Mojave National Preserve
The sun setting at our campsite at the Hole in the Wall campground.
Conveniently located halfway between Las Vegas and Joshua Tree, the Mojave National Preserve was a natural stopover point for us. We left the Vegas area in the late evening and by the time we made it to Hole in the Wall campground it was well after dark. We hurriedly set up the tent, unpacked the car, and settled down for the night. The temperature was thankfully warm and we slept comfortably throughout the night with a brief interruption when we heard coyotes howling in the distance (a now common experience).
The next day we woke to high winds and cooler temperatures but were resolved to hike the trails around the campground, partly in order to offset the damage from our visit to an all you can eat buffet in Vegas the day before. First, we set off for the Rings Trail, a short mile-long loop that finished with an ascent through Banshee Canyon aided by metal rings mounted into the volcanic rock. After finishing, we checked in at the nearby ranger station for recommended hikes and found that most were inaccessible without a four-wheel drive vehicle (aka not Prius-friendly). With this information at hand we decided to tackle the Barber Peak hike which started near our campground. Despite "peak" being in the name we didn't gain much elevation on the 6-mile hike which circumnavigated the base of Barber Peak. Instead we moved quickly on the mostly level terrain and completed the hike in time for lunch back at the campground.
The rest of the day found us mostly in the tent as we tried to escape the building winds and cooling temperatures outside. We ventured out to make dinner which was, for the most part, an exercise in futility since high winds and gas stoves don't pair well. Nevertheless, we enjoyed our stay in the Mojave National Preserve. The sunsets and sunrises were picturesque and the Milky Way was on full display at night. It was a tribute to the wonders offered in the desert and made us anxious for perhaps our next stop, Joshua Tree.
Rings embedded into the volcanic rock to help hikers ascend the steep trail on the short, aptly named Rings Trail.
Looking back after ascending the Rings Trail.
She's unstoppable on the trail.
Striking a pose.
Just some cattle hanging out near the campground.