Trilobite Wilderness, Bristol Mtns

The Castle and peak 1023 to the left.

Castle Mine

Iron Hat Peak

Bristol Mtns Indian trail heading toward Amboy Crater. By this time they had walked a dozen dry miles from the Granite Mtns and still had 30 or 40 miles to Joshua Tree.

Mine equipment lined with bricks in the Bristol Mtns.

Amboy has the only gas in the area. It was more than $2 higher than gas near Joshua Tree in 2017. I put a lot of GPS tracks on peakbagger in 2023.

• CASTLE BENCHMARK el 3842 is the high point of the Marble Mountains. Go south from I-40 on Kelbaker Rd for 1 mile and go east on a gas road. In about 4 miles on this easy 4wd road, park and hike up the easy north ridge to the reg at N34 40686, W115 37038 . 2 hours,1100 gain. Short but dull. ONE WAY VERSION - descending down the SW canyon turns this into a top notch hike. It's the best canyon for 100 mile radius. Walk NW down the main ridge to the lowest saddle next to point 1022 meters. Trails drop down the west end of the saddle. I used the one that goes down along the right side of the drainage and goes down a ridge to bright rock at the bottom. It stays on top of the rock all the way thru to darker ground and hits the creekbed. Soon there is a huge pothole and a small cave on the right bank. A trail goes by the cave then it's easy to stay high until a narrows, saving a quarter mile of boulder hopping. Next comes the interesting narrows with 3 or 4 easy class 3 drops, up to 8 feet high. There is one more tricky drop at a right bend at the 730 meter line. The low right bank shortcuts all that then bend right at the mouth and cut thru a gap at 39763, 39134 then to a road at the wilderness boundary reading 39800, 39929. An ebike there can be used to shuttle back. That took 3 and a half hours. I had no shuttle except for the highway part but had a pleasant 75 minute stroll in washes along the gas road to retrieve my cycle. It would only be a 5 hour hike to do it all from the highway and only needing a shuttle on the highway. Posted 2023.
• CASTLE BENCHMARK SOUTH LOOP - the colorful south canyons can be used to make the best hike on this page. Take Kelbaker Rd south from I-40 for 4.2 miles to road #122 at N34 39545, W115 40540 el 2050. Drive or pedal the crude road for 2/3 mile to the legal end el 2100 then walk the low ground to a canyon at 39843, 38099 el 2250. A pointy peak gets in the way a half mile before the canyon, so stay left around it. Go east up the canyon for .13 mile to 3 forks. Stay far right and go on up to the main saddle el 2350 then on to another saddle at 39786, 37511 el 2500. A good sheep trail starts there and goes to the next canyon where sheep were staring at me. Maybe they expect to be paid for using the trail. Go up canyon and get on the left bank at 39840, 37138 el 2400 then stay on it thru the main saddle el 2650 then shortly to a trail at 40004, 36931 el 2650. Walk that into the main south canyon el 2600 and go up that and get on high ground between forks at 40409, 36601 el 2850. Then just stroll up to the SE ridge of the peak at 40570, 36647 el 3000 and head up. At el 3650 it becomes practical to angle to the right and hit the NE ridge at el 3750 then it's an easy fifth mile to the BM, but no reg that I could find. The descent into the canyon to the west is obvious. Walk NW down the main ridge to the lowest saddle next to point 1022 meters. Trails drop down the west end of the saddle. I used the one that goes down along the right side of the drainage and goes down a ridge to bright rock at the bottom. It stays on top of the rock all the way thru to darker ground and hits the creekbed. Soon there is a huge pothole and a small cave on the right bank. A trail goes by the cave then it's easy to stay high until a narrows, saving a quarter mile of boulder hopping. Next comes the interesting narrows with 3 or 4 easy class 3 drops, up to 8 feet high. There is one more tricky drop at a right bend at the 730 meter line. The low right bank shortcuts all that. Then it's a smooth wash and warp factor 8 down to the pointy peak and then retrace from there. That took 5 hours with only about 1000 feet of strenuous gain. SHORT VERSION - I made a shorter loop by skipping