ROUTE DETAILS:

Castle Mountains Backcountry Scenic Loop Drive starts where Walking Box Ranch Road meets the Nevada-California state line (Milepost 10). From Walking Box Ranch Road at the entrance sign to Castle Mountains National Monument, the Scenic Loop Drive turns left onto the dirt road and runs southeast down a wash. This wash intersects a much larger wash and continues straight across. At the 0.66-mile mark, the Scenic Drive turns left at the junction of two backcountry roads and heads northeast.

At the 1.2-mile mark, you will see some old, dilapidated buildings and scars on the adjacent slopes that remain from historical times when the area was mined. This section of the Scenic Drive goes through a wash environment that is lined with honey mesquite trees. Mesquites are well adapted to the dry desert environment through their deep, extensive root systems that allow them to access water far underground and their small, waxy leaves that minimize water loss. Mesquites are legumes (members of the Pea family), and can convert atmospheric nitrogen into a form usable by plants through symbiotic bacteria in their root nodules. This benefits the mesquite and enriches the soil.  

Native Americans used nearly every part of mesquite trees. Mesquite beans were ground into flour, eaten whole, and roasted. The dense wood was valued as firewood for cooking and heating and it was used for building house posts, beams, and other structural elements. The wood was also used to make tools like arrow shafts and handles. Sap from mesquite trees was used to treat various ailments like sore throats, stomach issues, and skin irritations. They also made candies from the sap and some even chewed the sap as a sort of gum. They used the strong but sinuous mesquite roots in basketry and other forms of weaving. 

Past the dilapidated buildings, the Scenic Drive continues generally northeast down the large wash crossed earlier. At the 1.65-mile mark, the Scenic Drive turns out of the wash to the right, and you start up a hill heading east and enter the heart of the rugged Castle Mountains. The high-quality desert habitat along this section of the Scenic Drive includes some of the finest Joshua tree stands and best native grasslands in the Mojave Desert. This grassland habitat is a hotspot of botanical diversity and includes some two dozen species of native grasses, a number of which are rare here (e.g. burrograss and false buffalograss). The grasslands in this area are an extension of the subtropical grasslands that normally are found in the Sonoran Desert uplands in Arizona and Mexico. Warm-season grass species flower and seed during the summer and fall, especially after strong monsoon rainfall events, rather than during the spring when most species bloom in the desert. 

These perennial grasses play critical roles in soil stabilization, carbon sequestration, habitat creation, nutrient cycling, water regulation, and erosion control. They essentially hold the ecosystem together, and produce the bulk of the organic matter which in turn provides nutrients and organic matter needed for forb and shrub seedling survival. Without the perennial grass, the organic matter and nutrients in the soil oxidize and blow away.

As you continue to climb the hill above the wash, you get commanding views looking west to the jagged volcanic Castle Peaks and looking northwest to the New York Mountains. The Castle Peaks are a cluster of epic sharp pinnacles carved by the erosion of volcanic rocks. They are quite spectacular, rising abruptly from a Joshua tree woodland. The Castle Peaks got their name because they resemble the ramparts of a castle. Along this stretch of the Scenic Drive, there are extensive stands of buckhorn cholla mixed with the Joshua trees and native grasses.  

The Scenic Drive bends to the right around the crest of a ridge and begins to run generally southwest. The Scenic Drive winds through some curves, and at the 2.3-mile mark, enters an area with more old mine scars. In 1907, three prospectors, James Hart and brothers Bert and Clark Hitt, found pockets of rich gold ore in this area and staked claims. Just several miles across the Monument boundary in California at the base of Hart Peak, they developed the Oro Belle and Big Chief Mines and established the community of Hart. By early 1908, the town of Hart had nearly 700 people, a post office, telephone lines, and a weekly newspaper. By the summer of 1908, the population of Hart peaked at around 1500 residents. But the pockets of high-grade ore proved too small, and mining began to decline a year later. The newspaper and other businesses closed, the post office shut down in 1915 and Hart became a ghost town. 

Passing through the mining area, the Scenic Drive bends left to run generally east then northeast. The Scenic Drive runs down into a wash and follows it around a bend to the southeast. At the 2.9-mile mark, the road goes through a narrow canyon for about 100 yards and the view opens up to a geologic wonderland as you are in the very center of the Castle Mountains with a remarkable variety of geologic landforms. The Castle Mountains also contain important cultural resources that reflect a long history of prehistoric human use. Prehistoric petroglyphs and pictographs are found in the area and are of particular significance to the Fort Mojave and Chemehuevi Tribes, because they mark routes through the Castle Mountains traveled by both tribes. The Castle Mountains connect places to the south, like Piute Spring, to areas north, such as an obsidian collection site. While there is ample evidence of the passage of indigenous peoples throughout the Castle Mountains, more permanent occupation was limited by water unavailability, and most camping areas or settlements here were temporary, facilitating hunting or allowing people to gather plant and other food resources before moving on.  

