice secluded campsite up here, again with a juniper tree
I continue along this stretch of the old Mojave Road, wondering how much further it goes
This old segment of the Mojave Road abruptly ends when it reaches a fence and turns 90 degrees to the right
Here's the road that hugs the fence and connects this segment of the old Mojave Road with Cedar Canyon Road
I ride about three miles down Cedar Canyon Road toward Watson Wash
I turn at the short road leading to the historic rock house above Rock Spring, Mojave National Preserve
Mojave National Preserve's Bert Smith Rock House has been meticulously restored
The Bert Smith Rock House sports deeply recessed windows and an unusual lack of a roof line
Behind the Bert Smith Rock House is a recently built trail down to Rock Springs, Mojave National Preserve
I ride down into Watson Wash on the short segment of the old Mojave Road near the Bert Smith Rock House
I park the bicycle where the spur road ends near Rock Springs and go for a walk
I approach Rock Springs, Mojave National Preserve
There doesn't seem to be much here at Rock Springs right now but mud, flies, and a lot of animal excrement
It turns out that a very small pool of water does exist here at Rock Springs after all
From Rock Springs, I walk back down to my bike parked in Watson Wash
Back on the bike, I return to Cedar Canyon Road and turn right to head north on New York Mountains Road toward Howe Spring
West New York Mountains Road, heading toward the east end of Pinto Mountain
Mailboxes along west New York Mountains Road, Mojave National Preserve
So far, west New York Mountains Road is well packed, but with a layer of sand or gravel on the surface
The main New York Mountains Road continues to the right
The road to Howe Spring, Mojave National Preserve, gets narrower
The road to Howe Spring has deteriorated enough that I know I'm near the end
I walk up the dry wash toward Howe Spring, Mojave National Preserve
Dense greenery grows around the wash at Howe Spring, Mojave National Preserve
The Howe Spring area looks a bit like the Eagle Rocks area, but the pinnacles aren't as big or numerous
Howe Spring wash is dry, but I discover some piping that leads up to a water tank
Howe Spring has no running water right now, but the well here (which is perhaps the spring) contains a fair amount
The Howe Spring water tank is empty
This looks like some kind of scrub oak growing here at Howe Spring, Mojave National Preserve
Looking east from Howe Spring across Fourth of July Canyon to the New York Mountains
A firecracker penstemon blooms for the hummingbirds, in the rocks at Howe Spring, Mojave National Preserve
When I reach the old corral at Howe Spring, I realize that it's completely burned
I retrieve the bike and start riding back down Howe Spring Road
Riding away from Howe Spring, I find myself thinking that, yes, it would be worth camping here one day
I come upon a severe wash-out and figure that I must have made a wrong turn; I didn't see this on the way to Howe Spring
Howe Spring Road dips into several sandy washes as it hugs the west side of Pinto Valley
This long, straight stretch of Howe Spring Road makes me feel like I'm somewhere other than the Mojave Desert
New York Mountain Road dips down into Watson Wash at around 4800 feet elevation
I ride briefly through the sagebrush in Watson Wash, then rise out of the wash after turning onto Cedar Canyon Road
I stare at this unnamed mountain just south of Cedar Canyon Road while riding past it
Cedar Canyon Road turns and heads briefly north toward Pinto Mountain before resuming its westward trek
Cedar Canyon Road crosses a cattle guard and offers a detour for those not wishing to cross the cattle guard
I leave Cedar Canyon Road and ride up the 3/4-mile-long shortcut road to Black Canyon Road
The ride back up the Cedar Canyon-Black Canyon cutoff road is slow, but easier than expected
After the cutoff road, I ride 1.5 miles up Black Canyon Road, then the final two hilly miles up to Mid Hills campground
This recycling bin at Mid Hills campground takes on an incredible intense blue colour in its stark surroundings
Back at Mid Hills campsite 22 after my ride to Howe Spring, I take a break before settling in and preparing supper
This evening's clouds make for a colourful sunset at Mid Hills campground site 22 after the ride to Howe Spring
Bicycle route from Mid Hills campground to Howe Spring (Day 6)
Elevation profile of today's ride from Mid Hills campground to Howe Spring and back (Day 6)