Home / Mojave Preserve and Desert bikepacking trips / Fall 2012: Mojave National Preserve bicycle-camping and hiking, Lanfair Valley loop / Day 6: Old Government Road day hike to Piute Spring from Piute Gorge campsite 38
I'm tired this morning, so today's hike down to the Piute Spring is short, but scenic. It's bright and sunny, and the temperature almost hits 70F, despite being in the low 40s last night. 5 hiking miles and about 1000 feet of elevation gain.
- Another morning at Piute Gorge; strong winds this morning, and I try to sleep in a little
I take the morning slowly, eating Mountain House Beef Stew for breakfast and lazing around to recover from yesterday's bike ride to Hackberry Spring. I didn't sleep well due to the high winds overnight, and didn't fall asleep until about 2h30. Two cups of coffee, plus a cup of vitamin-C drink help. Then some spicy Vietnamese beef jerky. A dark-chocolate bar with almonds is a nice dessert treat, but I think I've overeaten. I use some of the plastic-tasting water in my Camelbak to wash up a bit, which feels really good. I haven't had a shower in almost a week! - While getting ready for today's hike down to Piute Spring, I have my first and only sighting of humans for the day
A pair of Jeeps ride up the road and stop briefly at the next overlook above Piute Gorge. They're close enough that I see them get out of their vehicles for a few minutes to take in the views, but I don't know if they can see me over at the next overlook. - This part of the Piute Gorge Trail is marked by rocks, but there are few footprints here to keep the trail alive
OK, I'll add a few footprints of my own. - As I gain a little elevation, I can see the rounded corral that I rode past yesterday
... and I can see all the way across Lanfair Valley to the New York Mountains, where I was a few days ago. - On my way up the hill, I pass by this engraved rock
Strange, this doesn't seem like a location where I would normally find one of these... - And here's another one...
Did someone place this here? I look around, but don't see any others like it, so I continue on with my hike over the hill toward Piute Spring via the Old Government Road route. - The Piute Gorge Trail joins the Old Government Road and I approach the crest
I look around and realize that there's a lot to explore around here in addition to following the old dirt road that was used for decades. Maybe I should have started today's hike a little earlier. - Nice views across the next valley toward the Dead Mountains Wilderness area, outside Mojave National Preserve
- From here, I'll start winding my way downhill toward the Piute Spring area
I can see some of the Old Government Road ahead of me that will serve as my downhill trail. - Today, not much remains of the Old Government Road except for some rock build-up
Just enough of a track to follow... - Sometimes, the old trail is washed out
...but I know I'm headed toward the wash down below, so it doesn't matter if I get off-track a little. - I arrive at the wash headed toward Piute Creek and follow it downward
I've been having stomach cramps all the way down the hill, probably because I was hungry and ate too much this morning before starting today's hike. My mistake! - At the bottom of the wash, I walk around looking for P G s that are indicated on one of my maps
I don't see any signs of said P G s, so I wonder if maybe they were stolen long ago. Or maybe I've walked right past them without noticing! - It's fun to explore randomly, but I'm also here to fetch more drinking water
Here's Piute Creek again, my water source today. Rare desert streams like this are almost magical amidst the dry landscape. - I cross through some of the riparian brush at Piute Creek
There might be some remains of an old road around here, so I take a few minutes to look for it. - I don't find any of the old road, but I do find parts of a trail here in Piute Canyon
- I follow the trail a short distance up a hill, but this is headed away from the stream that I want to follow
I decide to turn back and try hiking up the creek bed a little. I wonder to where this trail leads... - There's a moon in the sky!
... and it's called "the moon." - I walk back down to the canyon floor: big rocks, willow trees and cottonwoods along Piute Creek
Where should I stop to filter water? - Layers of roots, dropped foliage and sand drainage in this dry part of the Piute Creek bed
- A little bit of bushwhacking as I explore Piute Creek, looking for a nice spot to sit down and filter water
- I climb up the hill a little, hoping to get around some of the brush along Piute Creek
This doesn't work out so well because the canyon walls are so steep, so I decide that I need to climb back down. - I walk through a few cottonwood trees to get back to the stream that emanates from nearby Piute Spring
- I pick this spot in the shallow stream, just deep enough to filter water; lots of cottonwood leaves floating around
Piute Spring itself is really close, but the brush is quite thick, so I decide this spot should do just fine. A nice, peaceful place to sit down and filter water. - Ooops, my water filter has clogged, so I resort to dipping my 10-litre water bag in the stream
I'll put chlorine tablets in my water when I get back to camp. My water filter was almost new, so I didn't think of bringing a spare. I'm surprised my filter has expired so soon; my water sources have been fairly clean, except here at Piute Creek. - My water bag is 3/4 full now, so it's time to leave the quiet babbling brook and walk back up the hill to my campsite
The stream is so shallow that I couldn't fill up the water bag 100%. Also, I'll have some sand grit at the bottom of the bag, which I won't want to drink. - It's about 30 minutes before sunset, perfect time to be climbing a big hill in the Mojave Desert
... for the views. - I end up off-trail for a short distance on my way up the hill
A number of barrel cacti grow up here on the hillside. - I'm on the Old Government Road again here (the old alignment of what we today call the Mojave Road)
The road is becoming quite grown-in, but is still visible. - Another view of the Old Government Road roadbed
Wagons were hauled up this hill over 100 years ago. - I turn around on my way up the Old Government Road to take in the sunset
- Almost at the top!
- The sunset and belt-of-Venus view at the top of the Old Government Road is as good as it's going to get
Sunset is right now. This is looking east, at areas mostly outside Mojave National Preserve: I haven't visited any of those areas yet. - I drop down a final 150 feet with views across the entire Lanfair Valley to the New York Mountains
I'll be over there again tomorrow. At centre-right is that circular corral I passed earlier today. - A bird feather is stuck in this cholla cactus
Permanently? - I arrive home at the tent just as it's getting dark; my first job is to add chlorine tablets to my water, to make if drinkable
Supper is Backpacker's Pantry Chicken Vindaloo: spicy and delicious, if perhaps a bit lightweight. The strong winds stopped during the day, and the temperature drops down into the 30s. Nice evening, I listen to a pair of owls chatting to each other. - Elevation profile of Old Government Road day hike to Piute Spring from Piute Gorge campsite
5 hiking miles and about 1000 feet of elevation gain. - Route of Old Government Road day hike to Piute Spring from Piute Gorge campsite
5 hiking miles and about 1000 feet of elevation gain.