Clipper Valley Road

Located within the Mojave National Preserve, Clipper Valley Road passes through the vast, oval-shaped alluvial plain known as Clipper Valley and provides access to the many trails that head into the Providence Mountains and its plethora of mines and ruins, dating back to the 1840s. The Hidden Hills and the Bighorn Mine are near its south end, only about 2 miles from the road.  As mining in the area boomed in the 1800s, cattle ranchers followed close behind, raising Criollo cattle, a species that thrives in desert regions. There were dozens of corrals built throughout the Mojave National Preserve, mostly near natural water sources. Clipper Valley Road passes two of these corrals that are still standing today. Cattle can often be seen grazing near the road.

The north end of the trail is near the intersection of Essex and Black Canyon Roads.  From there, ten miles north on Black Canyon will arrive at Hole-in-the-Wall, and ten miles south on Essex Road will arrive at I-40.

Dispersed campsites can be found over the entire length of the road, mostly on flat open areas of desert pavement. As it's on an alluvial plain, the entire path is flat and offers no wind breaks at any campsite.

This is an easy trail over mostly flat gravel, which can be handled by a two-wheel drive vehicle with some ground clearance.