I've been on a LOT of tours in a LOT of places around the world, and Willy is in my top 10! The…read morecaverns are pretty cool, but Willy's knowledge, humor, pacing, and care made this a five-star experience. Our group ranged in age from tween to 60s and everyone was engaged for two hours. I'm a California Naturalist with high standards and Willy knows his stuff! As a native Californian I especially loved knowing he's local, young, and a former CCC "graduate". His contributions and energy are why these government programs are so important. Must see if you're visiting the area, but be warned -- you need reservations and these fill up weeks ahead of time. The paved road, nature center, views, and well-organized everything made this a real treat!

Tours are offered on Friday-Sunday and Holiday Mondays at 11am and 2pm from October to May. In June…read moreand September, tours are on the same days but only at 10am. Reservations are highly recommended, as tour size is limited to approximately 12 people; and reservations are only taken via phone on Mondays between 8am-5pm. Cost is $10 per adult 17+ and parking is $10, payable at the visitors center upon arrival for the tour. The tour itself takes approximately 2 hours, and is about 1.5 mile round trip. It may feel strenuous for some people walking back up to the parking area from the caverns. Our guide was very knowledgeable and informative. I recommend bringing food and drinks to eat before or after the tour, as none is available. Also, leave your bags/belongings in the car. You will be asked to put these items at the entrance of the caverns, including water bottles.

I love being impulsive and waking up to go adventuring. My man and I woke up on a Friday morning…read moreand decided we were going out to the Mojave Desert to see the lave tube and hike this very short but interesting trail. We did this trail a couple years ago and I just had failed to review so here we go. It's easy to find and the trail is approximately 1.4 miles with an elevation gain of 131 feet. The trail is a complete loop. What makes this trail fun and unusual is at the end in order to leave the narrrow canyon, you must use rings that are bolted into the wall to climb out. You can also descend the canyon with the rings but climbing up and out was much more challenging and rewarding. It helps to be in good shape as you will need to be strong enough to pull your body up through the canyon via the rings. The canyon you hike into is so incredible and so many different rock formations. I loved all the rocks with holes as you could hear the wind blowing through them. Plus there are so many petroglyphs along the way. Lots of photo opportunities and I highly recommend exploring this trail when you are looking to hike a one of kind trail. Plenty of parking and be sure to where solid trail shoes or hiking boots. Remember to pack in and out and LEAVE NO TRACE.

Absolutely gorgeous trail. It passes by wind-worn caves and a petroglyph, and ends at a set of…read moresteel rings for you to climb up (or down, depending on how you traverse the loop). I've never hiked such a unique trail before! The visitor center is also near by and has a gift shop, water, flush toilets, and a nice ranger stationed there who can provide more information about the area and advice. The center is very small so there aren't as many displays to educate you about the surrounding area compared to other visitor centers, but that's ok as you'll probably be itching to go outside and take in the views.

I can't believe I forgot to review this crazy adventure from a couple years ago…read more I have visited the lava tubes in Hawaii and when I found out we had one in the middle of the desert I knew I would have to come check it out. Post pandemic, my husband and I set out on a Saturday morning to find and explore these tubes. From Las Vegas it takes roughly 2.5 hours to get there. Driving the I15 freeway, take the Kelso Road exit and make a left turn. Drive on this road till you see Aiken Mine Road. Turn here and it will take you to the tubes. Be advised this is a dirt road not maintained so it can be a challenge for a regular vehicle. High clearance vehicles are preferred. Once you arrive and park, you will see the trail that takes you to a ladder that you will climb down to enter the tube. Be careful and watch your head as you descend into the lava tube. It is very easy to hit your head on the overhead rock hanging down. If you hit the tube at just the right time, light will filter through and it's very interesting and unique. Be careful with the dust down there, it is swirling all around from foot traffic. I advise wearing a mask like I did in order to not breathe in bad air. Although not as picturesque as the Hawaiian tubes, it was a fun little adventure to seek out. Remember to follow the principles and Leave No Trace.