the peak and cutting thru a saddle to the south. When I got to the south canyon, I went up to a left fork and got on the right bank at 40312, 36658 el 2750. I walked up that fork and soon I could easily merge into the creekbed. I went on up using the right bank intermittently and thru the main saddle then on a trail to another saddle at 40537, 37263 el 3200. I went down the creekbed there and came to the end of bright rock where it turns tedious. To avoid that, I went over a bright saddle on the right rim to a scree gully at 40664, 37336 el 3100 and walked down that canyon to the main canyon where I merged with the route above. That loop took 4 hours with a lot less gain. It's the best way to tour these bright rock canyons. Posted 2021.  A shorter hike starts at the same TH. Walk to the end of road #122 to a cave in the bright rock. A sheep trail goes up around the right side. I just followed the unsteepest route up until I hit dark ground and then went left on a trail to the next canyon and followed it back. Major potholes are on the way back at 40648, 39108 el 2350. That took 2 hours, easy hike. Posted 2018.
• THE CASTLE is a bright colored formation east of the Castle Mine. It's the most interesting area in the range. Take the Kelbaker Rd to 4wd road #138 at N34 34437, W115 38640. Follow that to a tricky fork at 37536, 36821 then go left a fifth mile to another fork and go right. The road fizzles just over 5 miles in at a cabin at the Castle Mine. I went up the obvious canyon to the Castle and used a steep gully to get on top. A sheep trail runs to the north end then goes along the ridge. On the east side of the ridge at 39078, 35503 el 2900 is where peak 1023 (meters) comes into view. Sheep trails go up to the summit el 3356. I retraced from the summit back to the Castle and dropped to a bulldozer track el 2650.that took me down to the flats. That took me 3 and a half hours with 1300 gain. It takes an hour to drive a 4wd in there. The road is tedious with rocks and deep sand but has no major obstacles. I tried going out to the west but soon gave up. Posted 2017.
• PEAK 1023 NORTH LOOP - a better hike than the one above is to come in from the gas road to the north. I went 4 and a half miles in on that from the Kelbaker Rd and parked at some dirt piles about a fifth mile east of the closed road running south from 846T. I walked south and merged with the road and just followed the low ground over saddles to get in the canyon that drains down to the Castle Mine. Over the first saddle is a trail on the right bank where the creekbed starts getting rough. The trail bends around to a faint road that goes over the next saddle into the canyon that goes to the mine. I turned up a fork at 39227, 36044 that has an old road. It fades but I picked up a trail at 39079, 35504 that leads to a drainage with bright bedrock. A sheep trail goes up along the right bank and bends into a fork that leads to the main ridge, just left of bright cliffs. The ridge goes but an old coot route is less steep. It's a sheep trail running right of center to 39078, 35503 el 2900 where peak 1023 (meters) comes into view. A trail runs along a cliff base then up to the main ridge. The last bit to the summit goes parabolic but can be zigzagged. Then I went down the north ridge to the saddle before peak 1001 and levelled off on a trail right of center. I left ducks along that and walked it to 39484, 35444 and stayed level on it then soon it drops a little to the saddle. I went thru and down to the left for smoother ground then thru the saddle at point 859T reading 40206, 35160. Then I went down to the flats in easy washes and walked 2 miles back to the start. An ebike stashed there would have saved me some walking. That took 5 hours, 20 minutes and the only gain of any consequence is the 1000 up from the canyon floor to the summit. Posted 2023.
