Home / Mojave Preserve and Desert bikepacking trips / 2009, Spring: Mojave National Preserve / Day 5: Wild Horse Mesa hike and Wild Horse Canyon Road bicycle ride, Mojave National Preserve 61
I didn't originally intend to stay up here at Mid Hills campground for almost a week, so my day trips in this area are somewhat spontaneous, despite the many hours I spent planning this trip.
Today I choose to visit Bluejay Mine Road, about which I know nothing, and I'll hike around the Wild Horse Mesa area for the first time. I'll do the bike ride down Wild Horse Canyon Road that I like so much, and I'll return to Mid Hills campground via Black Canyon Road.
24.3 bicycle miles with 2300 of climbing, plus 3.2 hiking miles with 1384 feet of elevation gain and drop. I'll drink about 4.5 litres of water during the day and eat one Larabar and one Clif bar (chocolate mint).
- I get ready to leave Mid Hills campground for a ride down Wild Horse Canyon Road
Some clouds this morning kept the sun from getting too hot, so I managed to sleep in a bit. I didn't sleep well last night; I tossed and turned a lot. After tea and breakfast, I prepare my saddlebags and backpack, stop at the tap to fill my water (six litres), and off I go. Breakfast was granola, tamari almonds, tart black prunes, a couple of dried pears and a handful of pine nuts (not harvested here at the Preserve). - 3/4 mile from campsite 22, I exit Mid Hills campground and turn right to start descending Wild Horse Canyon Road
From 5620 feet at site 22, the 100-foot drop to the campground exit is made even more pleasant by the perfect 76-degree temperature. - Wild Horse Canyon Road is one of my favourite mountain-bike rides in Mojave National Preserve
The Providence Mountains views are always a welcome sight as Wild Horse Canyon Road trickles down through the Mid Hills, mostly at a four-five percent grade. It's occasionally steeper though, and even flat or uphill once in a while. - Wild Horse Mesa, the target of today's hike, is the flat-topped formation ahead
I encounter only one vehicle on Wild Horse Canyon Road this morning: this parked cattle truck. The Bluejay Mine Road that I'm looking for today will be behind the low hill straight ahead and in front of Wild Horse Mesa. - Wild Horse Canyon Road continues its twisty-windy descent, which is getting flatter
The washboarded road surface rattles my bones and keeps me from riding too fast. A couple of cows just crossed the road here. - Bluejay Mine Road appears to my right about six miles from Mid Hills campsite 22, at about 4740 feet elevation
This rough road is only about 1.5 miles long. I never even noticed this road while riding down Wild Horse Canyon Road during my previous Mojave National Preserve trips. I was too busy enjoying the rides. - Bluejay Mine Road enters a wash and I look at the tracks I've carved behind me
It's a bit sandy here. Other tracks here indicate that motor vehicles have come this far a few times and turned around, probably fearing that the road would worsen. - The fearful motorists were correct; Bluejay Mine Road does worsen, as most dead-end desert tracks do
However, the surface is still well-packed in places, so I continue riding, walking the bike occasionally when the road gets too rocky or sandy. - Bluejay Mine Road rises out of the wash, sort of, but is really bumpy, and a bit uphill, so I'm now walking more than riding
This area burned badly during the 2005 "Hackberry Complex" brush fires, but slow signs of recovery are apparent. Some of the bright green shrubs in the area are young juniper trees. - I come around a bend and realize I'm at the end of the road, looking at the Bluejay Mine site
I park the bike, put on my headband to catch my sweat drips, and traipse around the area. - Out here in the middle of nowhere, I stumble upon a memorial plaque dedicated to James Winkler
It immediately clicks that I must be at the site of "Winkler's Cabin," which reportedly burned during the 2005 fires. I had never visited Winkler's Cabin, but thought it was elsewhere, closer to Mid Hills campground. - This low rock wall looks like it may be the remants of a foundation, or maybe it's just a retaining wall for a former garden
Perhaps this is the foundation of the Winkler's Cabin that used to be here. - Debris at the burned Winkler's Cabin site at the end of Bluejay Mine Road, Mojave National Preserve
The big barrel looks like it might have been used to burn garbage outdoors, or perhaps it served as a heating unit inside the former cabin. - The entrance to the old Bluejay Mine appears to have been recently rebuilt with fresh wood
The old mine entrance was probably burned during the 2005 fire, but with no signs in the area, one can only guess if the mine entrance is being repaired by the National Park Service or restored by a volunteer group. - A lizard scurries along a burned timber outside the entrance to the Bluejay Mine, Mojave National Preserve
Is he looking for sun or shade? - I pack my backpack and hike up the steep hill above Bluejay Mine and the Winkler's Cabin site
I take it slowly because it's over 450 feet of elevation gain in less than half a mile. The views back down to the valley are stupendous, despite the ominous clouds on the horizon. A few raindrops fall. - Atop the ridge, it's exciting to look over the other side to a world where it appears that man rarely visits
I see the Providence Mountains and canyons that I've never seen before. I'm going to walk down that way a bit and see if I can climb up to Wild Horse Mesa from there. - The Mojave storm clouds have brought high winds that try to blow the hat off my head
A few warm raindrops fall and I'm a bit worried, hopeful that no serious rain is going to develop. - I watch an agave on my way down toward Beecher Canyon
Beecher Canyon is enticing and scenic. I'd like to hike all the way down there if I had a different schedule. - Desert dudleya growing in rock on the way down toward Beecher Canyon, Mojave National Preserve
These quirky succulents always get my attention when I run across them. - Last chance to spontaneously change my route and walk straight ahead down Beecher Canyon...