Very cool spot, off the beaten path... and when I say beaten, I mean it -- think bumpy, rocky…read more.. all the things besides smooth lol! This is about a 30 min drive off 15 and then once you turn off the main road, you'll take the unpaved road about 4.5 miles to the lava tubes where you'll then walk about .3 miles or so! Super easy and straightforward to find, worth it but take a look at my tips to understand what to prepare for to make it a great experience! 1. Make sure you have a vehicle that is higher up and can with stand a bumpy road -- it is no joke! 2. Climb all the way down into the lava tube, don't just look from above, otherwise it's not worth the trip. 3. Make sure you have some kind of light source because it's dark and you will bump your head or trip if you can't see. If you only have your phone, highly recommend videoing with the flash on, it is MUCH brighter than just the flashlight. 4. There is minimal to no service so just be prepared for that. 5. The 4.5 mile road to the lava tubes is one wide enough for cars going both ways most of the time, but there are times it's really a one lane road, so be aware of who is coming at you from afar and use the pull offs if needed. 6. Optimal lighting in the tube is between 10-2. Think peak sun time. This is slightly dependent on the season as it could fluctuate a bit, but ultimately that's the best time! Hopefully my review and tips help you have a great adventure at the lava tubes! Enjoy!

This is a breath-taking park if you can beat the heat. I've hiked the Kelso Dunes Trail multiple…read moretimes as they sing (or rather vibrate and boom) if you slide down the side of a sand dune. You can also feel the vibrations in your body if you're the one triggering the noise. Apparently jumping and digging can also produce the noise. It's unfortunate that the trail head signs don't mention this property. Both times, my group was the only one triggering the sounds of the dunes. Hole-in-the-wall rings trail is also quite a unique trail as it passes by wind-worn caves and a petroglyph, and ends at a set of steel rings for you to climb up (or down, depending on how you traverse the loop). I've never hiked such a unique trail before!

Had the chance to visit a piece of Mojave National Preserve yesterday. The preserve currently…read moreoffers Teutonia Peak Trail and Kelso Dunes available during the pandemic. The scenery is amazing. The clouds were absolutely breathtaking as a backdrop to the many mountains and peaks. There are places to pull over along the way, you can even have a picnic at The Mojave Cross. Can't wait to come back and visit more of Mojave National Preserve!

I first hiked Teutonia Peak in 2004. It was a great hike then and still is but the landscape has…read morechanged so much. That's why I wanted to go back. During the summer, the Dome fire burned this area. What was once the largest concentration of Joshua trees in the world is now a sad hike along Joshuas that have been burned. It looked like some had some green at the top and may come back, but most won't. This three mile round trip hike starts along Cima Road. There is plenty of parking on both sides of the road. The first mile of the hike is on sand and gravel with the sand hard packed in a few places. There's a side trail that goes to some remnants of an old silver mine. The trail is clearly marked although some of the signs have faded in the desert sun. At about one mile out, the trail becomes totally different. It's here that the elevation gain of 700 feet begins. Much of the way up requires using rock steps and it becomes a workout. I seem to remember that the trail was a lot less steep almost 17 years ago, but maybe it's just me. At 1.5 miles out, you get a view of Cima Dome. It's a convex mound caused by movement of the tectonic plates in this area millions of years ago. This is where we decided to turn back as we had other things to see in the Mojave National Preserve. This is a good trail for families. It's not as beautiful as it was before the fire but the views and the rock outcrops make it a worthwhile hike!

The hike is a fairly easy hike roughly 1.72 miles to the top. There is parking just outside the…read morestart of the trail and picnic tables at the Mojave Cross. The area is absolutely breathtaking the entire way full of wildlife and Joshua Trees and amazing cloud formations. The hike to the peak is worth it. The view is amazing!

