Cima Road and Cima Dome in the Mojave National Preserve

[@mooregm0214]

Great photography, and relaxing music. A Sunday drive without even leaving the driveway! 🚙🚙

[@BackRoadsWest1]

My goal exactly - allow people to go on a tour without leaving their home - or go in person if it really intrigues you! Thanks for commenting.

[@awitnessuntoallnations]

Recently had the opportunity to visit Joshua Tree National Park for the first time. Was blown away by all of the unique looking Joshua Trees and desert landscape. After watching this video, learned so much more about the Mojave National Preserve. Your visuals and graphics are engaging. Beautiful photography too! 😊

[@BackRoadsWest1]

Yes, there's still plenty to see out there. Thanks for commenting!

[@christopherbuckley94]

Another enjoyable video and background music. Life is tenacious and will eventually return.

[@BackRoadsWest1]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for commenting.

[@Scrambler85]

Always a treat to see another video posted 👍 It's a shame more of the area couldn't have been saved.

[@BackRoadsWest1]

Thanks! The firefighters did the best job they could with the resources available while all the other fires were burning in California.

[@michaelcampanale6649]

Very VERY Nicely Done & Much Appreciated.... Surprise you didn't mentioned The Donkeys, as I spent a week there & they kept me up every nite with their noises.... I also remember A Mountain of Beach Type Sand that I hiked... Great Place In America.... !!!!!

[@BackRoadsWest1]

Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for commenting. Donkeys? Funny, we've never seen them anywhere in this area. We recently seen some in Gold Butte N.M. You just never know what you'll run into on these trips!

[@DovieRuthAuthor]

Absolutely gorgeous! Lots of information I did not know. Thank you!

[@BackRoadsWest1]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for commenting.

[@susannenerad9851]

Oh I didn't know there was a fire there, so sad, but yeah hopefully it will regrow! Beautiful country, I love the 🏜️ desert & Joshua Trees, Thanks for sharing

[@BackRoadsWest1]

You're welcome and thanks for commenting. There's still plenty of unburnt Joshua tree forest nearby to enjoy.

[@billhosko7723]

Bravo. A perfect blend of narration and imagery.

[@BackRoadsWest1]

Thank you and thank for commenting!

[@davidwesley2525]

Mojave National Preserve should become a National Park. 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

[@BackRoadsWest1]

It is a national park. It's a preserve because there are several large private property parcels in the middle that will never be purchased by the NPS. You might want to read up on the difference between National Parks and National Preserves. There is little difference.

[@zingzing2k]

Thank you for posting.

[@BackRoadsWest1]

You're welcome!

[@campingalan]

Hello from Ouray CO! Awesome video!! I really enjoy the american deserts. I come out to Palm Springs and L.A. for work. I really look forward to venturing out to the Mojave Desert area. So pretty....and a lot of stuff to explore. Yes...I am pro forest fire. We have tons of beetle killed trees here in the mountains of CO. A fire really needs to go through and clean it out. Most areas that have it are 25-30% killed. However, there are some that are > 50%. The worst area that I've seen since returning to the state 4 years ago is south of Lake City CO, on the eastern side of Slumgullion Pass. It looks like it is >75% beetle killed. Safe travels!

[@BackRoadsWest1]

Thanks for the kudos! We were just in Ouray to enjoy the beautiful fall colors the first week of Oct. It was fantastic. Stayed at the Rivers Edge Motel. We love Ouray as you probably love the desert areas down here. Yes, we noticed all the bark beetle damage. At Cima Road however, that wasn't an issue. But the conifers of the Rockies, the Joshua Tree is not threatened. Last weekend, we actually found a very large JT forest probably 30 miles from any paved road in Nevada. So, you're right, the fires (this one lightning caused) is Mother Nature's way of cleaning house.

[@campingalan]

@@BackRoadsWest1 Hi there! Ah...that is awesome! It would have been fun to meet you folks. My wife is from about 2 hours from here. About 35 years ago, while we were dating, she made the comment that we should come here as she thought I'd like it. Ha.....one could ask..."who doesn't"? We drove into town and my jaw was practically hanging open....and I wondered "how do you make this place work?". We got married and headed off on a full career in the service. When I retired, we had 1 child in college and the youngest had a few years left of high school. The deal was that we'd stay in that area (NC) until she graduated. 10 days after she graduated.....the movers came and we moved here. I have another trip to Palm Springs and L.A. the week before Christmas. You are motivating me to push out past my normal Joshua Tree N.P. exploring to go see some new desert!! I'll only be in Palm Springs 1 night. So, I will probably have to do an excursion from L.A. Safe travels

[@H.pylori]

I had 10 other things to do today, but when your video popped up, I spent the next 24 minutes watching. Excellent as usual. Since I learned about the Joshua trees two years ago there has not been another big bloom, so your photos are very helpful in understanding the blossoms and seed pods. My amateur video of the devastation along the Teutonia Trail pales in comparison to yours, but does show what remains, and several of the trees were only partially destroyed, with signs of life returning. Did not realize that the town of Cima was there because of the "Y", I thought it was just another water stop along the railroad. Thank you for posting. I recommend your guides and flower CDs as a must have for everyone.

[@BackRoadsWest1]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for commenting.

[@11secghia]

I was on that fire ....I was the helicopter mechanic on that fire working with the Apple Valley flight crew, That fire was a ripper! It was sad to see it burn , but it will come back! At least it was NOT arson!

