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13-844: The Devils Playground consists mostly of relatively flat plains except for some hills and small mountains at the northern end, where it merges with several dry lake beds, and the Kelso Dunes near the southern end of the area. The Rasor Off-Highway Vehicle Area lies at the northwestern edge of the Devils Playground in the Mojave River Wash, near the Mollhausen Mountains . 34°56′54.95″N 115°49′36.01″W  /  34.9485972°N 115.8266694°W  / 34.9485972; -115.8266694 This San Bernardino County, California –related article

26-859: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Kelso Dunes Kelso Dunes , also known as the Kelso Dune Field , is the largest field of aeolian sand deposits in the Mojave Desert . The region is protected by the Mojave National Preserve and is located near the town of Baker , San Bernardino County , California , and the Preserve Visitor Center . The dune field covers 45 square miles (120 km ) and includes migrating dunes, vegetation-stabilized dunes, sand sheets , and sand ramps. The tallest dunes rise up to 650 feet (200 m) above

39-540: Is no longer accumulating at Kelso Dunes itself. The Kelso Dunes are composed of five stacked sets of dunes, each set corresponding to a period of climate change over the last 25,000 years. During dry climate episodes, a decrease in stabilizing vegetation exposed surface sand to wind erosion , which ultimately brought the sand to the dunes (most of the eastern part of the Kelso dunes was formed when nearby Soda Lake and Silver Lake dried into their current playas ). However, once

52-604: The Kelso ghost town and the Park's Visitor Center located in the historic Kelso Depot . Like many southern California dune systems, the Kelso dunes have a number of endemic animal species. The list includes at least ten species of insects, such as the Kelso giant sand treader cricket ( Macrobaenetes kelsoensis ), the Kelso Jerusalem cricket ( Ammopelmatus kelsoensis ), Rhaphiomidas tarsalis (a rare Mydas fly ), and

65-556: The Kelso shieldback katydid ( Eremopedes kelsoensis ). Although not strictly endemic, several plant and reptile species are rare outside of these dunes. One example is the Mojave fringe-toed lizard ( Uma scoparia ), which is specialized in its ability to "swim" under sand. Kelbaker Road Kelbaker Road is a paved road in San Bernardino County, California , that serves as the primary and busiest route through

78-502: The Mojave National Preserve . It also connects the communities of Kelso and Baker . Its southern terminus is at County Route 66 between Amboy and Chambless . Kelbaker Road's northern terminus is at Interstate 15 in Baker. The road then continues as California State Route 127 northward to Nevada , connecting to Nevada State Route 373 , passing near Death Valley National Park . Kelbaker Road begins at County Route 66 , part of

91-726: The National Trails Highway (Historic Route 66 ) between Amboy and Chambless . It then travels north between the Bristol Mountains on the west and the Marble Mountains to the east to its junction at Interstate 40 , north of Brown Buttes . From there, Kelbaker Road continues northeast between the Granite Mountains on the west and Providence Mountains to the east, over the 4,035-foot (1,230 m) Granite Pass , and then north past

104-572: The Booming Dunes in the Namib Desert of Africa. The booming is much more pronounced when the dunes are extremely dry. Kelso Dunes are closed to any vehicles, but are completely open to hikers. The trailhead is at the end of a three-mile (5 km) graded dirt road splitting from Kelbaker Road . This road can be accessed from both Interstate 15 (at Baker) and Interstate 40 (east of Barstow ). The dunes themselves lie just southwest of

117-625: The eastern edge of the Kelso Dunes to the community of Kelso . From Kelso, Kelbaker Road continues north running near the foot of the Kelso Mountains . Reaching near the foot of Kelso Peak , the road then runs northwest between the Kelso Mountains to the west and the Marl Mountains on the east. Southeast of Seventeen Mile Point , the road travels parallel to Willow Wash for a few miles. Willow Wash along this section

130-661: The sand grains indicate that most originated from the Mojave River sink near Afton Canyon , which lies to the west of the dunes' current location. The sand has accumulated at the southeastern end of the Soda Lake-Kelso basin , where the Granite Mountains and Providence Mountains form a barrier to prevailing winds. At present, only the area around the Mojave River sink and the westernmost parts of Devil's Playground are receiving new sand through this system; sand

143-593: The sand was emplaced, vegetation began to grow, locking much of it into place. The Kelso Dunes are also notable for the phenomenon known as singing sand , or "booming dunes". Enthusiasts sometimes climb to the top of the dunes and slide down slowly, generating a low-frequency rumble that can be both felt and heard. This effect has also been noted at the Eureka Dunes in California, Sand Mountain in Nevada , and

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156-518: The surrounding terrain. The dunes are composed predominantly of light-colored quartz and feldspar , most likely eroded from the granitics of the San Bernardino Mountains to the southwest. Magnetite and amphibole can also be found, often accumulating at the dune crests. Kelso Dunes represent part of a much larger sand transport system, which includes the nearby Devils Playground region. The composition and morphology of

169-463: Was a part of the Mojave Road or Old Government Road to Fort Mohave . The road then continues north after crossing the wash, then turns west approximately 11 miles (18 km) to Baker . The total distance along Kelbaker Road from CR 66 to Baker is 68.5 miles (110.2 km), while the distance from I-40 to Baker is 56 miles (90 km). Kelbaker Road is the primary route through Kelso and

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