dryfj.com / drycyclist.com (kevin cook)

3/62
Home / Mojave Preserve and Desert bikepacking trips / 2008: Mojave National Preserve Mountain-Bike Camping and Hike / Day 7: Mojave Desert springs: Butcher Knife Spring and Cottonwood Spring day hike, New York Mountains, Mojave National Preserve /

A bit down the fan sits a fire ring next to which I was going to set up camp last night until I noticed goathead thorns all over

ThumbnailsPreviousNext
Photo sizes slideshow
09215-fire-ring-800px.jpg This campsite is actually two miles down the wash from Butcher Knife Canyon, not in the canyon itselfThumbnailsIt's time to check out the old corral here below Butcher Knife CanyonThis campsite is actually two miles down the wash from Butcher Knife Canyon, not in the canyon itselfThumbnailsIt's time to check out the old corral here below Butcher Knife CanyonThis campsite is actually two miles down the wash from Butcher Knife Canyon, not in the canyon itselfThumbnailsIt's time to check out the old corral here below Butcher Knife CanyonThis campsite is actually two miles down the wash from Butcher Knife Canyon, not in the canyon itselfThumbnailsIt's time to check out the old corral here below Butcher Knife CanyonThis campsite is actually two miles down the wash from Butcher Knife Canyon, not in the canyon itselfThumbnailsIt's time to check out the old corral here below Butcher Knife Canyon

The fire ring probably hasn't been used yet this year judging by the young plants sprouting in it. This area seems seldom visited. Goathead thorns (puncture vine) are everywhere in this meadow; I don't think I've ever seen so many. My tires, shoes and saddlebags picked up lots of them just from passing through here last night.

My tent rests in the background, with the New York Mountains a couple of miles further beyond. The two springs that I want to hike to today sit near the base of the mountains.

Cottonwood Spring is roughly straight ahead two miles beyond, while Butcher Knife Spring is to the left, about two miles behind the corral in this view.