Paymaster Mine Road

Paymaster Mine Road is in the western corner of the 1,542,776-acre Mojave National Preserve, which leads to its namesake, Paymaster Mine. The Paymaster Mine, discovered in 1900 on the slope of Old Dad Mountain, produced approximately $75,000 worth of gold between 1910 and 1914 but closed during the Great Depression. The last 100 feet of the road has degraded and is now impassible by vehicle, but a short hike uphill over the road's remains will take you to the mine entrance. Once there, you can explore the remnants of structures and machinery and glimpse down the single mineshaft. A steel gate closes the entrance, but large openings between the bars allow you to peer down the solid rock tunnels that disappear into the darkness, revealing a small section of the 2,000 feet of underground workings.

The road surface is mostly rocky hardpack over a one-mile out-and-back that intersects Brannigan Mine Road. Beginning at an elevation of 1,600 ft, it is a 200 ft climb to the end and the mine entrance. It is a short drive, but the destination is an abandoned mine, and it is worth taking some time to hike and explore. The road towards its end becomes very rocky and uneven as, in this area, the roads are made up of mine tailings. A high clearance SUV is needed and is suitable for a novice offroader.

Dispersed camping is allowed, and a few pre-established sites can be found within the last half of the trail.