Cottonwood Wash & Granite Pass Camp

Hugging the eastern edge of the Mojave Wilderness, Cottonwood Wash and Granite Pass Camp Road provide fantastic dispersed camping for a serene escape amongst the stunning granite spires of Granite Pass.  At the start of the trail, there are at least eight dispersed campsites with fire rings, each large enough to welcome several vehicles and their tents. These encampments provide a perfect base camp to explore this breathtaking area of the Mojave National Preserve. Located far from any city lights, the black nights are perfect for stargazing and enjoying the annual meteor showers. 

As the trail continues, it passes through a beautifully lush Yucca Tree forest and offers even more excellent dispersed camping at the now dry Coyote Springs.  As the trail nears its northern end, the Kelso Dunes, rising 650 feet, soar into view, providing a spectacular view of these majestic sand piles that seem to extend forever.

This is an easy trail with occasional ruts and short inclines that can be managed by a two-wheel drive vehicle with some ground clearance.