About Mojave National Preserve
Mojave preserves a diverse mosaic of ecological habitats and a 10,000 year history of human connection with the desert. Offering extensive opportunities to experience desert landscapes, the preserve promotes understanding and appreciation for the increasingly threatened resources of the Mojave Desert. This remote preserve encourages a sense of discovery and a connection to wild places.
Plan a Visit
Core visitor information on this page is sourced from the National Park Service. NPD proximity sections use NPS reference coordinates and straight-line distance. Local source bundle updated Sep 27, 2026. View the official NPS page.
Weather & Conditions
Mojave Desert experiences change with the seasons. In winter, freezing temperatures and strong winds can be expected, with rain and snow in the mountains. With enough moisture, spring wildflowers may carpet the desert floor with vivid colors. Summers are hot, and temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit are typical. In summer,…
NPS Reference Location
Park state / territory membership: California. This map uses the National Park Service reference coordinate. It may represent an administrative or reference point rather than a park entrance, trailhead, visitor center, or the nearest access point. Use the official NPS directions below when planning travel.
Operating Hours
Outdoor areas of the Mojave National Preserve including trails, roads, campgrounds are OPEN 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. Be sure to check Alerts and Conditions for any temporary closures.
Activities
Current Alerts
Visitor Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi calling is now available in the Kelso Depot parking lot for calls including emergencies. Go to the bulletin board at the Kelso Depot restrooms for instructions.
Hart Mine Road Closed.
Do not pick up hitchhikers. Please report their locations to law enforcement by calling 911.
Fire restrictions are in place at Mojave National Preserve and Castle Mountains National Monument. Wood and charcoal fires are not permitted. Most camp stoves are. See fire restriction order for additional details.
In the event there are train siding operations at the crossing near Kelso Depot, delays may be up to one hour. Please plan accordingly for this possibility with extra fuel and drinking water. Union Pacific Contact: 1 800 848-8715
Kelso Depot Visitor Center is closed for rehabilitation of the heating and cooling system. We expect to reopen the depot in 2026. The restrooms beside the depot are open.
Getting There
Note: There is no fuel inside the Preserve. Please fill up with gas BEFORE you enter. Park headquarters in Barstow, California is 60 miles from the Preserve, and offers maps and information. Our main visitor center, Kelso Depot, is located inside the Preserve, 95 miles east of Barstow and 90 miles west of Las Vegas at the intersection of Kelso-Cima and Kelbaker Roads. Kelso Depot is currently closed for renovations.
View Official DirectionsContact & Address
The NPS-listed address may be an administrative office, visitor center, mailing/contact location, or other park facility rather than a park entrance.
Topics & Themes
Things To Do
Hike the Kelso Dunes
Hike the Kelso Dunes
Hike the Rings Loop
The Rings Loop Trail is a popular 1.5 mile hike that takes you past beautiful scenery and ancient petroglyphs, and…
Visit Kelso Depot
Kelso Depot Visitor Center and Museum contains a wealth of information on the human and natural history of the area.…
Visit a Lava Tube
Come explore underground in a lava tube! Around 27,000 years ago, lava flowed across the surface here. As the red-hot…
Teutonia Peak trail
The Teutonia Peak Hike is a great way to examine the aftermath of the Dome Fire up close. The hike…
Wander Through the Joshua Trees
The densest concentration of Joshua trees lies along Cima Road. Although about 1/3 of the Preserve's Joshua Trees were burned…
More Things to Do
Additional activities and experiences from the National Park Service.
Hike Desert Sand Dunes
Take a day hike on the Kelso Dunes! Enjoy an approximately three mile round-trip trail to the top of cream-colored dunes, formed…
Behold the Granite Mountains
A paved pullout about seven miles north of Highway 40 on Kelbaker Road allows visitors to park their cars and enjoy the…
Visitor Centers
Kelso Depot Visitor Center
Originally opened in 1924 as a train station, Kelso Depot was renovated and reopened in 2005 as a Visitor Center for Mojave National Preserve. Exhibits…
Hole-in-the-Wall Visitor Center
Information, park brochures, drinking water, and passport stamps are available. Limited maps, books, postcards and other items available for purchase with the Western National Parks…
Barstow Headquarters Information Desk
A small visitor center lobby is located in the front of our Barstow Headquarters.
Campgrounds
Black Canyon Group and Equestrian Campground
The Black Canyon Equestrian and Group Campground is ideal for larger groups. The group site is available to groups of up to 50 people and…
Hole-in-the-Wall Campground
At 4,400 feet in elevation, Hole-in-the-Wall Campground is surrounded by sculptured volcanic rock walls and makes a great basecamp for hikers. Thirty-five campsites accommodate RVs…
Mid Hills Campground
The Hackberry Fire swept through the Mid Hills area in June 2005, burning much of the vegetation. About half of the 26 campsites were left…
Nearby National Park Service Sites
These sites are ordered by straight-line distance between NPS reference coordinates. This is useful for comparison, but it is not road mileage. Trails, parkways, rivers, and distributed units may extend far from their reference point.
Nearby Cities for Trip Planning
These cities are ordered by straight-line distance from the NPS reference coordinate. They are comparison starting points, not official park gateways or road-distance estimates. Trails and other distributed units may extend far beyond this reference point.
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