Mojave National Preserve Bicycle Camping and Hiking, Spring 2011
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Mojave National Preserve and area bicycle camping, Spring 2011 Day 8: Gold Valley bicycle ride and a short hike in Saddle Horse Canyon, Mojave National Preserve
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Mojave National Preserve and area bicycle camping, Spring 2011

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I pass through a minimalist desert garden as I hike up the rocky New York Mountains foothills

I pass through a minimalist desert garden as I hike up the rocky New York Mountains foothills

Date: May 28, 2011, 13h01

Day 8: Gold Valley bicycle ride and a short hike in Saddle Horse Canyon, Mojave National Preserve

As always, it's great to wake up at Mid Hills campground. I'll spend a couple more nights here.

I need to recharge my cell-phone battery, so I ride down to Hole-in-the-Wall visitor centre from Mid Hills campground. I won't have time for a full-day hike, so I do a short one in Saddle Horse Canyon. 19.7 bicycle miles and 3.4 hiking miles.

Date: May 22, 2011, 08h46
Size: 83 items
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It was chilly again last night, and windy, but the sun is warm on my first morning at Mid Hills campground

It was chilly again last night, and windy, but the sun is warm on my first morning at Mid Hills campground

I'm not a huge fan of developed campgrounds, but I often camp here because I like it so much. This is my first time at site #9. Old-growth juniper-pine forest on one side of my tent, a landscape that burned during the 2005 brush fires on the other.

Date: May 22, 2011, 08h46
On the other side of my tent at Mid Hills campground site 9 is a wide-open space that burned in the 2005 brush fires

On the other side of my tent at Mid Hills campground site 9 is a wide-open space that burned in the 2005 brush fires

I set up my tent last night so as to get some morning shade from an adjacent juniper tree. I take the morning slow and easy.

Date: May 22, 2011, 08h47
Some of the juniper trees, like this one, at Mid Hills campground are quite old

Some of the juniper trees, like this one, at Mid Hills campground are quite old

However, people keep cutting off branches of these trees for their campfires! The forest fire of 2005 consumed a lot of the old trees around here as well.

Date: May 22, 2011, 08h48
Here and there, an orange mariposa lily pops up among the banana yuccas, junipers, and pinon pines at Mid Hills campground

Here and there, an orange mariposa lily pops up among the banana yuccas, junipers, and pinon pines at Mid Hills campground

I've always liked how yuccas (which look like desert) mix with the pines and junipers here (which look like a forest). I have my usual camp breakfast of granola, nuts, dried fruit, coffee and vitamin C drink.

Date: May 22, 2011, 10h22
I walk over toward the campground's overlook and stop at the campsite where "the other bicyclist" said he was camping

I walk over toward the campground's overlook and stop at the campsite where "the other bicyclist" said he was camping

He has already left, so I walk up the hill to the right to take in the views.

Date: May 22, 2011, 11h07
From the Mid Hills campground overlook are open views across to Cima Dome

From the Mid Hills campground overlook are open views across to Cima Dome

It's really windy up here, so I'm glad I'm not camping on this side of the campground. I can see Clark Mountain in the distance off to the right, and Cima Road climbing the hill in front of me.

Date: May 22, 2011, 11h08
I remember seeing patches of these small, daisy-like flowers when I was here last year

I remember seeing patches of these small, daisy-like flowers when I was here last year

I think these are fleabane (Erigeron concinnus).

Date: May 22, 2011, 11h15
It's time to prepare the bicycle for a ride down to Hole-in-the-Wall campground, where I can recharge my cell phone

It's time to prepare the bicycle for a ride down to Hole-in-the-Wall campground, where I can recharge my cell phone

I don't need to carry a lot of water, since I can fill up there, but I do need to bring items like warm clothing for later, snacks, a spare tube in case of a flat tire, and epipens in case of yellowjacket sting.

Date: May 22, 2011, 11h41
Just before noon, I leave Mid Hills campground and ride down Wild Horse Canyon Road without the weight of my camping baggage

Just before noon, I leave Mid Hills campground and ride down Wild Horse Canyon Road without the weight of my camping baggage

Mid Hills campground is about 10 miles away, downhill, a really nice mountain-bike ride.