• IRON HAT PEAK el 2589 (789 meters) is what I call the peak NE of the Iron Hat Mine. It's the most dramatic one in the range. Take Route 66 to N34 33707, W115 33677 and turn on road #325. Go 2 and a half miles on easy 4wd and park el 1200 where the road is washed out. Keep walking up the main canyon past the mine and just before peak 643 go up a little ridge at some white rock reading 36831, 32709. In a tenth mile more there is an obvious gully on the right that goes up to the high rim. Then walk a trail that goes along the west side of pointy peak 783. It fades at a saddle but resumes higher at 36530, 32396 and goes into the north saddle el 2350. Then a trail goes up left of center and circles to the summit. 400 feet before the summit a sheep trail goes right of center and around behind the summit then it's easy to walk up to the summit cairn at 36378, 32523. Then retrace to the saddle el 2350 and drop west down the canyon back to the start. 3 or 4 hours with 800 noticeable gain, rarely steep. CAP DOME PEAK el 2986 is over a mile to the NW of Iron Hat Peak. It can be included for a longer loop. From the summit of Iron Hat, a mine track can be seen going up to the east saddle of it. Just retrace back to the main canyon and walk the track to the saddle. From there, a rough sheep route starts up the ridge left of center to avoid big rocks. The reg, placed by G McCleod in 1982, is at 37088, 33453 and mostly signed by sheep counters. That peak name must be in it. I can't remember. Then drop NW down to the major saddle el 2450 and then left into the canyon and go bank to bank to get back. On the flats there is pavement at 36119, 33665 el 1350 for the last bit. That loop took me 5 hours with about 2000 noticeable gain and not very steep but plenty rocky. I'm only doing Iron Hat from now on because it's not so rocky. Another option for the long loop is to go up the fork south of peak 607 to get to the north saddle then up to Iron Hat. Then go on to Cap Dome as above on the sheep trail west of peak 783 and drop down to the main canyon at 36857, 32550. I put a track on peakbagger to make this clearer. Posted 2017, 2023.
• PEAK 3182 is right next to peak 963 meters. A grand loop can be done using a mine road that cuts thru the range up canyon from the Iron Hat Mine. Take Route 66 to N34 33707, W115 33677 and turn on road #325. Go 2 and a half miles on easy 4wd and park el 1200 where the road is washed out. Keep walking up the main canyon past the mine and look for the road on the left bank at 36896, 32854. It goes over a saddle and down the east side of the range and fades. I walked on to the main wash on the north side of peak 646 but it's not as smooth as it looks on the sat image. It's bound to work better to walk the wash south of the peak then cut thru a saddle north of VFBO on the topo. Then go up on the south bank of a drainage which is on the south side of peak 811. Keep going up to peak 963 then it's easy to walk the base of that to get at peak 3182. No sign of humanity there. I walked sheep trails running south along the crest then started dropping on one at 37656, 34466 el 2850. Then on down to a trail at 37586, 34331 el 2650 that leads 300 feet to a saddle where the descent canyon is in view. I went down and to the left along a cliff base to get better terrain then down canyon. The right bank works for a while then I cut over to the left bank at 37371, 34252 and soon dropped to the lower bank. Just before a gorge I got on the left bank and bypassed the whole thing. The wash smooths out and on the flats there is pavement at 36119, 33665 el 1350 for the last bit.6 hours with about 1500 noticeable gain. Rocks are a minor nuisance. I'll do it again. Posted 2023.
• MARBLE BENCHMARK el 2467 is at the south end. At Chambless, get on road #320 at N34 33712, W115 32991. Go north a half mile then turn right and go SE for 2/3 mile then turn left and go a mile to a main fork. Left goes to the trilobite sites, but stay right for a mile and a half to the end el 1200 in a canyon south of the peak. The canyon goes, but the east rim is smoother. Go up the canyon and exit at 35382, 30300 el 1350 then angle up under talus to a saddle el 1600 on the rim. Go on to a sheep trail at 35575, 30483 el 1700. It goes left of center to a saddle el 1750 then stays left and gets fuzzy. Sheep then go to 35508, 30767 el 1950 to skirt around the right side of a bump. Then just keep going up to the reg at 35657, 31058. The last fifth mile is class 2 rock. The survey pole was still standing and the BM is dated 1935. 3 hours, 1300 gain. All roads are easy 4wd. Posted 2017.  PEAK 588 METERS is another easy peak nearby. From the parking area, walk up the main wash to a spotty sheep trail on the left bank at 35302, 29987 el 1300. Follow it up as it bends to the right to a saddle el 1450 then keep going up the rim to the survey junk at 35016, 29471 el 1929. Then just drop back in the canyon and walk it back. Nice canyon. 2 hours, 700 gain.  Posted 2018   
