Mojave Road — Afton Canyon to Kelso Depot via Soda Mountains and Government Holes

The Mojave Road is one of the oldest travel corridors in the American Southwest — a trade and military route used by the Mojave people for centuries before General Edward Beale pushed it into the American consciousness in 1857 with his camel survey expedition. The stretch from Afton Canyon east through Government Holes and into Kelso Depot puts you on decomposed granite two-track, deep sand washes, and a boulder-choked crossing at Afton Canyon itself where the Mojave River briefly surfaces from underground. Government Holes, a historic desert water stop, still holds water in wet years. Kelso Depot — a restored 1924 Union Pacific railroad station sitting alone in the middle of the preserve — is the kind of landmark that stops you cold.

Sand is the main enemy here. Airing down to 15–18 psi is mandatory in the wash sections, and a full-size rig with a locker will handle it with fewer headaches than an open-diff truck. Bring every drop of water you need — there is nothing out here. The National Park Service requires no permit for standard vehicle travel, but call the Mojave National Preserve Kelso Visitor Center before heading out to check road status after rain events, when clay sections turn to grease. Best window is October through April. Night camping at Government Holes puts you under one of the darkest skies in California.