Hidden Hills Road

Hidden Hills Road in Mojave National Preserve crosses the Clipper Valley desert basin, providing great views of the Granite and Marble Mountains to the southwest. Along the way, several intersecting roads and trails lead to many mines, prospects, and their interesting ruins. A windmill on the road marks the entrance to the Hidden Hills Mine, which was active in the early 1900s and has one of the better preserved mine mills in the area, with its intact ball mill and gold recovery vats.  The east end of the road arrives at Route 66, where gas and food can be found at Najah’s Desert Oasis, and if this is the journey's end, from here is a short connection to I-40.

This is an easy road consisting mostly of sandy gravel with the occasional deep sandy washes to cross over. A two-wheel drive high clearance vehicle, being careful to keep momentum through the sandy washes, would manage this road, but a four-wheel drive is recommended. There is not a single marker along the road, and veering onto an intersecting trail is easy. Following a GPX track is very helpful.

Abundant dispersed camping sites can be found along the road, mostly in the exposed flat desert basin. But better campsites can be found among the rock ruins of the mining camp, as well as tucked up against the nearby Hidden Hills for shelter from the wind. These campsites make great base camps to hike the many established trails and explore the area.