• MARBLE BM CIRCUMNAVIGATION - it's a long but easy loop around the BM. I walked thru the easy canyon south of the peak into Cut Wash then north and back thru the canyon with the Iron Hat Mine. Go east from Chambless for a mile to road #327 at point 248T on the topo. Follow easy 4wd to a fork at point 268T. Parking beyond there would mean a lot of rocks at the end of the hike. I followed the right fork into the south canyon and up a sheep trail at N34 35307, W115 29984 to get around the south side of peak 484 and into Cut Wash. I stayed near the left bank and got on it at 36688, 30893. It's rocky but easy to weave or step over. I went on to 37072, 31117 then to the wash west of point 586 reading 37553, 32028. I went up that to the saddle south of peak 643. I dropped down a sheep trail left of a gully then onto the right bank that leads down a skinny point to the main wash then down that past the mine. At the mouth, I went left on a road that is now a wash and stayed on the high road to 35877, 32943 then cut over to another road at a point. That road goes to 286T and then I left the road at 34498, 31764 for the last third mile.  Ebikes work on these roads. That took 4 hours, 45 minutes and 11.4 miles with hardly any noticeable gain. Posted 2023.                     
• BRISTOL MOUNTAINS INDIAN TRAIL - a trail cuts thru the range near Amboy. It's an easy hike with an easy 11 or 12 mile shuttle. Drive to Amboy and get on a road on the west side of the gas station. It's a good road for half a mile along a dike then another half mile to a gas road. Leave a vehicle there then drive east on Route 66 for 6 miles to Kelbaker Rd. Go north 4.8 miles then go left on a dirt road for .6 mile then walk to the trail near peak 602 at N34 37308, W115 41808.  Go on to 36926, 41964 el 1900 where the trail goes over a hump into the main creekbed. It goes .14 mile up the creekbed then exits up the right bank and on thru a main saddle then down the creekbed to 36659, 42442 el 1850 where it exits up the right bank. It drops back to the creekbed at 36407, 42749 el 1600 then exits on the right bank again at 35679, 43325 el 1250. It fades in another mile then just get on pavement at 35020, 44169 and on down to a curious mine in a quarter mile then out. The hiking part took me nearly 3 hours with hardly any noticeable gain covering about 6 miles. Poor people with only 2wd might have an extra mile or two. If you want a tougher hike, walk from the Mojave Preserve to Joshua Tree like the Indians did and try to figure out where they got water along the way, if they got water. Posted 2018, 2024.    
• ORANGE BLOSSOM PEAKS el 973 meters is what I call two colorful peaks just west of the Orange Blossom Mine in the Bristol Mountains. I made a loop which turned out to be one of the best hikes around Amboy. Go south 1.3 miles on Kelbaker Rd from I-40 and turn west on a good, firm gas road. Go nearly 11 miles to a wash at N34 40482, W115 50334 el 2050. I weaved a cycle a half mile up the wash and it wouldn't help to go any further on this loop. I walked on up the wash to a canyon at 40775, 49684 el 2250 then on to a main fork at 41034, 48923 el 2600. I took the right fork and it took me along the south side of the south peak. I stayed low in the creekbed to the end at a low saddle where the north peak was in view. That peak was too easy to pass up so I went up the south ridge to the summit at 41644, 48456 el 3250. Four sheep were grazing on the ridge. For the return, I went down the canyon between the peaks. At falls, I got on the left rim then dropped back in at 41470, 48575 el 2750. The next fall I went around the right side and down a drainage. It was easy creekbed from there on out to the flats then half a mile back to the start. 3 hours and the only strenuous part was 200 feet or so up the peak, and that could be skipped. ORANGE BENCHMARK el 3450+ would be a half mile detour on this hike. To do it as a separate hike, drive only 4 miles in from Kelbaker Rd and turn on road #990. Go nearly 3 miles to a gate at the Orange Blossom Mine then go left on a jeep road for a third mile to a wash. The wash goes along the south side of the BM. I rode a half mile up the wash then walked on up to get on the easy SW ridge. The reg is at 41126, 47835. Placed in 1983, only Vitz came along later. I didn't try the road to the Lady Lu Mine. Posted 2018.