Date: May 22, 2011, 11h54
On the way down Wild Horse Canyon Road, I pass the little road that leads to the Eagle Rocks area

On the way down Wild Horse Canyon Road, I pass the little road that leads to the Eagle Rocks area

I spent a couple of hours hiking Eagle Rocks last year; highly recommended. I wont be stopping there today however.

Date: May 22, 2011, 12h00
After a couple of miles, I reach the smaller "Gold Valley Road" on my left and leave Wild Horse Canyon Road

After a couple of miles, I reach the smaller "Gold Valley Road" on my left and leave Wild Horse Canyon Road

I rode part of today's route last year, and my photo from this location on Wild Horse Canyon Road looks almost the same!

Date: May 22, 2011, 12h10
The first part of Gold Valley Road passes through a meadow thick with mature sagebrush

The first part of Gold Valley Road passes through a meadow thick with mature sagebrush

Amazingly, this relatively small tract of land survived the brush fires of 2005, which burned everything around it.

Date: May 22, 2011, 12h12
I pass a herd of cows on Gold Valley Road, with Table Mountain in the background

I pass a herd of cows on Gold Valley Road, with Table Mountain in the background

Most of the greenery in the burned landscape here is Antelope brush (Purshia tridentata), which is sprouting from its roots after the 2005 brush fires here.

Date: May 22, 2011, 12h15
The bovines along Gold Valley Road look at me for a moment

The bovines along Gold Valley Road look at me for a moment

... then they decide to trot away

Date: May 22, 2011, 12h16
The upper part of Gold Valley Road rolls up and down over gently folding terrain

The upper part of Gold Valley Road rolls up and down over gently folding terrain

Perfect for mountain biking!

Date: May 22, 2011, 12h19
I stop on a low bluff to try my cell phone and it works, so I take a short break and send a few text messages

I stop on a low bluff to try my cell phone and it works, so I take a short break and send a few text messages

Much of this area has no cell signal, but I remember that I had a signal around here during last year's trip.

Date: May 22, 2011, 12h34
This old juniper tree was mostly burned, like everything surrounding it, during the 2005 brush fires, but its crown lives on!

This old juniper tree was mostly burned, like everything surrounding it, during the 2005 brush fires, but its crown lives on!

Orange desert-mallow flowers are everywhere in the Gold Valley hills right now. Twin Buttes sit in the background on the far side of Gold valley.

Date: May 22, 2011, 12h51
Gold Valley Road rises up a gentle hill and arrives at a higher area with nice views of the surroundings

Gold Valley Road rises up a gentle hill and arrives at a higher area with nice views of the surroundings

I'm at just under 5450 feet elevation here, and it will be downhill from here to the Hole-in-the-Wall visitor centre.

Date: May 22, 2011, 12h54
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Other bikepacking trips on drycyclist.com:
  • Mojave National Preserve Lanfair Valley Loop Bicycle Camping, Fall 2012 (8 days)
  • Mojave National Preserve Hiking and Bikepacking, Spring 2012 (15 days)
  • Cady Mountains, Sleeping Beauty and Kelso Dunes Wilderness Bicycle Camping, Fall 2011 (8 days)
  • Route 66 and Kelso Dunes Wilderness Bikepacking, Fall 2010 (eight days)
  • Mojave National Preserve Hiking and Bicycle Camping, Spring 2010 (two weeks)
  • Mojave National Preserve Hiking and Bicycle Camping, Fall 2009 (8 days)
  • Mojave National Preserve Bicycle Camping and Hiking, Spring 2009 (16 days)
  • Mojave National Preserve Bikepacking and Hiking 2008 (14 days)
  • Henry Coe State Park Bikepacking 2008 (eight days)
  • Mojave National Preserve Xmas 2007 Mountain-Bike Camping (one week)
  • Henry Coe State Park Mountain-Bike Camping 2007 (eight nights)
  • Death Valley Bicycle Camping 2007 (two weeks)
  • Henry Coe State Park Bicycle Camping 2006 (four nights)
  • Mojave National Preserve Bicycle Camping 2006 (two weeks)
  • Mojave National Preserve Bicycle Camping 2000 (11 days)
  • Mojave National Preserve Bicycle Camping 1999 (one week)
Contact mojave2011 at drycyclist dot com