Mojave Road — Mid Hills to Hole-in-the-Wall via Wild Horse Canyon and Black Canyon Road (Interior Loop)
Volcanic rings, Joshua trees, and zero cell bars.
Mid Hills Campground sits at 5,600 feet in the Mojave National Preserve and is one of the coolest, quietest camps in the entire California desert. From there, the Black Canyon Road drops south through a forest of Joshua trees — genuinely one of the densest stands in the Mojave — before the track opens into Wild Horse Canyon and delivers you to Hole-in-the-Wall, named by outlaw Robert Brown who reportedly thought it resembled Butch Cassidy’s hideout in Wyoming. The volcanic tuff cliffs here are riddled with rhyolite potholes, and the Rings Trail drops hikers down through them using iron rings bolted into the rock — bring boots and expect to lower yourself hand-over-hand. The drive is largely graded dirt but the surface goes to loose sand in places.
This is a Moderate loop well within reach of a stock high-clearance 4WD or even an aggressive AWD with decent clearance in dry conditions. The Black Canyon Road is maintained but can wash out after rain — check with the Mojave National Preserve visitor center before committing. No permit required. Fuel at Baker or Needles; there is nothing inside the preserve. Water at Hole-in-the-Wall visitor center (seasonal). Best October through April. Cell service is nonexistent out here. What you get is a loop that packs volcanic geology, big-sky desert solitude, and one of the strangest named landmarks in the American Southwest into a single dirty afternoon.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Moderate |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | Backcountry, High Clearance, Overland Route |
| Surface | Dirt, Gravel, Mixed, Sand |
| Features | Camping, Historic, Remote, Scenic |
| Length (miles) | 26 mi / 41.8 km |
| Duration | 1-2 days |
| Max elevation (ft) | 5600 ft |
| Best season | October-April |
| Minimum vehicle | High-clearance 4WD recommended |
| Nearest town | Baker, California |
| Land manager | National Park Service — Mojave National Preserve |
| Permit required | No |
| Cell service | None |
| Water crossings | No |
| Dispersed camping | Yes |
| Official sources | NPS Hole-in-the-Wall page NPS Mojave road conditions |
| Verified | |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
| Copy both for Google Maps directionsClick to copy the directions URL · or open it directly in a new tab | |
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Location
Trail Conditions
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Frequently asked questions
Can a stock 4Runner or Wrangler handle this without any mods?
Yes, a stock high-clearance 4WD handles this route fine. The sandy washes and loose gravel are the main challenges — airing down to around 20 PSI helps significantly. Lifted rigs aren't necessary, but 2WD and crossovers should stay home.
When is this trail actually drivable and what kills access?
October through April is the sweet spot — summers in the Mojave push 110°F and are genuinely dangerous for breakdowns. Winter access is generally fine since this route sits below the snow line, but check the NPS road conditions page before heading out as flash floods can close washes with zero warning.
Do I need a permit to drive or camp here?
No permit required to drive the route. Dispersed camping within Mojave National Preserve is free but limited to designated areas and existing pullouts — no new fire rings, no camping within a quarter mile of water sources or roads. There's no entrance fee for the Preserve.
What's actually hard about this trail and where's the sketchiest section?
The sandy stretches through Wild Horse Canyon are the most likely to swallow a vehicle that's not airing down — soft sand with no momentum can pin you fast. Hole-in-the-Wall itself is a hike obstacle, not a drive obstacle; the rings are a short technical scramble on foot. Overall the trail is forgiving, but remoteness is the real hazard.
How far is the nearest gas and should I be worried about fuel range?
Baker is the nearest town with gas, roughly 40 miles from the trailhead — top off there before you go in. The loop itself is 26 miles of slow backcountry driving, so fuel burn isn't extreme, but there's absolutely nothing on-route and zero cell service to call for help if you run dry.
Trail track
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