Roaming amidst the terrain along the route are desert bighorn sheep, mountain lions, coyotes, and bobcats. A herd of bighorn lives on the steep, rocky slopes of the Castle Mountains. They traverse the area between the Piute Mountains and the New York Mountains. Desert bighorn sheep require freestanding water to get through the hot desert summers. The Nevada Department of Wildlife has constructed artificial water sources called guzzlers in the Castle Mountains to provide supplemental water. You will pass several of these guzzlers along the Scenic Drive. 

Desert bighorn sheep are agile animals that are well adapted to this dry environment and can go several days without water by living mostly off moisture in grasses and sometimes cacti. Bighorns have concave hooves that allow them to climb steep, rocky desert mountains quickly and easily, helping them escape their main predators: mountain lions. Male and female bighorn grow their signature horns shortly after birth, and their horns continue growing throughout their lifetimes. Ewes have smaller, lighter horns that rarely grow larger than a half-curl. Older rams can have impressively curled horns measuring over three feet long and weighing as much as 30 pounds. Rams are known for head-to-head battles that can last as long as 24 hours.

Birdwatchers may spot red-tailed hawk, northern flicker, ladder-backed woodpecker, black-throated sparrow, crissal thrasher, verdins, Brewer’s sparrows, American kestrel, common raven, loggerhead shrike, Bewick’s wren, bushtits, ash-throated flycatchers and cactus wren. Numerous bat species live in rock crevices and old mines in the area. Species of special concern found in the area include Townsend's big-eared bat, California leaf-nosed bat, Swainson's hawk, golden eagle, desert tortoise, Bendire's thrasher, gray vireo and phainopepla.

Phainopepla can be common along this Scenic Drive. The phainopepla is a striking bird with a long tail and a noticeable crest. They are a Nevada state-protected species and a designated sensitive species by the Bureau of Land Management. Habitat loss is the main threat to these birds, but the habitat here in the Castle Mountains seems to suit them well. You will notice that there is an abundance of mesquite mistletoe draped on some of the catclaw acacia and mesquite trees along the route. The phainopepla in this area is tied to the life cycle of mistletoe. The birds time their arrival here just as mistletoe berries are ripening, typically in October. Phainopepla remain in the desert until May. Mistletoe seeds pass through the birds' digestive systems unharmed, and if the droppings land on a suitable branch, the seeds may germinate into new mistletoe plants. This helps disperse the mistletoe plant. In return for their dispersal services, the phainopepla get a plentiful food supply (in most years), and a place to nest.  

Mistletoe berries may be one of the ultimate superfoods for our feathered friends. All 10 essential amino acids have been found in mistletoe berries as well as lots of carbohydrates.  The berries are red, like the birds' eyes, and the birds often whistle while feeding in the thorny trees. Note, however, these mistletoe berries are not edible for humans and can be toxic. Ingestion by humans can cause diarrhea, stomach pain, nausea, slowed heart rate, blurred vision, and convulsions. While some native peoples historically ate certain types of mistletoe berries, most species are poisonous.

The location and geography of the Castle Mountains also allow for a soundscape that is among the most naturally quiet in the United States. Additionally, exceptional dark skies, rare in highly populated Clark County, offer excellent stargazing opportunities. 

One of the other remarkable things about this portion of the Scenic Drive is the large number of California barrel cactus on the mountain slopes. It’s like barrel cactus heaven. With a shallow, but widespread root system, California barrel cactus maximizes rainwater absorption over a broad area. The roots are near the surface ready to soak up any moisture from rainfall events, allowing the cactus to efficiently collect every bit of available water.

The shape of the barrel cactus resembles a barrel—hence its name. This compact form minimizes the surface area that is exposed to the sun, and as a result, less water is lost through evaporation. The surface of the cactus is not smooth but lined with prominent ribs. These ribs allow the cactus to expand and contract accordion-style, depending on the amount of water it has absorbed. During drought, the ribs can become quite pronounced.

