Morning of our third and final day. Before heading out I was able to relight and enjoy the fire for a bit.
Ahead the trail passes between Cowhole Mountain and Little Cowhole Mountain before crossing Soda Dry Lake.
Soda Lake along with Silver Lake are what remains of the large, perennial, Holocene Lake Mojave. The waters of the lake, now with no outlet, evaporate and has left alkaline evaporites of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate. Back near camp there were signs along the trail saying that Soda Lake was impassable. Everyone waited at the edge of the dry lake while another rig and myself made our way cautiously across the dry lake to check it out.
Soda Lake is located on the southern side of Interstate 15, and can be seen at the Zzyzx Road interchange and the Oat Ditch bridge, as well as the Soda Lake bridge (signed as the Mojave River) looking south from Baker.
Crossing the five mile wide Soda Dry Lake can be an adventure in itself. The monument it is a large pile of rocks that visitor's out of tradition add a rock to it on their way across the dry lake. There is a plaque in the center of the rock pile that makes up Traveler's Monument. It was formed as each new passerby added a rock. A plaque on the monument reveals a secret that only Mojave Road travelers are to know. I won't tell, so don't ask.
On the trail again and passing through the Rasor OHV Area.
Mandatory shoot of all the rigs under the Union Pacific trestle over the Mojave River wash.
There is always water in Afton Canyon, and it is one of three places along the Mojave River where there is year-round surface flow. The presence of this water in Afton Canyon is extremely important for wildlife.
"Afton Canyon Natural Area is located 37 miles northeast of Barstow along Interstate 15 between the Afton Road and Basin Road exits. Afton Canyon is designated as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern to protect plant and wildlife habitat, and to preserve scenic values of the riparian area within the canyon. Early western explorers passing through this area included Jedediah Smith, Kit Carson and John Charles Fremont. The route following this road, known as the Mojave Road, is a rugged 4-wheel-drive scenic tour running from Fort Mojave on the Colorado River near Needles to Camp Cady near Harvard Road."
All too soon it seemed, our trip came to and end. Passing through Afton Canyon Campground and followed the graded dirt road to I-15 is where we aired up and said our goodbyes.
