Overview

Cedar Canyon Road starts as a paved road, but then becomes a graded dirt road that runs east-west across the central part of the Preserve, connecting Kelso-Cima Road with Ivanpah-Lanfair Valley Road. The dirt road generally is fine for sedans, but it can be badly washboarded and a few spots can be a bit washed out and sandy where drivers might be more happy in a 2WD-HC vehicle.

This road provides access to hikes, homes, ranches, and primitive camping areas in Round Valley and Lanfair Valley, and it connects to Caruthers Canyon. This road also connects with roads leading to established campgrounds and the Hole-in-the-Wall Visitor Center.

Link to map.

Watch Out

Other than the standard warnings about being in the desert, ... the road is easy in a 2WD-HC vehicle, and it should be passable in a carefully driven sedan. If driving a sedan east of Black Canyon Road, inquire locally about current conditions and use your own good judgment about the road conditions, as the road is subject to washouts. Much of the road can be driven at 45 mph, but if driving that fast, pay attention to curve-ahead signs.

Watch for cows on the road, and especially watch for black cows on the road at night!

While out in the desert, please respect the land and the other people out there, and try to Leave No Trace of your passage. Also, the area is remote, so be sure to bring the 10 Essentials.

Getting to the Road

This road is located in Mojave National Preserve, about 1-1/4 hours south of Las Vegas.

From town, drive south on I-15 to Mojave National Preserve. The west end of Cedar Canyon Road is accessed from the paved Kelso-Cima Road (Table 1, Site 0832), and the east end is accessed from the dirt Ivanpah Road (Site 1470).

The Road

From the pavement on Kelso-Cima Road (Site 0832), Cedar Canyon Road runs east, crosses ungated railroad tracks (look both ways!), and heads up the bajada towards the Mid Hills. For the first 2.3 miles, the road is paved, but parts of the pavement are damaged. After that, the road is entirely graded dirt.

Cedar Canyon Road passes several minor side-roads as it winds up into Cedar Canyon. Here, drivers will encounter sharp curves that can be badly washboarded and sandy with a few rocks, but should be passable in a carefully driven sedan.

At 6.0 miles out, Cedar Canyon Road reaches a T-intersection with Black Canyon Road (Site 0833), which turns right and heads south towards Mid Hills and the Hole-in-the-Wall campgrounds.

Continuing east and climbing out the top of Cedar Canyon, Cedar Canyon Road runs out across Round Valley. The road mostly is wide and smooth, which lulls drivers into excessive speed - pay attention to the "curves ahead" warning signs. Throughout Round Valley, the road passes cattle guards, minor side roads, cows, and ranches, but the main road always is obvious.

At about 9.5 miles out, Government Hole Road (Site 1471) forks off to the right, and at about 10.8 miles out, Rock Spring Road (Site 1448) also forks off to the right. This road leads to the Rock House and Rock Spring Trail.

Just past the turnoff to Rock House Road, Cedar Canyon Road dips towards the broad Watson Wash. On the near side of the wash, 11.2 miles out, the road reaches a T-intersection (Site 1450) with the west end of New York Mountain Road, which runs northeast from here and leads to Caruthers Canyon and Ivanpah Road.

Cedar Canyon Road continues into the broad, sometimes sandy Watson Wash, climbs over a low ridge, and crosses another sandy wash. This is the area where drivers in sedans might have trouble.

Beyond the troublesome spots, the road climbs over low hills and begins the long descent across Lanfair Valley. The road runs southeast, but then makes two 90-degree curves, both of which are easy to go into at excessive speed.

After the second curve, the road runs east, passes around a low hill, and resumes heading east until ending at a T-intersection (Site 1470). To the left, Ivanpah Road runs north; and to the right, Lanfair Valley Road runs south towards Goffs.