Red Mountain 62 and 52

Slicing across the northern end of the sunbaked Cuddeback Dry Lake, Red Mountain 62 traverses a desolate yet beautiful expanse of the rugged western Mojave Desert. The trail is a common place to test rigs on wide, hard-packed flats or tackle the rocky and sandy trails that wind around the outside of the lakebed. The trail begins at the end of Red Mountain 98 and makes a straight line southeast before hitting a military boundary, forcing you straight south to an intersection with Red Mountain 30. It is suitable for any high clearance vehicle, but users should be cautious of impending storms, as rain can turn the hard clay into impassable mud. Outside of the lakebed, the only concern is a constant wave of sand whoops, and an occasional nuisance rock. Camping is a common occurrence around the edges of the lakebed, where you can find ample, flat ground suitable for any camp setup. Positioned between the towering Sierra Nevada and the San Bernardino Mountains, this is a perfect place to camp beneath an endless canopy of stars.

This area has a rich pop-culture history, having served as the backdrop for Madonna’s Frozen music video and scenes from the movie Holes.