If I walked down that way, instead of up the hill to the left, I'd eventually end up down below the Mitchell Caverns/Providence Mountains State Recreation Area, which I visited in 2000. That's another nice area that I just haven't gotten around to visiting again. - I cross the juniper-studded drainage that is Beecher Canyon's "headwaters" and begin the climb up to Wild Horse Mesa
I'll leave the descent into Beecher Canyon for a future trip... I'm at about 5000 feet right here, some 485 feet below the peak behind Bluejay Mine that I just traversed. - It's only a quarter mile up to the Wild Horse Mesa plateau, but it's a steep 300 feet elevation gain
Loose rock halfway up the hill makes for a slippery hike at times. I get a bit worried that I may need to alter my route, but the the ground turns out to be much firmer near the plateau. - I climb up onto Wild Horse Mesa and revel in the views toward Beecher Canyon and Providence Mountains
I've circled this part of Mojave National Preserve many times, but I've missed out on the experience of the 360-degree views up here until now. - Looking south across Wild Horse Mesa, Mojave National Preserve
Wow... it's a world of isolation up here on this barren, windswept plain suspended above the surrounding Mojave desert. - Looking southwest across Wild Horse Mesa, the plateau drops off into the southern end of Beecher Canyon
There are several square miles worth exploring up here on Wild Horse Mesa. Noise here consists of wind gushing past my ears and the repetitive cries of a very raucous bird, perhaps a screech owl? - My maps indicate that the summit of Wild Horse Mesa is only a half mile northeast, so I start walking that way
Wild Horse Mesa summit is only 300 feet higher, and I've already climbed this far, so I might as well go the rest of the way. But I doubt the views can get much better! - Wild Horse Mesa summit lies just ahead
The last little bit is fairly steep, but the sun keeps hiding behind clouds and cool breezes blow, so I don't overheat as I hike quickly to the top. - Wild Horse Mesa, Mojave National Preserve; I enjoy the views from the summit at about 5600 feet
I take an energy-bar-and-water break here and look north down toward Bluejay Mine where my bike is parked. From here, a small ribbon of Wild Horse Canyon Road is visible to the right, as is the Clark Mountain range in the distance. - It's a steep 600-foot drop from Wild Horse Mesa down to Bluejay Mine and my bike
I start looking for a feasible route down that's more direct than the route I used to get up here. - A canyon just west of Wild Horse Mesa looks like a promising route downward
I'll first need to backtrack a bit to the south in order to get an easy route down to that canyon. - Panorama across Wild Horse Mesa looking south from near the summit
I hate to leave Wild Horse Mesa so soon after arriving. I wasn't expecting to reach an area where I would want to linger and explore after reaching the summit. Several of the low mountain ranges in the distance are federally designated Wilderness area outside Mojave National Preserve which are also worth exploring. - I walk over rocks and partway back toward Beecher Canyon before turning 180 degrees to get below Wild Horse Mesa
Hopefully this downhill route will work and I won't get stuck somewhere that's too steep for me to descend. I've given myself plenty of time for this descent just in case it doesn't work. - A bright-red firecracker penstemon is always a welcome sight in this often-beige landscape
Many of the low, dry plants I've been walking through during the past couple of hours are desert mallows which would have had bright-orange blossoms a month ago. I missed this amazing display. - There's my route back down to Bluejay Mine: that row of green junipers below
I wish I had visited this area before the 2005 forest fires so that I could compare it to how it looks today. This area should become much greener during the next few years as the junipers return in full force. - A few of the old junipers below Wild Horse Mesa appear to have escaped the ravages of the 2005 fires
I've made it past the awkward part of the descent from Wild Horse Mesa, which turned out to be not so difficult after all. - Looking back up to Wild Horse Mesa as I continue back down to Bluejay Mine
Many little yellow desert marigold flowers dot this area. - This area directly north of Wild Horse Mesa is steep, but is feasible when hiked across the slope
I remember looking up at this area earlier toady from Bluejay Mine and thinking that it might not be hikable. - I hike down a drainage below Wild Horse Mesa amongst some old unburned junipers
I mostly follow the drainage, but the shrubbery is occasionally thick and requires that I climb up above in order to get past it. - Descending into Bluejay Mine valley below Wild Horse Mesa