[@derbywinner6316]

Thank you for your service and dedication to our beautiful country

[@BackRoadsWest1]

Were you servicing the BLM's Bell 212? Or have they since traded that in? I used to live in Victorville and drove by your base a few times out by the AV airport. As much of a ripper that was, great job on doing what you all could with the resources available.

[@Mia-C-Crest]

Soo pretty I’m past years! It will come back!

[@BackRoadsWest1]

Yes, in due time. It's Mother Nature's way.

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Mojave is such an underrated park. We did a tour down Cima Road last year and seeing all the burnt Joshua Trees was somewhat surreal. Wish we had know about Death Valley Mine too. Great video. Can't wait to go back out there.

[@BackRoadsWest1]

Yup. Where else can you drive down a road so close to 20+ million people and not see anybody?

[@sluggotinfantryman]

The go to stop on I15. If you are short on time just drive a few miles down the road. Walk around some. Kelso Junction and Dunes are the big show. If planning a trip to the Dunes then take your snow shoes. And take 2 gallons of water if hot out, in fact don't do it if it is hot. Unless you start at 4am. And are back by 7am. We'll worth the trip to the top of the Dunes. If you drive out the other road to Baker it sucks. Reverse it back to Cima.

[@tglass0000]

Such an amazingly well- produced video about an area that I hope to visit soon! And I can say that about all of your videos! I’ve used your guides on several trips this last year and they really help me make the most efficient use of my time while visiting these desert gems!

[@BackRoadsWest1]

Thanks a bunch for the kudos and for commenting. Although it's a bummer about the fire, there is still a lot of great green vegetation near the DV Mine and all along the base of the New York Mtns.

[@huskerhank6231]

You missed the best part! Turn right at Cima for the Kelso Depot. Wonderfully restored. And if you happen to be a railfan, the railroad to your left is Cima Hill on the UP. Doesn't look like much but its the steepest grade on the entire system. Even the most powerful locomotives are reduced to a crawl. And downhill...there have been some spectacular runaway wrecks at high speed. I don't see any video production on Kelso from your play list...SHAME :) Looking forward to more videos..really excellent rather than a casual drive.

[@BackRoadsWest1]

That's a separate road trip for another day. We visited Kelso Depot on its grand opening and watched Huel Howser interview the main person of the Preserve. Kelso Depot and much more is covered in our virtual tour guide. See www.backroadswest.com/brw/mojave-national-preserve/

[@huskerhank6231]

@@BackRoadsWest1 Thank you...I knew you had it covered someplace!

[@pellis1783]

Visiting from NC. Saw the Joshua trees and couldn’t figure out why they we black &white look. Got out and noticed they had been burned. Was fascinated bc I don’t see this back in NC. Great Vid

[@BackRoadsWest1]

Thank you and thanks for commenting!

[@critters16]

Spring in the desert is a long awaited treat.

[@BackRoadsWest1]

Unfortunately, it's been a muted spring out here in the Mojave with the lack of rainfall this winter.

[@randomvintagefilm273]

Great video. Drones are so awesome, closest thing to a bird's eye view!

[@BackRoadsWest1]

Yes, they have changed the photographer's perspective. For good reason, they're just unfortunately restricted in many areas, probably including where I shot the footage of the burnt Joshuas, which technically is a national park where drones are not allowed, period. The video of the live Joshuas were actually shot near Mesquite NV, where there are no restrictions.

[@sluggotinfantryman]

You can come in from the South and drive the whole deal out to I15 and Vegas or LA. The other things to do going west are the drive in and Ghost town in Barstow.

[@josephpowell624]

Some of the trees are recovering. Morning Star Mine rd. acted as a fire break, thank God!

[@BackRoadsWest1]

That's great news! Thanks for commenting.

[@Inpreesme]

Nicely presented video thank you, I hope they fill in a few of the potholes and cracks in that road it can be a bumpy experience.

[@BackRoadsWest1]

Thank you! Yea, many of the roads out there are contested between S.B. County and National Park Service. Nobody wants to pay the money.

[@randomvintagefilm273]

May I ask what editing software you use?

[@BackRoadsWest1]

A combo of things. Lightroom, Photoshop, Photodex Proshow Director, TechSmith Camtasia.

[@gruntball]

A correction. Massive fires are not a natural part of the Mojave Desert ecology. There has been a huge increase in invasive grasses in recent decades in these fields of Joshua Trees where only sparse grasses and desert weeds/shrubs and cactus grew before. This is not SoCal chaparral where fire is part of the ecology.

[@BackRoadsWest1]

Well, we don't really know that. What we do know, is that in the 1800s, people on horses reported yellow grasses that rubbed the bellies of their horses - they were really tall and bigger than the invasive grasses. There were no reports of burned areas, but there were certainly vast swaths of empty land next to Joshua tree forest, where an old fire scare would be the most logical reason, similar to what's seen today from fires in the Mojave Desert that occurred 20-30 years ago.

[@billhosko7723]

100% not true. Good grief.

[@angellacanfora]

I came here to say this. Joshua trees aren’t like redwoods or sequoia. They don’t “regenerate” nor is fire a natural part of their life cycle (Joshua tree artist and enthusiast here). For more info, please seek out Mojave Desert Land Trust or the writings of Chris Clark.

[@williamolliges2622]

Is that the cattle ranch that still had water development when they created the preserve? Read once they capped the wells when they created the preserve and a well established desert mule deer herd died of thirst.