Home / Mojave Preserve and Desert bikepacking trips / 2010, Mojave National Preserve / Day 3: Kelso Peak area to Mid Hills campground, Mojave National Preserve, by bicycle 43
Kelso Peak area to Mid Hills campground, Mojave National Preserve, by bicycle. 37.8 bicycle miles, 3640 feet elevation gain.
- No sign of last night's rain; I'm up around 7h, have breakfast, then pack up leisurely for today's ride to Mid Hills campground
- I walk my packed saddlebags back to the powerline road, assemble the 10-ton bike, then ride a short distance to reach pavement
- Once back on the pavement of Kelbaker Road, I begin the always-wonderful 12-mile downhill to Kelso
- As I coast down Kelbaker Road, I glance often at Kelso Peak, where I hiked yesterday
- An old-style power line follows Kelbaker Road as it descends past the Kelso Mountains toward Kelso
- I pull over on Kelbaker Road, with Kelso Peak still in view, and go for a short walk
- I look across a patch of yellow desert senna flowers at the Mid Hills area in the distance, my destination today
- A little further down Kelbaker Road, I stop again to look at a desert senna with dodder growing in it
- Across the lower, southeastern end of the Kelso Mountains are nice views to Kelso Dunes and the Granite Mountains beyond
- As I reach the bottom of this stretch of Kelbaker Road, the hamlet of Kelso keeps getting closer
- Coyote melon grows on the shoulder of Kelbaker Road just north of Kelso
- 3865-coyote-melon
- I break for 60 minutes at the Kelso Depot visitor centre to refill my water supply and enjoy an iced tea at the lunch counter
- After my break at Kelso Depot, I begin the gentle 15-mile uphill ride on Kelso-Cima Road
- My favourite old house here at Kelso, the one with the rounded roof, isn't doing so well
- One of several long freight trains passes by as I slowly rise up Kelso-Cima Road
- Blooming daturas decorate the train tracks along Kelso-Cima Road
- I pass Globe Mine Road, the only signed road off Kelso-Cima Road between Kelso and Cedar Canyon Road
- I amuse myself visually with the views of Cima Dome and Kessler Peak on my left as I climb Kelso-Cima Road
- Behind me, looking back toward Kelso, are some great views of the Kelso Dunes
- Reaching the sign for Cedar Canyon Road after 15 miles: I'm happy and pull over for a break
- I take my break at the E Clampus Vitus Mojave Road marker at the junction of Cedar Canyon Road and Kelso-Cima Road
- Detail view of the E Clampus Vitus plaque at the junction of Mojave Road, Kelso-Cima Road and Cedar Canyon Road
- I begin the climb up Cedar Canyon Road toward, and then into, the Mid Hills
- The first 2.5 miles of Cedar Canyon Road rise at about 5% grade, so the views behind me improve quickly
- Cedar Canyon Road's famous "pavement ends" sign, Mojave National Preserve
- Cedar Canyon Road rises through a healthy joshua tree forest, with Cima Dome still in the background when I look behind me
- Once Cedar Canyon Road enters the Mid Hills, it drops down into Cedar Wash for a couple of miles
- Looking behind me at the heavily washboarded surface of Cedar Canyon Road as it drops into Cedar Wash
- After six miles on Cedar Canyon Road, I reach my next turn for Mid Hills campground: Black Canyon Rd. Time for a break!
- An energy-bar break is de rigueur here before tackling the final few miles up to Mid Hills campground
- After my break, I ride up Black Canyon Road from Cedar Canyon Road, still 5-6 miles away from Mid Hills campground
- The climb up Black Canyon Road toward Mid Hills only lasts a mile until I reach an almost-flat plateau (Round Valley)
- The Round Valley area of Mojave National Preserve includes quite a bit of private land
- A chunk of land in Round Valley is for sale
- I ride up the gravelly Wild Horse Canyon Road the final two miles to Mid Hills campground
- Finally, I reach the Mid Hills campground entrance road; those final two miles always seem to last forever
- I ride almost 3/4 mile to the far end of Mid Hills campground to see if my prized site 21 is taken or surrounded by undesirables
- It's a bit chilly up here at Mid Hills campground! I put on my sweater, set up the tent, settle in, and enjoy the sunset
- Sunset from Mid Hills campground through a pinyon pine; that should be the Kingston Range way over there
- The usually ochre hills on the other side of Cedar Canyon Road, which I passed earlier, collect the day's pinkish orange rays
- Kelso Peak area to Mid Hills campground, Mojave National Preserve, route elevation profile
- Kelso Peak area to Mid Hills campground, Mojave National Preserve, bicycle route