Mojave Spring TrailGuardian
Exciting news - we are 95% sure the dates for the first 2026 Mojave Overlandbound Trail Guardian Event will be April 15-19. Still lots to work out with NPS but these dates work best for what we want to accomplish.
Current Plan is for 2 Community Projects:
The workdays will be Fri Apr 17 and Sat 18 for this.
- Project 1 - Finish the data collection of dispersed campsites within the preserve. Many of you have helped with this before.
- Project 2 - We hope to do work on some repairs to the OX Ranch in the Lanfair Valley. Lots of logistics to be done before this one is firm.
The OX Ranch
No we are not Going to Texas.
The OX Ranch on Lanfair Road in the East Mojave Desert is a historic, private ranch known for its significant role in regional ranching, its headquarters complex, and its presence near the old Mojave Trail, offering a glimpse into desert ranching life, distinct from the well-known Texas hunting ranch also called OX Ranch. This California location is part of the Mojave National Preserve's landscape, offering stark desert beauty, while the Texas ranch is a large hunting/event venue, so it's important to distinguish between the two.
Read more on digital-desert.com
A Historic Map
đź“Ť More Info and to Sign-up to come
- Trip Website: Mojave Spring TrailGuardian
- OB Forum: will be the sign-up RSVP point - link to come - once the rally point has been posted
Change of Plans
If you RSVP'd and decide not to go, please update your RSVP to "NOT GOING" to open up a spot and let us know.
Trip Logistics
Dates
Wednesday, April 15 – Sunday, April 19, 2026
As usual we plan to convoy on Wednesday so we have some extra time to play. Feel free to join for part of the time if you can't make the full trip. Some of us may stay an extra day.
Meet-up Location
Date: Wednesday, Apr 15, 2026
Time: 6:30 AM
Location: McDonald’s at Santa Rita and Highway 580 E.
37°42'02.9"N 121°52'10.7"W
37.700795, -121.869642
Basecamp
Basecamp will be at the OX Ranch on Lanfair Road.
35°12'10.9"N 115°12'06.0"W
35.203015, -115.201677
Expected Weather in April
Current Weather
Expected Trip Weather
Get Ready Before We Go
🛑 SAFETY REQUIREMENTS
Rear Amber Chase Light and HAM Radio communications are REQUIRED to travel with the group.
Why Amber Chase Lights?
Dusty trails are common – amber lights penetrate dust far better than white or red, helping prevent rear-end collisions in low visibility. Learn more about Why Chase Lights?
HAM Radio
Program to 146.460 MHz (simplex). Handhelds work great even without a license for listening.
If you don't have a ham radio yet, check out our guide to get started.
Other Essentials
- Offline navigation (download GPX from Rally Point – limited/no cell service)
- Extra fuel
- Off-road tires, full-size spare, recovery gear
- Plenty of water, desert prep, meds, emergency kit
... Let the adventure
begin ...
making memories ...