• LAVA HILLS HIGH POINT el 2300+ is NW of Amboy in a pristine area. Go south 1.3 miles on Kelbaker Rd from I-40 and turn west on a good, firm gas road. Go nearly 13 miles to a sign for Siberia Rd branching north. Turn south there on a faint road and drive half a mile on the high ground then walk the flats to a saddle at N34 40037, W115 52715 el 2050. Go thru then down the left side of a wash on a faint trail and on to 39435, 53368 el 2000. Drop down a wash there then on to a main wash and go right up that one a short way then climb out and walk to the base of the peak. The reg is at 39058, 53505 next to a small dig. For a loop back, walk NW into a main wash then take a right fork at 39293, 53957 el 1950 and go up and over the divide el 2100 then down the wash to a mega wash at 39554, 54490 el 1900. Go north up that to a main fork at 39931, 54251 el 1950. Go left and in .45 air mile there is a 6 foot fall that is tricky for a solo hiker to climb, but the right rim would work to get around it, just get on it ahead of time. The wash is easy again after that then ends. Aim for high ground at 40488, 53752 el 2200 then it's an easy stroll back to the start. 3 and a half hours and the only strenuous part is the 300 feet up the peak. Numerous minor gullies have to be crossed on the way to the peak, but the return leg has none. The Siberia Rd goes 4 and a half miles thru colorful country to a cell tower over I-40. BLM rd #1 runs along the east side of the Lava Hills but has deep sand and a lot of minor dips.Posted 2018. 
• SIBERIA WASH has a pretty section along the east side of Black Ridge BM. The 4wd gas road along the north side of the peak is the simplest way at it. I made an easy loop around the peak. It took 4 hours, 20 minutes. Another idea would be to go over the peak then down the south ridge and back in the wash. Posted 2024.   
• BRISTOL MOUNTAINS WILDERNESS is bordered on the south by I-40. A gate in the south side fence is the best access. Go east from Ludlow for a dozen miles to the gate at N34 43342, W115 57770. It can be seen on the sat image where county road 20410 comes up from Klondike. Go thru the gate then east on the frontage road for a third mile and park. A bike trailer with camping gear was stashed there. Walk under the freeway and pick a route. I was doing the high point el 3622, so I walked to the west canyon at 44292, 57421 el 2450 and walked the bank to a mine. I should have dropped to the wash there and entered a nice little gorge, but stayed high and dropped in later into the gorge. It ends at an easy little fall, but a catclaw needs to be cut out of the way. I kept going in that easy canyon until a 50+ foot fall got in the way. Sheep go up along the right of it. Then they go up a ridge at 45458, 56882 which leads to the summit with a huge cairn on it. A reg is on top of the cairn. I backed off the summit a little then down a slope to the NE that I could see all the way down to the east canyon. I strolled that to the mouth where a road leads back to the start. That took 4 hours with 700 noticeable gain. The west canyon is the main attraction. I'll be back for that and skip the peak. Road 20410 to Klondike is only good for the first mile to the gas road. The gas road is maintained but steep hills need 4wd. It makes for easy access to Black Ridge. Posted 2021.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

  

  The nest is the lowest dark patch on the left side. I couldn't tell what species of bird they are, but they get a whopping good cell signal!

  
  

  

  Sheep hanging around on the Orange Blossom Peaks

  
  

  

  Orange Blossom Peaks