Welcome to Mojave National Preserve!
The mailing address is for the park's administrative headquarters in Barstow, CA, which is located outside of the preserve.
Kelso Depot Visitor Center (currently closed for renovations) is located in the center of the preserve. 90942 Kelso Cima Road Kelso, CA 92309
Directions using third party mapping sites may not accurately reflect road status. It is best to visit Road Conditions to determine your best route.
Entrances to Mojave National Preserve are in Baker, CA at Kelbaker Road and Interstate 15, Intersection Kelbaker Rd and Interstate 40, Nipton Road and Ivanpah Road, Essex Road at Interstate 40, and Cima Road at Interstate 15. Note: There is no fuel inside the Preserve. Please fill up with gas BEFORE you enter. Park headquarters in Barstow, California is 60 miles from the Preserve, and offers maps and information. Our main visitor center, Kelso Depot, is located inside the Preserve, 95 miles east of Barstow and 90 miles west of Las Vegas at the intersection of Kelso-Cima and Kelbaker Roads. Kelso Depot is currently closed for renovations. Mojave Desert experiences change with the seasons. In winter, freezing temperatures and strong winds can be expected, with rain and snow in the mountains. With enough moisture, spring wildflowers may carpet the desert floor with vivid colors. Summers are hot, and temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit are typical. In summer, adventurers head for the higher elevations such as Mid-Hills and the New York Mountains. The cooler temperatures of fall mark hunting season. Entrance Fee-free This site is fee-free year-round. No entrance fee or pass is required. Kelso Depot Visitor CenterOriginally opened in 1924 as a train station, Kelso Depot was renovated and reopened in 2005 as a Visitor Center for Mojave National Preserve. Exhibits include a baggage room; ticket office and two dormitory rooms have been furnished to illustrate depot life during the first half of the twentieth century. Note: Kelso Depot is temporarily closed for rehabilitation. The contract is underway, and work is being performed according to schedule. Hole-in-the-Wall Information CenterInformation, park brochures, drinking water, and passport stamps are available. Limited maps, books, postcards and other items available for purchase with the Western National Parks Association. Public Wifi available for paying campground fees on Pay.Gov. Park maps and Passport to your National Park Stamps available after hours on front porch, to the right of the main entrance door. Barstow Headquarters Information DeskA small visitor center lobby is located in the front of our Barstow Headquarters. Public WiFi is not available.
Cellular access is spotty and unreliable. Wi-fi is available at the Hole in the Wall Visitor Center. 
Photo courtesy of Josie Gomez
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Last updated: April 4, 2025