Camping on the backroads between Joshua Tree and Vegas
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I'm driving in from Vegas late Friday night and was thinking of camping about halfway in between Vegas and Joshua Tree. Anyone have any experience camping along Kelso Cima Road or anywhere else along the way? |
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You know, I have never been to that area, so I could be wrong, but judging from Google Street view, that road looks plenty remote enough for easy dirtbag camping. You won't die. It's all BLM anyway, I believe. |
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Josh, at the top of the hill south of Kelso, there is a nice spot set up, firepit, etc....even cell and internet service. Turn right on a dirt road before the crest of the hill, then left again to a dead end firepit area...a piece of culvert laying around. You can hike up the drainage to reach the granite spires. The UofC has all the good crack lines off limits however. |
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Dow Williams wrote:Josh, at the top of the hill south of Kelso, there is a nice spot set up, firepit, etc....even cell and internet service. Turn right on a dirt road before the crest of the hill, then left again to a dead end firepit area...a piece of culvert laying around. You can hike up the drainage to reach the granite spires. The UofC has all the good crack lines off limits however. Goes without saying...but..please do keep it cleaned up. Thanks.Thanks man! |
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You realize that the drive is only like 3 1/2 hours from Vegas right? Plenty of bivy spots along the way or just push through. Depending on which part of Vegas you're in, consider heading south on 95 through Searchlight, then down the back way through Amboy > 29 Palms > JTree. |
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susan peplow wrote:You realize that the drive is only like 3 1/2 hours from Vegas right? Plenty of bivy spots along the way or just push through. Depending on which part of Vegas you're in, consider heading south on 95 through Searchlight, then down the back way through Amboy > 29 Palms > JTree. Safe & awake travels.We figure there's no way we're getting campsite in the park at that time on a Friday, so why not just camp halfway and be well rested to climb Saturday. |
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Josh S wrote: We figure there's no way we're getting campsite in the park at that time on a Friday, so why not just camp halfway and be well rested to climb Saturday.If you do decide to drive the rest of the way or run into issues finding a site on Sat, backcountry camping is fairly easy at J-tree. more info. |
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David prsn wrote:You could do NJC and break it into a clean 2 day driveThat would be silly. New Jack City is way out of the way on the trip from Vegas to JTree, if you go the proper back way through the Mojave. Anyway, the drive through the Mojave between Vegas and JT is just about the most empty and desolate stretch of territory I have seen in the US. There really ain't much back there. Regardless of what the legal status for camping is (probably fine), you should probably be able to stop and camp for a night just about anywhere along that route without any trouble. Just pull off at any dirt side road, cruise down it for 5 minutes to get away from the main road, any you're golden. |
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susan peplow wrote: Depending on which part of Vegas you're in, consider heading south on 95 through Searchlight, then down the back way through Amboy > 29 Palms > JTree. Safe & awake travels.When I lived in Idyllwild, I drove the Vegas-JTree route a couple of times, and I always preferred the route of going down I-15 for about 50 miles from Vegas to the Nipton exit, and then cutting straight down through the middle of the Mojave Preserve. Although, as you mentioned, perhaps the other route might be better if starting from Henderson; the route I used was for if starting from Summerlin. |
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I've done this drive many times and prefer going down to Barstow and the 247. It's a few minutes longer than the other options but way less remote in case your engine explodes or you want to stop for supplies. There is plenty of BLM land an hour or so before J-Tree that would be fine for camping on. |
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I really enjoy the drive via Cima, Kelso and Amboy. |
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I once mooned the Amtrak train while driving through the hump-de-hump section on the Cima, Kelso, Amboy route. It was tough hanging ass out the passenger window while driving 60mph on a road that drops out from underneath you at every wash |
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TR purist wrote:I once mooned the Amtrak train while driving through the hump-de-hump section on the Cima, Kelso, Amboy route. It was tough hanging ass out the passenger window while driving 60mph on a road that drops out from underneath you at every washI forgot all about those whoop-de-whoops! Always imagined I could get some air, a la the Dukes of Hazzard, but never did. Need to try with a rental car next time :-) |
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+1 on the backcountry camping in jtree. easy. |
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right! thanks for the clarification. |