Great Outdoors San Diego Chapter presents
Mojave National Preserve & Mitchell Caverns
Friday, January 17 - Monday, January 20
A little about our destinations...
Mojave National Preserve
The Mojave Desert may have a reputation as being a hot, rattlesnake-infested sandy wasteland, but it contains numerous particular places of interest, and the vast open spaces have a special, stark beauty of their own, which has to be experienced in person to be fully appreciated.
This was re-designated a National Preserve following the California Desert Protection Act of 1994, a move which in theory affords the land greater protection, but has met with mixed responses owing to the possible detrimental effects of the likely increase in visitation and publicity, though the preserve remains very lightly traveled compared to the nearby Death Valley and Joshua Tree national parks.
Providence Mountains State Recreation Area - Mitchell Caverns
After being closed for nearly seven years due to major infrastructure upgrades, Providence Mountains State Recreation Area reopened on November 3, 2017.
Outdoor enthusiasts will once again be able to enjoy one of the most iconic and time capsule parks in California. This unique and remote travel destination offers a frontier experience of timeless landscapes and breathtaking views. The park is also home to the beautiful Mitchell Caverns, a diverse habitat full of limestone cave formations and unique wildlife - everything from bats to tiny pseudo scorpions and more.
Our weekend getaway...
We will explore the iconic sand dunes, hike some of the unique landscapes, and enjoy some of the best preserved caverns around. Our home base will be the group camp at Black Canyon Equestrian Camp, located just across from the Hole-In-The-Wall campground/visitors center.
On Sunday, we will make our way down to the Providence Mountain State Recreation Area (SRA), where our group will get a private 2-hour tour of the caverns. Afterwards we'll eat our lunch and explore the other nearby trails in the SRA.
The weather...
The weather this time of year can vary tremendously, so please be prepared for temperatures below freezing at night, and warm during the day. Average temperatures are 50 daytime/36 nighttime.
Our Campground...
We have secured the Equestrian campground at Black Canyon, which is directly across the road from the Hole-In-The-Wall campground/visitor center. It is a wonderful campground that has vault toilets, trash receptacles, potable water, fire ring, grill, tables, sorry no showers. Trailers and RV's are welcome, but there are no hook-ups or dump stations available at this location.
Services...
There are no services available near the campground or throughout the park for that matter, so we recommend that you fuel up your vehicle as you exit the freeway, and bring all the food and supplies necessary for the weekend, as there is no store or gas station nearby.
Itinerary
Friday, 1/17
2 pm Check-in
6 pm Meet & Greet
7 pm Group campfire
Saturday, 1/18
9 am Day Hike/Exploring
6 pm Potluck
7 pm Group campfire
Sunday, 1/19
11 am Guided Tour of Mitchell Caverns (explore Providence Mountains SRA)
7 pm Potluck
8 pm Group campfire
Monday, 1/20
12 PM - Noon Check-out
Registration for this event is restricted to Great Outdoors Members Only. Each person going must complete a separate registration.
Trip Leader...
Matthew Schreiner, 949-394-9607, matthew.schreiner@mac.com
Trip Cancellations/Refunds...
You can cancel up to 7-days prior to the trip start date for a full refund (January 10, 2020), any cancellations after that date will not receive a refund.
Don't forget your 10 Essentials...
Bring your ten essentials listed here, camping/cooking gear, firewood, food, warm/cool weather clothing. Carpooling is recommended to help reduce gas cost and parking.
