Off The Beaten Path: I Took The Long Way Home From My Joshua Tree / Berdoo Canyon Off-Road Adventure
Driving the Mojave Road is not the only way to experience the Mojave Desert. I detoured through Jawbone Canyon on my way home from Joshua Tree National Park. Join me on a awesome Overlanding adventure through Jawbone Canyon SVRA. Challenging off-road driving, amazing vistas, Joshua Trees and wildflowers.
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Jawbone Station To The Intersection Of Kelso Valley Road And Piute Mountain Road
Why not make the ride home interesting? I saw a opportunity to get off the tarmac and onto some sand and dirt. This was a great chance to find out why Jawbone Canyon is loved by so many off-roaders.
Mojave Desert Overlanding Route Through A Historic Canyon
Driving past Jawbone BLM Station on Jawbone Canyon Road you will pass 2 branches of the Los Angeles Aqueduct. It is the engineering marvel that allowed LA to grow by providing water to the City. It was not without a great deal of controversy. That is a subject for others to cover.
A GuideBook And GPS Coordinates Instead Of Wandering The Desert
My typical MO is pointing the Jeep in a general direction and going. For this trip through Jawbone I used a guidebook and GPS coordinates from Trip # 54 from this guide book. My Navigation device is my Garmin GPS Maps 66i. Click on the pictures to find them on Amazon.
Guide book and a GPS Navigation Device is a great way to find trails that match the difficulty level you can handle.
Climbing SC251: Easy Trail With Steep Sandy Sections And Awesome Scenery
I found Forest Service Road SC251 and headed up. This is Mojave Desert Overlanding. Reminiscent of my trip on the Mojave Road. Much of the scenery is very similar. There was not a Salt Flat and a pile of rocks but there was no shortage of Joshua Trees.
SC251 Intersects With Jawbone Canyon Road
Jawbone Canyon Road winds its way over the hills. Eventually it will pass Kelso Valley Road and keeps going all the way to Piute Mountain Road. Lots of possibilities for adventure. Click here to see the Bad Decision that got my Jeep and Trailer stuck on Piute Mountain Road.
Incredible Views All Along Way On SC123/ButterBredt Springs Road
If like me you are headed to Lake Isabella this intersection gives you a choice. Jawbone Canyon Road to Kelso Valley Road or the more scenic route. I chose to follow the guide book and drive through Butterbredt Spring Bird Sanctuary.
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Unforgettable Overlanding: Best Camp at Alabama Hills National Recreation Area (Hwy 395 Adventure)
Butterbredt Is A 4WD Trail: Very Deep Sand In Places
Just another amazing drive through the desert. This is a awesome trail. Found myself wishing I was in a quad instead of a Jeep. Just in awe the entire drive. You don't have to go to Joshua Tree National Park to see Joshua Trees. They are all over Jawbone. Rocky mountains, wildflowers and awesome views.
Reaching The Highest Point On Butterbredt
I had to stop when I saw this unusual trail marker. There was once a trail here but it is shut down. Hard to figure why a old plow disc was used as a trail marker.
Looking East From Butterbredt Road SC123
Heading Down Towards Kelso Valley Road
I was not that far from the West End of Butterbredt. The road went basically downhill with views of what I thought was a snow capped Piute Mountain in the far distance. One last stop for a photo looking east and up the trail.
Back On The Tarmac: SC123 (Butterbredt Road) Dumps Me Out Onto Kelso Valley Road
That was a amazing ride through Jawbone. This was just one route. There are many more trails to go back and explore. I considered airing up the tires and making my way to Highway 178 but then I saw Piute Mountain Road. Click here to see the amazing campsite at 6000' and my Piute Mountain Road Adventure.
Conclusion
I have camped just off Jawbone Canyon Road near the Aqueduct Pipeline many times. This was my first exploration deeper into the park. It is truly amazing. Dirt Bikers and quad folks know all about it. California Overlanders tend to gravitate towards the sexier locations like Anza Borrego, Alabama Hills and Death Valley. I will make a point of spending time in Jawbone instead of driving around it from now on when I take trips to the Mojave.
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