Mojave Preserve and Desert bikepacking trips / Spring 2012: Mojave National Preserve Bicycle-Camping and Hiking / Day 11: Rings Trail and Barber Peak Loop Trail hike, Mojave National Preserve

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Home / Mojave Preserve and Desert bikepacking trips / Spring 2012: Mojave National Preserve Bicycle-Camping and Hiking / Day 11: Rings Trail and Barber Peak Loop Trail hike, Mojave National Preserve 42

I never got around to checking out these great trails near the Hole-in-the-Wall Visitor Centre during past trips. I manage to sleep in until 8h30, a bit tired (but inspired) from yesterday's long bike ride. I was missing out! 7.8 hiking miles and 11 bicycle miles. Temperature hits 93F today at Cima, so it's a warm one.

After breakfast, I ride the 5.5 miles over to Hole-in-the-Wall Visitor Centre to do the Rings Trail hike
As I start down the Rings Trail, I take a look back at the Hole-in-the-Wall Visitor Centre, where I've locked my bicycle
The Rings Trail starts out following a wash, and I can see down beyond the Woods Mountains where I rode my bike yesterday
Rings Trail curves and I'm now staring straight ahead at Wild Horse Mesa
If you don't pay attention, you might miss these little beauties as you walk past!
Rings Trail, Mojave National Preserve: buckwheats blooming
Rings Trail moves straight ahead toward those hot bubbly rocks
It looks like the Rings Trail is going to lead me into that slot in the rocks
As the Rings Trail approaches a slot in Banshee Canyon, it's nice to look back
Is that the slot where the Rings Trail is leading?
Ah... there are those famed rings I've heard of: the Rings Trail is now headed upward!
As I start climbing the rings, I take a look back at a rock turret behind me
Climbing up the rings on the Rings Trail
At the top of the short climb up the rings on the Rings Trail, I take a look back down
At the top of the Rings Trail, I encounter the sign warning that it's a potentially strenous climb for some folks
I walk over to "The Overlook" at the top of the Rings Trail to see what it is that the sign points toward
Oh, there's an eye, a tiny natural arch in the bubbly rock here near the top of the Rings Trail, Mojave National Preserve
I notice a big patch of those pink dry buckwheats that I see here and there in the Mojave Desert, near the top of Rings Trail
I decide to try hiking the adjacent Barber Mountain Loop Trail, or at least part of it, since I'm here
The Barber Mountain Loop Trail climbs slowly from the Rings Trail summit
With so few flowers in bloom, I'm happy to find a few Encelias (brittlebrush) flowering on the Barber Mountain Loop Trail
A short stretch of the Barber Peak Loop Trail crosses a noteworthy patch of yellow lichen on pinkish rock
I pass a nice juniper tree as I approach the crest of this segment of the Barber Peak Loop Trail
This spot on the Barber Peak Loop Trail is just high enough for me to see all the way across Gold Valley toward my camp
Barber Peak Loop Trail winds around some rocks, and I'm now looking at the Gold Valley hills that I rode across a few days ago
Perhaps the most interesting feature of the Barber Mountain Loop Trail is this eroded rock hotel
A nice rock staircase, part of the Barber Peak Loop Trail, hugs the left side of the rock hotel here
I take a peak through some of the windows, but find the hotel has no interior, as expected
The Flintstones would be proud to live here!
I take a final look at the hotel as I continue my way along the Barber Mountain Loop Trail
The next stretch of the Barber Mountain Loop Trail dips down into a familiar part of Gold Valley
Gold Valley burned pretty bad in the 2005 brush fires here, but 4/5 of this tree survived
This patch of Gold Valley by Barber Mountain is still largely devoid of vegetation almost 7 years after the brush fires
For a while, Barber Mountain Loop Trail follows an old road
Well, this is as close as I've ever been to Lobo Point, Mojave National Preserve, that outcrop in front of me
I'm really enjoying walking through this area here behind Lobo Point on the Barber Mountain Loop Trail in a little hidden valley
The Barber Mountain Loop Trail rises up a short, steep hill overlooking the hidden valley
Walking down the Barber Mountain Loop Trail, slowly approaching Black Canyon Road
Walking down the Barber Mountain Loop Trail, slowly approaching Black Canyon Road
After a break at Hole-in-the-Wall Visitor Centre to recharge my phone, I ride the 5.5 miles back to camp on Woods Wash Road
Mojave National Preserve: Rings Trail and Barber Mountain Loop Trail day hike: Day 11
Elevation profile of Mojave National Preserve: Rings Trail and Barber Mountain Loop Trail day hike: Day 11