California barrel cactus have yellow flowers in a ring around the top of the barrel. These flowers are structured to withstand the intense heat of the desert. Flowers are plant reproductive organs and eventually produce seeds for the next generation.

Cactus species collect and store water efficiently, and then they use it efficiently during photosynthesis, which is their process of making food by using carbon dioxide from the air and energy from the sun to produce sugar. To do this, plants use somata - tiny openings on the surface - to “breathe in” carbon dioxide. However, opening the stomata also lets moisture out, which cactus try to minimize. In contrast to most plants, cactus developed a trick to reduce water loss. They only open their stomata at night when temperatures are cooler (less evaporation) and more humid (also less evaporation).

During the night, cactus take in and store carbon dioxide as an organic acid. When the sun rises, cacti close their stomata. They then use energy from the sun and the stored organic acid to photosynthesize during the day without losing water. This way, they more efficiently use water to create the sugars they need to grow.

Native Americans used the barrel cactus as a food source, extracting water from its pulp in emergencies, and utilizing the spines as tools like fish hooks and needles. They also used the fruit of the cactus as food, either fresh or cooked, and the tiny black seeds were ground and eaten as well. Note that the organic acids that cactus produce at night for photosynthesis are a kidney toxin to mammals, so don’t plan on drinking cactus water during your trips through the desert.

At the 3.4-mile mark, turn right at the junction of two roads. Now heading south, the grasslands are full of Joshua Trees and tall Mojave yuccas. You will also pass one of the water guzzlers on your right (at mile 3.8). Here you get your first views looking southeast of Sprit Mountain (Avi Kwa Ame in the Mojave language). Avi Kwa Ame is part of the Newberry Mountain Range and is a sacred place to 10 Native American tribes in Southern Nevada, California, Arizona, and Mexico who consider the mountain to be the beginning of creation and the spiritual and geographical center of the world. Mojave Tribal elders refer to the mountain as “The place where shamans dream.” The mountain is capped by light grey granite crags. When driving this route as the sun starts setting in the west, the granite bluffs often turn an impressive pink or fuchsia color. 

For the more adventuresome, at the guzzler, there is a spur road that takes off to the right that goes about a mile to access some dramatic rock formations with spires and unusual shapes. 

Around the 3.8-mark, there is an East Mojave Heritage Trail sign and a mailbox. This portion of the Castle Mountains Backcountry Drive is also a segment of the East Mojave Heritage Trail (EMHT) which is an epic 700+ mile adventure through some lesser traveled areas in the East Mojave Desert. The EMHT was developed in the 1980s by Dennis Casebier from Goff’s, California as an alternate overland route to the better-known (and much shorter) Mojave Road. Casebier's goal with the EMHT was to disperse vehicle traffic throughout the East Mojave region while also introducing travelers to lesser-visited areas. As he did with the Mojave Road, Casebier created a series of guidebooks—one for each of the four segments of the EMHT—containing detailed information about the region’s past, mining history, railroads, industrial developments, quirky stories, geology, flora, and fauna. Casebier installed a mailbox on each of the four EMHT segments for people to sign in so he could monitor usage. Casebier intentionally placed the mailboxes in locations that only those traveling the EMHT would spot so he could accurately monitor the usage of each specific trail. Several miles of the Castle Mountains Backcountry Drive are on the EMHT.

At the 4.3-mile mark, there is a 3-way junction with another backcountry road. Take a left here. You are now moving out of the mountains heading southeast and traversing more gentle bajada slopes with sweeping views in all directions. Looking east is the Newberry Mountain Range, dominated by the granitic Spirit Mountain (Avi Kwa Ame). In the distance looking northeast is the community of Searchlight and the Eldorado Mountains beyond. This is critical desert tortoise habitat and part of the Piute/Eldorado Valley Area of Critical Environmental Concern. Creosote bushesand white bursage are the dominant shrub species here, although there are stands of yucca, some buckhorn cholla, and other cacti species, too. 

At the 4.4 and 4.5-mile marks, the road crosses washes, and at the 4.8-mile mark, it drops into a wash and fllows it downhill to the 6.0 mile mark. Here the road climbs out of the wash to a 3-way road intersection and turns left. Heading generally northeast, the road crosses several washes.

At the 9.2-mile mark, the Scenic Drive bends left to head north at the far end of the loop and begins returning towards the trailhead. At the 11-mile mark, the Scenic Drive bends left again at a 3-way intersection and heads towards the west. Along the next two mile section, you get great views west to the Castle Mountains, with Hart Peak dominating the skyline. Looking west and northwest, you see the New York Mountains and the 5,997’ Crescent Peak. There are also some scattered interesting geologic formations (Castle Rocks in the New York Mountains) sticking out from the generally gentle terrain.

