Box Canyon

Box Canyon, tucked into the Newberry–Rodman Mountain BLM sub-region of the southern California Mojave Desert, is a short but dramatic 4x4 route often called the “Grand Canyon of the Rodmans” for its tall lava-cut canyon walls. The drive moves from open desert into a narrow corridor of dark rock and sand where the high walls create striking scenery and, during morning and late afternoon, welcome patches of shade in an area that regularly sees summer temperatures over 100 degrees. The surrounding Rodman Mountains Wilderness is important habitat for the federally protected desert tortoise, so drivers should stay on designated routes, travel slowly, and give wildlife plenty of space.