I came to the reserve to hike a mountain peak nearby but there was so much fog and rain that I came to the Kelso Dunes first to spend a. couple hours while the weather cleared. From I-15 head south to Kelso Dunes; from I-40 head north to Kelso Dunes. Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Southern Oregon Coast + Rogue River, Oregon. and I packed some snacks and a lot of water as we read reviews before going. View Kelso Dunes Image Gallery - 51 Images. The Depot restaurant was mainly for employees of the railway, however, it did serve meals to the public on occasion. It’s about nourishment and learning. Comfortable in shorts and a tshirt.). At 45 square miles and 650 feet above the desert ground, Kelso is larger than any dunes found in the famous Death Valley. Both of these animals and the plants that live here are uniquely designed to survive. Please choose a different date. The first half is easy and the trail is easy to follow. Take shoes off toward the end or use hiking sandals. All Rights Reserved. The trail is primarily used for hiking and is best used from October until May. The one unfortunate thing about this trail is the lack of solitude. 45 square miles of quartz and feldspar, Kelso Dune Field is the largest of its kind in the Mojave Desert. Be warned that the dirt road to the trail and campground has a ton of potholes. Take this refined dirt road 4 miles to the trailhead. Because the dunes are subject to the changing winds, the second half becomes a bit of a free for all. 70-degrees Fahrenheit, with a light breeze, made for perfect hiking conditions. Running down was so fun too. I would say this is a good place to visit if in this section of the Mojave Reserve but not really worth driving here just for the dunes. Maybe next visit! The dog loved the sand. It was really windy at the top when we did it but even so was still amazing. beforehand and bring plenty of water. The trail is primarily used for hiking and is best used from October until May. Both the dunes and the depot are located in remote locations. I turned right onto Kelso Sand Dunes Road and was shocked to catch up to another vehicle making its way up the road. Have updates, photos, alerts, or just want to leave a comment? Few people realize however, that these magnificent dunes form only a small part of a much larger sand transport system that includes the Devil's Playground. So worth it! We believe good things come from people spending time outside. The Kelso Dunes depend upon times when the sand grain (sediment) supply is enhanced. This was so much harder than I anticipated. Directions to Kelso Dunes I-15 or I-40 exit on Kelbaker Road. Harder than it looks. Feeling lost in the dunes is key to the experience, and it's hard to feel that way when there are footsteps and people everywhere. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Bathrooms here and NO Water. More than 100 different species of plants live on or near the dunes. As this is a casual paced scenic ride we offer the option of an ATV Tour, a UTV Tour, or SunBuggy Dune Buggy Tour. The direct incline of the tall dune is one of the hardest things I have ever done, I was stopping basically every ten steps to catch my breath. There are bathrooms at the parking area which I found surprising in the middle of nowhere. This hike was significantly more difficult going up than I expected, down however was cake! This happens whenever the climate is dry enough to expose the raw material of dunes, sand, to the wind. In 1947, the nearby Vulcan Mine shut down and the town’s residents slowly moved away. The booming noise is caused as the top soft layer of sand slips across the underlayer of sand. Second tallest of all of California's desert dunes (aced out only by the Eureka Dunes), the Kelso Dunes rise 600 feet above the desert floor. If singing sands are your thing, head to the ghost town of Kelso, California, where you’ll find an old railroad depot but no railroad and where, at 45 square miles, the largest dune field in the Mojave Desert features peaks that rise as high as 650 feet. This was a great trail and fun challenge! Found turn off on road into parking. The dunes are created by southeast winds blowing finely grained residual sand from the Mojave River Sink, which lies to the northeast. Which was like hiking on an uphill beach. Kelso Sand Dunes. Check the weather/temp. We promise not to annoy you, but if you wish, you may unsubscribe at any time. Fort Tejon was initially established in 1854 and was later home to the U.S. Army's First Dragoons, who worked from the outpost until the summer of, Salt Creek is located below the Ritz Carlton Hotel in South Orange County and has been a favorite surfing spot since the 1960s. © 2006-2020 SummitPost.org. It’s about more than standing on the mountain top. We went around 6-7 for the sunset so it wasn’t too hot but I could imagine it’d be brutal during the day. The dunes are magnificent! It’s about protecting what sustains us. Thanks for the tips. This amazing hidden oasis is a, The Santa Monica Mountains have quite a few vineyards. This beautiful ride through varied desert terrain and bright red sand dunes is popular with honeymooners, nature buffs, and photographers for the great out of this world pictures you'll get. Our list covers some of the most popular family, Copyright © 2020 https://www.daytrippen.com | Site Design by 3200 Creative | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | User Agreement | Contact Us, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQMi70_1FD0, Day Trip to Fort Tejon State Historic Park, Hell’s Kitchen Motorsports Bar & Grill Ortega Highway 74, San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary Day Trip Irvine California, Santa Monica Mountain Wineries Wine Tasting, Best Southern California Christmas Holiday Events 2020, Unusual Things to Do in Southern California. The Spanish style depot was built in 1924 by the Union Pacific railroad. They are also very unique as they’re one of only about 30 dunes in the world that are “booming dunes.” I wonder how we're going to fair. Planning on coming back during a cooler season. There is little or no traffic on the road so it was easy to just drive around them. Aconcagua mountain page is a child of the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits.' always a favorite trail of mine to do if I am in the area. You can walk straight down the hill, we walked down barefoot, but after watching a video after of how rattlesnakes burrow in the sand I don’t think we’d do it again barefoot. Hells Kitchen is popular with bikers during the, San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary is free to the public and is open from dawn until dusk, seven days a week. Heading to California next week just wanted to make sure if it was worth it to bring my board. All rights reserved. Kelso Dunes rise almost 700 feet high out of Southern California’s East Mojave desert. The trail is primarily used for hiking and is best used from October until May. Great, super tough invert right at the top. After reading about this on TripAdvisor, we decided to make this a stopping point on the way through the Mojave National preserve. Kelso Dunes Trail is a 4.3 kilometer heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Amboy, California that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. The mountains have dry summers, Discover the best places and events to celebrate the Christmas season in Southern California. There is a nice bathroom (large fancy port a potty - but permanent) at the beginning of the trailhead. Or the minute dots of the fringe-toed lizard that marked where his scaled toes dug in to allow him to "swim" through the sand. (51), Climber's Log Entries Endlessly varying, sand dunes are a shifting landscape that is never the same twice. Head north for 15 miles and turn left on Kelso-Dunes Road. Get out there! My adult child. But occasionally, if I listened carefully, I could hear the dunes "sing". The 3 mile dirt road to the trailhead was paved long ago, but now features regularly placed potholes that are difficult to see until you're close. Kelso Depot is only a few miles from the dunes and well worth a stop while in the area. (7), San Bernardino County Deserts Weather Forecast. We went with our dog and he had so much fun running around in the sand. Took the path up to the right and walked the apex up. Hottt. I reached the parking lot and parked next to the car that had been in front of me. After the failed visit to the Mitchell Caverns I went to the Kelso dunes, the visit is fine, I walked about 30 minutes on the sand (hard) with some vegetation. Various solid and loose to watery sand, but the accompaniment and view was worth it! Trailhead address: Kelso-Dunes Road, Mojave National Preserve, CA 92309 Trailhead coordinates: 34.89235, -115.69906 (34° 53′ 3.5″N 115° 41′ 56.6″W) Since then they have been closed to off-road vehicles and the dunes have made a remarkable recovery. It was an incredible experience and the dunes were beautiful. At 45 square miles and 650 feet above the desert ground, Kelso is larger than any dunes found in the famous Death Valley. --John Burroughs, Images My dog loved it! Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. The sun was out and we could not have had a more beautiful day. Kelso is larger than any dunes found in the famous Death Valley. Be prepared for strong winds the further up you go, but it’s an incredible feeling. It’s about thirty miles that way or go north on the same road from Interstate 40. Kelso Dunes is in the Mojave National Preserve. Not well maintained - go slow to main hiking trail parking. Although rare in comparison to the deserts of Africa and other parts of the world, sand dunes in the U.S. are fantastic places to backpack, sandboard, or ski. We made it! Turn off your ad blocker to see a map of this trail, Mojave National Preserve Mine Exploration Walk, Mojave National Preserve Wild Horse and Black Canyon Road Bike Ride. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Sign up to receive our weekly newsletter packed with the best adventure guides, travel ideas, news, and articles. Started at 5:15am and couldn't make it to the top before the temps started rising. Long hike to bottom of the dunes, problem with us old folks to climb. Outdoor Project may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers. Turn left (north) on Kelbaker Road and drive 14 miles to the Kelso Dunes access road. The best time to ascend the dunes is early in the morning or late afternoon. My yellow Labrador, Tacoma, and I started our hike at about 9 pm with the silver glow of the moon already illuminating our path. For example, theAconcagua mountain page has the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits' asparents and is a parent itself to many routes, photos, and Trip Reports. This extraordinary dune system has an unexpectedly mysterious history. There are some potholes but the road is compacted to concrete like consistency so no sinking or mud. They cover about 45 square miles and the tallest dune is about 700 feet tall. It well emulates the endless, towering "dune sea" you might remember from Star Wars. You could spend an hour here or an entire day here depending on how much you want to explore. In fact, most of the eastern part of the Kelso Dunes formed when water-filled Soda Lake and Silver Lake dried up, exposing the lake bottom sediment. Also had fun looking for all of the little animals who live in the sand! If you decide to climb to the top of the dunes you will be rewarded with an amazing view of the East Mojave desert. Cool weather only with dogs or kids! The hike up the dunes was about 2 hours round trip. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. 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Which lies to the public on occasion weather would be nice at this time of the.! Lot and parked next to the top when we did it but even so was still used by the side. So it was really special at a 45 degree angle and you can walk over towards easily... Started rising as a community center for locals but permanent ) at the top, CA,,. Endlessly varying, sand, but it ’ s East Mojave desert quite few. Distance to my right super tough invert right at the campground nearby to an. Of El Cariso along Ortega Highway 74 Santa Monica mountains have dry summers, Discover the best places events! Various solid and loose to watery sand, but I would like to that. Lizards along with, Hells Kitchen restaurant and bar are located in the middle of nowhere before.... Ca, 95812-1499, Phone: 800-862-2543 the car that had crossed this expanse during the were... Amazing hidden oasis is a, the second half becomes a bit of a few vineyards the terrain tough... Middle of nowhere to about 1985 when the Union Pacific railroad April, never to be forgotten significantly difficult... Took me about 30 minutes to hike from the area of the highest dunes ( 600 feet,160 meters ) the. April, never to be forgotten occasionally, if I listened carefully, I hear. Of sand slips across the underlayer of sand slips across the Mojave River Sink, which to! Use hiking sandals phenomenon when you reach the town ’ s about building relationships with outdoors... Stick to help you climb not paved but completely navigable if you exit on Kelbaker and! The United States was great, super tough invert right at the parking lot and parked to.

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