I keep following the drainage downward. - Manzanita regrowth in the burned area below Wild Horse Mesa, Mojave National Preserve
I'm always amazed when I find manzanitas in the Mojave Desert because it's a plant usually associated with the California coast ranges. - Paper-bag bush and verbenas are blooming in the heavily burned area near Bluejay Mine, Mojave National Preserve
I'm almost back down in the valley now; after a short walk, I'll be on my bike again and heading back to Mid Hills campground for the night. - I make it back to Bluejay Mine, retrieve the bike, and start riding the 1.5 miles down to Wild Horse Canyon Road
I'll drop 300 feet on the way to Wild Horse Canyon Road, which is just enough downhill grade to make a rough road like this rideable on a mountain bike. - Bluejay Mine Road snakes around below Wild Horse Mesa
From here, Wild Horse Mesa looks rather inaccessible, but it isn't, with a bit of effort which is well worth the sweat incurred. - Bluejay Mine Road, Mojave National Preserve
A short but excellent mountain-bike ride in Mojave National Preserve. - Cows grazing near Wild Horse Canyon Road, Mojave National Preserve
Much of Mojave National Preserve has historically been used as cattle-grazing land and some of it will therefore continue to be used as such until grazing licenses are bought out by the Preserve. - I'm back on Wild Horse Canyon Road in the scenic area
I'm heading south now past the Wild Horse Mesa formation, and will soon be heading north on Black Canyon Road back to Mid Hills campground. I've followed this scenic route, one of the best, several times during past Mojave National Preserve trips. - The washboard surface of the south end of Wild Horse Canyon Road makes for a rough ride
The scenery in this area is gorgeous and ever-changing. Get out of your car and walk up one of these steep hills to truly appreciate it (make sure you bring a lot of water and keep drinking it). - I take a break at the Hole-in-the-Wall visitor centre, which is closed right now
The main reason for my stop here is the water tap, which has water much colder than that which I'm carrying. It's only in the high 70s here today, but the cold water tastes great. - I get back on Black Canyon Road and start the 10-mile ride up the gentle hill back to Mid Hills campground
There's a campground here at Hole-in-the-Wall, but it's often full of RVs, so I rarely stay here. The pavement on Black Canyon Road ends just after the campground, and I'm happy for that. - North of Hole-in-the-Wall campground, Black Canyon Road is a gentle uphill that is quite washboarded
This part of Black Canyon Road is not friendly to RVs, but it's fine on a mountain bike. A few pickup trucks, probably resident ranchers, pass me along here. - On the way up Black Canyon Road, I pass the Gold Valley Ranch
This is one of the old ranches that has been here for many generations, long before Mojave National Preserve came into existence. - I ride over a cattle guard on Black Canyon Road
Some residual old pavement exists here; perhaps all of Black Canyon Road was once paved, though you'd never know it today. - Black Canyon Road is often straight, but it meanders when passing through Black Canyon
The typical Mojave south wind here pushes me from behind, making the climb back up to Mid Hills campground fairly easy. - A cow stands in the middle of Black Canyon Road, not sure what to make of me
You ain't from around here son, are ya? - The cow leaves the road to join his family and they all rush off into the sagebrush
They're apparently acting on a group decision that I'm a potential threat. - Black Canyon Road climbs up above the wash while passing through the canyon
This keeps the road from getting too water-damaged, but the road surface is heavily washboarded nonetheless. My bones rattle. - Black Canyon Road flattens out as it crosses Round Valley, Mojave National Preserve
I'll turn left at the boulder pile ahead and ride up the final two miles of upper Wild Horse Canyon Road back to Mid Hills campground. - Another soothing sunset from Mid Hills campground site 22, looking toward the Clark Mountain Range
Mid Hills campground is empty again tonight, hurray! Except for an occasional train down below along Kelso-Cima Road, the pleasant 76-degree air is mysteriously quiet: no wind, no moths and no flies. Supper tonight is Mountain House Chicken and Rice, heavy and flavourful in its delivery of 800 calories. No dessert needed! A crescent moon pops out for a while, a harbinger of anticipated moonlit nights later on this trip. - Wild Horse Mesa hike route, Mojave National Preserve (Day 5)
The red line represents my bicycle route up Bluejay Mine Road. - Wild Horse Mesa hike profile, Mojave National Preserve (Day 5)
Wild Horse Mesa hike profile.