Dramatic desert cliffs, buttes, and rock formations at Red Rock Canyon SP

The 50-site campground at Red Rock Canyon State Park is tucked into the base of colorful desert cliffs where once the Kawaiisu Indians hunted rabbits and small game. I was reminded of this when I had taken no more than a dozen steps outside my motorhome and confronted a coyote stalking a cottontail. Suddenly the coyote made his move, startling the cottontail that darted off to its burrow—and right between my legs. The coyote hadn’t noticed me until then, and came to a sliding, dust-swirling stop just feet ahead of me, then disappeared off into the scrub.

The park’s prominent buttes, steep cliffs, and colorful rock formations served as signposts for the Native Americans that for thousands of years passed over this trade route. Twenty-mule

team freight wagons stopped here for water in the 1870s, miners worked the area in the late 1800s, and it has been the location of several movies. The cliffs, caves, and narrow canyons behind the campground are fun to explore and offer great views from the top.

The park recently removed the alien invader tamarisk trees, which soak up lots of water, and the stream now flows above ground again. Wildflowers are beautiful in the Spring. The park is 25 miles north of the town of Mojave on route 14 near Cantil, California. The no reservation, no hook-up campground has water and pittoilets but no dump station.

Check out my eBook, Snowbird's Guide to Boondocking on the Southwestern Deserts.