AC9476

Traveling along the western slopes of the Cady Mountains, AC9476 is a typical desert connector between Mojave River Wash and Hidden Valley Wash. The trail provides scenic views of the Mojave desert region, with dark hills made of ancient lava covered with contrasting white sands. This trail can be combined with an endless number of other trails in the area to create a quick day trip loop or a multi-day overland trip. Most of the trail is a flat, packed sand desert road with continuous up-and-down, left-and-right undulations of the trail surface. Surprise exposed rocks, and quick drops will keep your pace slightly lower, while soft sand sections will require good momentum.

The northern end of the trail passes through several primary drainage points for the mountains to the east, making the route prone to washout damage and creating several sections of mild off-camber as you negotiate these washouts. Exposed lava rock along the northern end makes for a bumpy and continuously rough drive. Along the southern end, deep rutting in the sand exposes this same rock along the trial's edge, requiring users to use caution. The southern end also hosts the best camping areas, with one large, flat, and level area suitable for any group size and a second small site, right by Riverside Road, that backs up against a unique rock formation.

This trail is best suited for a high clearance 4x4 vehicle with good suspension and durable off-road tires.