Mojave Road Trail

Three weeks? Where else ya headed? Sounds fun!
Enjoy

 

Yeah I am a little concerned about it. I'm in San Diego so we've been getting the same rain. I'm going to call the Kelso Depot for an update on the road status before starting the drive in. The latest NOAA forecast for the national preserve has a 60% chance of rain starting Tuesday night.

 

Right now - Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, and Canyonlands parks (I've already seen Zion and Arches). There are a couple of National Forests and state parks in Utah I'd like to check out. Depending on how much time I have left (I'm trying to avoid a strict timeline and just enjoy the parks) I will head south to New Mexico and Texas before returning to San Diego.

 

yeah it's hard to say not knowing how much rain or how bad the storm is supposed to be...but the desert is unpredictable weather-wise. Having done Mojave Rd twice I can say that it's almost entirely 2wd friendly when it's completely dry...even dry though we had a couple 2wd guys struggle on it. When it's wet and muddy I can imagine it requires modified 4wd/good tires. Just make sure you have it well-mapped out and know where you need to go if you need to exit the trail when/if the weather takes a turn for the worse. I would probably avoid the dry lakebed (Soda Lake) if it rains, unless I was with a group and feeling ballsy.

 

Okay - so we've finished the Mojave and getting ready to leave the Grand Canyon. I had a delay in leaving San Diego so I had to cut out Afton and Soda Lake and turned off the highway onto the trail at Baker. Part of that was also due to the uncertainty of the conditions in those areas and traveling solo with my 4yr old daughter. The trail was great and really only used 4wheel drive for a few sections. We camped at Seventeenmile Point and at the south part of the Piute Range. Both were very windy and it rained a little on the second night into the morning. We did not make too many stops as this trip was really just a means travel East to the Grand Canyon. Plenty of camp spots along the way and the trail is pretty easy to follow especially if you have something like Gaia GPS. Every couple of hours we saw someone else on the trail or pull off the trail. I will definitely be back with the family and look to bring some friends w/ their trucks/Jeeps and start at Afton. The sunset the first night was 100% worth all of the driving. I will say that after this trip I was thinking to myself "I need to get a proper suspension setup". In due time.

We slept in the back of my truck which is a short bed with a platform I built, a Softopper and a Slumberjack Roadhouse (in my opinion absolutely worth the $100). We were plenty warm and although at 6ft I had to sleep at an angle my 4yr old companion afforded the space to do so. Overall it was a comfortable sleeping situation.

If anyone has any questions hit me up on a PM. I am by no means an expert; it has been 12 years since I have done any off roading and this was my first experience doing anything overland style. But I do have lessons learned from this trip and our time traveling the Grand Canyon and Kaibab National Forest (which is f-ing awesome!!!).

 

Awesome looking trip. I'm sooooo jealous. My oldest turns 3 this month. I can't wait to get him out on this trail. There's so many stops and activities along the way. It's perfect for families.

 

My kids are 7 and almost 10. They were both pretty bummed when I told them of my plans for this trip, and that it's during school so they can't go...

 

Sweet, i am leaving next week with my daugher to visit this place during her spring break, think she will have fun exploring all this too.


was it cold at night thats only question she asks me ??

 

Awesome! Just hit reply on your PM.

 

Hopefully no one is on the Mojave Trail near Afton Canyon . Some very strong T storms including this Severe T storm with 3/4" hail is pounding the area

 

Yeah that would be really bad to be in out there

 

should make the lake bed interesting this weekend.

 

sounds like multiple heavy car washes are in your future lol