T&T Railroad

D1612 follows the abandoned grade of the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad through an access corridor within the Kingston Range Wilderness. The railroad once transported borax from Death Valley to Ludlow before its tracks were removed in 1942. The highlight of the trip is the spectacular Dumont Dunes, which rise dramatically from the surrounding desert to form a vast landscape of towering, wind-sculpted sand and sweeping views.

The southern 14 miles of the trail are part of Segment 2 of the East Mojave Heritage Trail (EMHT), a roughly 190-mile section of the larger 733-mile route. Segment 2 crosses some of the most remote terrain in the eastern Mojave and is supported by the Bureau of Land Management and the Mojave Desert Heritage and Cultural Association.

Several previously disturbed campsites are visible along the route, along with additional open, level areas suitable for dispersed camping.

Most of the trail follows the raised railroad grade, which is interrupted by several abrupt, unmarked washouts. Drivers must remain alert and use the clearly visible bypasses, many of which descend steeply from the embankment at grades sometimes exceeding 30 degrees. Near the northern end, the Dumont Dunes have encroached upon and blocked the original route, but existing tire tracks identify bypasses over the adjacent hills.

This trail requires a high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicle.