As often happens, we stopped in the Mojave Preserve on our way (eventually) home. The huge Preserve always seems to have something to amaze or delight us, and this time was no exception.

After several years since our last visit to the Dunes, we elected this time to try out a new camp site. There’s a large dispersed-camping area near the Dunes, about a mile past the parking/placards and restrooms. No marked sites, just a bunch of flat spots in the sandy flats below (south of) the Dunes.

We arrived in the late afternoon, and got a splendid evening’s worth of hiking and photography in the low rays of the setting sun. This is a photographer’s paradise, sunset on the dunes – – –

Looking in the opposite direction (from the Dunes), this is our jam-packed campsite. Howie is on the left, and our nearest and only neighbor is about 300 yards away in the distance. Later, one other neighbor came in and parked about 100 yards away. We saw three cars in two days.

In addition to the grand spaces, scenes and skies, there are some “micro” views to be had. These dunes are somewhat vegetated, and the scrawny plants blow sideways with the wind. Their flailing blades and branches make sand-tracks, to mark the variability of the weather.

The smooth surface of the sand is interrupted everywhere with critter tracks. Some look like fossil dinosaur prints, like these raven footprints.

While others are completely indecipherable (by us) – we learned that there are snakes, lizards, mice, and beetles in abundance, all nocturnal, all scuttling about in the night and making their own characteristic trails in the sand.

With the last rays of sunlight, Karin started hiking toward the far dune – – –

– – – it’s a lot farther than it looks, probably a 1-2-hour hike – – –

– – – and darkness comes really quickly.

We hiked back to camp in the darkening twilight. The desert cools quickly after sunset, and the temperature was in the thirties(F) before the sky blackened. We turned on the heater and warmed up a bit inside Howie.

The sun disappeared completely, its afterglow dead and gone. The moon had not yet risen, and an ink-black sky enveloped us in its cold cloak. Overhead, the brilliant stars were burning pinpoint holes in the veil. The desert was so intensely quiet – – – if we listened carefully, we could just barely hear the distant dim rumble of a freight train, crossing the valley ten miles away.

Later, approximately 157 coyotes began howling and yipping all around the camp. Well, that’s what it seemed like anyway. Always makes us smile. Life is good.

Curious? more info at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelso_Dunes