Wanna see some really old rocks, like 1.5 billion years old? And visit limestone caverns? And see…read morewhere giant sloth fossils were found? Providence Mountains SRA has you covered. It's contained within the boundaries of Mojave National Preserve and is best known for Mitchell Caverns, which reponened in 2017 after major renovations of the area. To book a tour of the Caverns, featuring stalactites and stalagmites, call the main number on Monday mornings. I was able to book a tour relatively easily and everyone was very helpful with the process.

I just stopped in to check out the caverns while I was visiting the Mojave National Preserve. This…read morepark sits within the preserve, with the visitor center at the Mitchell house. Check it out if you're in the area.

Natural beauty! This…read moreextint volcano is incredible. If you're up for it, you can hike the trail that goes right into the volcano. This place also has views for those less physically inclined. As you head out towards Amboy, you can see the volcano and its dark volcanic rocks scattered across the area. It's definitely hot, so dress appropriately and make sure to bring plenty of water. There's a small continence store near by, but expect to pay the cost for getting supplies in the deep desert.

Great place to walk around. It looks smaller than it is because of the vast scale of the desert,…read morebut you should definitely walk to the top and stroll around the rim. My kids were able to do the hike at 3 and 5, however we went on a cool afternoon. Kids love volcanoes, and we are lucky to have them in So Cal!

It was an easy 1.22 round trip walk from the trailhead (once I figured out I didn't have to walk…read moredead center in the loose sand and moved to the perimeter of the trail). Per the information at the trailhead, we did not touch the petroglyphs and were careful not to climb any rocks/boulders even when the trail was only single foot width. It's a dog friendly outing. The weather was just right for it, too. Laughlin is beautiful and breathtaking here.

Grapevine Canyon was a nice hike with plenty of opportunities for some great pictures. The…read morepetroglyphs are always a sight to see. The ride is off a dirt road we drove out in a truck. The mountains around you are beautiful. The sacred land and the history of the tribes that lived in the Spirit Mountain is something to read about. Don't forget your water for the hike. There is a small dirt parking lot and a restroom. Enjoy the history and the scenery.

A bit of a trek from San Diego but so worth it to go! We camped at the base of the dunes. I do not…read morethink you have to reserve the spots but if you do, you don't reserve any particular camp site. The dunes were a slight hike from campsite to top of the dunes but not too bad! Once at the top, the view is beautiful, especially if there for sunrise or sunset. Make sure to bring something the slide down the dune with! Made the hike up worth every step!

Definitely a great place to hike in the fall and spring time, also winter too. Warning, do not hike…read morein the summer. Extreme heat and can be dangerous for some. We did our hike in December. It was a perfect day to hike this dune. We started around 2pm and came down at the right time to catch some beautiful winter sunsets. Definitely a great place to hike at night. Do not miss out on this hike if you are heading out to Vegas. It's technically open 24/7 so you can do it any time. Take precaution during night time and bring flash lights for emergency situation. There are multiple peaks at this dunes to climb. Based on how the sand has shifted due to winds, some peaks might be higher than others at different times. And yes, you will see people sliding down the dunes. W

My fiancée and I visited on a Saturday morning , we absolutely loved this place it's breathtaking…read more It's easy to park and walk over the lake bed, it's a pretty good walk , the lake is 13 miles. It's such a beautiful place , can't believe it dried up 8,000 years ago and we still get to see the beauty of this landmark. It's perfect for atvs and off reading , so many beautiful rocks too even meteorite rocks can be found.

I didn't understand this place at first. Thanks to some comments, now I know. I saw a gate popped…read moreopen on the west side but it was so uninviting. There's signs that say no trespassing etc. But as I drove in foward, I saw the Invanpah sign with "recreation area" on the bottom. I honestly didn't even know about this place. I don't know a single person who knows about this place. I've never heard it mentioned once on "things to do." . Felt like some Area 51 shhh at first. I stopped driving in further coz I didn't see any tire tracks. But now I know it's open to the public.