Slaughterhouse Spring Road

In the north-eastern corner of the Mojave National Preserve, Slaughterhouse Spring Road climbs up the New York Mountains, offering spectacular views out across Ivanpah Valley onto the Clark Mountains and the distant Ivanpah Solar Power Facility's glowing white boilers.  The road passes a series of well-preserved horizontal mines that were blasted into solid rock.  One extremely interesting mine is found about 1.5 miles along the trail, has a cathedral entrance with 30-foot ceilings, is large enough for vehicles to drive into and turn around, and has multiple drifts extending from the cathedral deep into the mountain. Still evident in the mine walls are the remains of countless drilled blast holes that were filled with explosives to blast the rock away. The mine entrances are not barricaded with iron bars or bat gates, and only the posted danger signs warn visitors of the hazards of entering the mines.

Many of the mine entrances have flat portals or landings providing excellent spots to camp and enjoy the spectacular views.

This is an extremely tight and narrow shelf road that cuts into the side of the mountain, winds through hairpin turns, and provides a slippery surface of gravel and apple-sized rocks from the mine's waste tailings. This trail is best suited for experienced drivers. A stock 4-wheel drive vehicle with good ground clearance will handle the trail easily. The Mojave Preserve does not mark trails well, and the entrance to Slaughterhouse Spring Road is easily missed without a GPS.