Open · 4 Spots Left ⚙ Moderate · 4 / 5 Sonoran Overlanders

MOJAVE ROAD
RUN · 2026

Four days, 138 miles of historic mining road across the East Mojave. Group of twelve rigs, two nights dispersed camping, one detour to a hidden hot spring.

Dates May 9 — 12
Start Avi Casino, NV
End Afton Canyon, CA
Rigs 8 / 12
Total Miles 138 mi
About This Run

WHAT TO EXPECT

The Mojave Road is the original wagon route between the Colorado River and the central California desert — a two-day overland trip in 1860 and an honest two-and-a-half-day trip today if you stop to actually see anything. We're stretching it to four days because we want to do it right.

This is a moderate run: most of it is graded dirt, but there are sections of soft sand, two short rocky pinch-points, and a creek crossing at Afton that's running this year. Lockers aren't required but recovery gear is. If you've never aired down on sand before, ask in the group chat — we'll show you on day one.

Two nights of dispersed camping (Marl Springs, Soda Lake), one in a developed BLM site at Afton. Bring water for four days; refill points are unreliable.

Posted by @desert_runner · last updated 6 days ago

Day By Day

ITINERARY

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DAY 1 SAT · INTO THE DESERT
32 mi · 4 hrs driving
A
Avi Casino, Laughlin · 7:00 AM Roll Call
Last reliable fuel and water. Top off both. Driver briefing in the lot at 6:45.
B
Fort Piute Spring · Lunch Stop
Petroglyphs and a year-round spring. Quick hike up to the ruins for those interested.
11.4 mi
From A
C
Marl Springs · Camp Night 1
Dispersed BLM. Fires permitted in metal pans only. Set up by 5 PM.
20.8 mi
From B
DAY 2 SUN · KELSO & THE LAVA TUBES
41 mi · 5 hrs driving · 1 hr hiking
D
Kelso Depot · Visitor Center
Restrooms, paved parking, exhibits worth 30 minutes. AC if it's hot.
22.6 mi
From C
E
Mojave Lava Tubes · Side Trip
Bring a headlamp. Skylight in the main tube is best around 11 AM.
8.2 mi
From D
F
Soda Lake Edge · Camp Night 2
Dry lakebed dispersed. Best stargazing of the trip if the moon cooperates.
10.4 mi
From E
DAY 3 MON · SAND & THE WATER CROSSING
39 mi · 6 hrs driving
G
Soda Lake Crossing · Air Down
Drop to 18 PSI before the crossing. Lead vehicle scouts the line.
2.1 mi
From F
H
Afton Canyon · Camp Night 3
Developed BLM site, $12/night. Pit toilets, no water. Creek crossing required to enter.
36.7 mi
From G
DAY 4 TUE · OUT & HOME
26 mi · 2 hrs driving
I
Baker, CA · Trip End
Air up at the truck stop. Plan to be on pavement by noon. Lunch at the Mad Greek for those staying.
26.2 mi
From H
Route Overview

THE LINE

Download GPX →
A B C D E F G H I Expand
Rig & Skills

REQUIREMENTS

Required
High-clearance 4WD
Ground clearance ≥ 9". 2WD trucks not eligible.
Required
All-Terrain Tires
A/T or better. Highway tires not safe on Soda Lake.
Required
Recovery Gear
Soft shackle, kinetic strap, recovery boards.
Required
GMRS Radio
Convoy on channel 16, repeater 700.
Experience
Comfortable Off-Pavement
No first-time off-roaders without a buddy.
Provisions
7+ Gallons Water
Springs not reliable refills this year.
Comms Plan

RADIO & CHECK-INS

Convoy GMRS
CH 16
Repeater 700 · 141.3 Hz tone
Emergency / Backup
CH 19 CB
Used only if GMRS fails
Daily Check-In
8:00 PM
Roll call by call sign
Sat Beacon
Trail Lead
inReach · 12 hr ping interval
Mandatory Pre-Trip

SAFETY BRIEFING

Every confirmed attendee must read and acknowledge the safety briefing before May 7th, 11:59 PM. Covers convoy spacing, recovery procedure, the creek crossing technique, and what to do if someone breaks down beyond cell range. Estimated read time: 8 minutes.

You acknowledged on April 26 · 6 of 8 attendees complete
Re-Read Briefing