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Kelbaker Road, Mojave National Preserve, California
Photo: Alexander Hatley · CC BY 2.0 · cropped

Drives California The Mojave and Death Valley

Kelbaker Road

Mojave National Preserve, California · Baker → Kelbaker Road near Kelso

Leisurely34 mi50 min2,800 ft climbHigh point ≈ 3,700 ftOne way
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The drive

Kelbaker Road runs south from Baker, off Interstate 15, across the heart of Mojave National Preserve. The park puts it at 34 miles from Baker to Kelso Depot, and this drive stops just short of the depot turnoff. It is a long desert grade through basins and over mountain ranges, and the road climbs to about 3,700 feet.

The turnoff for Kelso Dunes comes along the way. The road to the trailhead is dirt, described by the park as bumpy and potholed, and the dunes are a three-mile round-trip hike with about 600 feet of climbing. They are one of only seven known dune fields in North America where the sand can boom, though it takes dry sand, a large group and an untouched crest to hear it.

Along the way

  1. Baker (Kelbaker Road)
  2. Kelbaker Road near Kelso
Elevation
2,800 ft of climbing · high point ≈ 3,700 ft
BakerKelbaker Road near Kelso
Curves
Mostly gentle curves
BakerKelbaker Road near Kelso
GentleHairpins

Good to know

  • No gas is sold in the preserve or where Kelbaker Road meets Interstate 40; fill up in Baker or before you go.
  • Cell service is unreliable or nonexistent in most of the preserve, and no food is sold there.
  • The park warns of potholes and shoulder washouts with steep drops, and of delays of up to an hour at the railroad crossing at Kelso.
  • Desert tortoises cross the road; check under your car before pulling away.
  • There is no entrance fee for Mojave National Preserve.

Open all year, weather permitting. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check Mojave National Preserve: current conditions.

Questions about this drive

How long does Kelbaker Road take to drive?

Kelbaker Road from Baker to Kelso is 34.2 miles and takes about 50 minutes without stops. The Kelso Dunes hike adds two to three hours.

Is there gas on Kelbaker Road?

No. Gas is not sold anywhere in Mojave National Preserve, and there are no stations where Kelbaker Road meets Interstate 40. Fill up in Baker.

Is there an entrance fee for Mojave National Preserve?

No. The National Park Service says an entrance pass is not required to drive Kelbaker Road or visit the preserve.

Is Kelbaker Road twisty?

No. It is a Leisurely drive of mostly gentle curves, here for the long grade through the preserve's basins and mountains.

What you get in the app

Turn by turn, on this roadSpoken directions along the exact route. Carve never reroutes you onto a faster one.
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Distance, time, elevation, curves and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-28.

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Map of Kelbaker Road, from Baker to Kelbaker Road near Kelso