Also in this area, you can look left into an impressive desert wash area filled primarily with honey mesquite and desert willows. The wash is about a quarter mile wide and carries water coming off the adjacent Castle Mountains. Desert washes are essentially dry riverbeds that typically are dry but can fill with water after rainstorms, creating a temporary or seasonal water source. These desert washes are important for the survival of plants and animals in this hot desert environment, as they provide a source of water and habitat. 

At the 12.8-mile mark, the road bends right around an historic cattle corral and water tank. Ranchers historically grazed cattle in the area. By 1894, the Rock Springs Land and Cattle Company had consolidated its holdings in the eastern Mojave Desert. Much of this ranching operation lies within the Avi Kwa Ame National Monument and Mojave National Preserve. There is a direct connection between the Rock Springs Land and Cattle Company and the Walking Box Ranch, as that was their headquarters in Nevada. Characteristic features of this ranching era can still be seen on this landscape in the form of abandoned corrals, watering troughs, water tanks, windmills, and piping.

The ranchers were able to develop innovative water systems to widely distribute water from just a few natural springs. The cows were allowed to roam free throughout the desert, and when it was time to send them off to markets, cowboys on horseback would track them down and gather them up at corrals like this one. In 1990, the desert tortoise was listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Clark County Desert Conservation Program developed a recovery plan that bought out almost all the ranchers in Clark County who were having a hard time financially because this part of the desert has been drying out since about the 1970s. This was a financial windfall for some of the ranching families, and removing cattle from the range benefitted native species, including desert tortoise, because more food was left for them.

At the 13.0-mile mark, there is a T-intersection with another backcountry road. Take a left and you are now heading southwest on a historic railroad grade and back into a Joshua tree woodland and grasslands vegetative community. This part of the Scenic Drive is along the old Barnwell and Searchlight Railroad grade. This 23-mile long railroad connected Searchlight, Nevada to Barnwell, California, and the larger rail network of the Mojave Desert. Between 1907 and 1910, the gold mines of Searchlight produced millions of dollars in gold and boasted a population of 1,500. Ore was shipped to Barnwell via this rail service. The railroad was formed in April 1906 at the height of the gold rush in Searchlight. The 23 miles of track were laid between May1906 and March 1907.  On April 7, 1907, just seven days after construction was completed, the railway was leased by the California, Arizona, and Santa Fe Railway. On September 23, 1923, the tracks washed out, and they were abandoned on February 18, 1924. The population of Searchlight during this time was leaving, and by 1927, the population was only around 50 people. Like many railroads, the valuable track was removed and recycled into other railroad lines across the county, while the railroad ties were recycled locally into corrals and fence posts. While driving this part of the road, it is hard to imagine that an active railroad used to traverse the landscape.  

Along this section of the route, you are within a half-mile of the north escarpment of the Castle Mountains and their impressive grass covered, black volcanic foothills. 

At the 14.2-mile mark, the road forks three ways: stay to the right. Along this stretch, you are travelling northwest through a beautiful grasslands and Joshua tree habitat with outstanding views of the Castle Peaks to the southwest and the New York Mountains to the northwest. Grasses do not have colorful or showy flowers. They are wind pollinated and so do not need bright petals or nectar to attract animal pollinators. For this reason, the flowers are simplified and small in size. Flowers are borne atop the plant where wind can catch and blow pollen to the next plant. While most plants grow from the top, grasses grow from the bottom. This means that they will not die off from being eaten by animals because they replace lost parts by “pushing up” the surviving parts that have not been eaten, although too much grazing can kill grasses, and grazing sheep often pull out the roots.

The Scenic Drive ends at the 14.9-mile mark at the T-intersection with Walking Box Ranch Road, opposite the historic corral (notice the use of recycled railroad ties). 

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO:

Should you decide to travel this Scenic Drive, you do so at your own risk. Always take the appropriate precautions when planning and traveling, including checking the current local weather, trail conditions, road conditions, and land and road closures. Carry the appropriate safety, recovery, and navigational equipment and obey all public and private land use restrictions and BLM National Monument rules. Carry a full-size spare tire and tire repair kit—and know how to use them before you need to. Be prepared for spotty cell phone service or even no service. Bring more water and food than you think you’ll need in case of any unexpected delays your return to civilization.