Owl Canyon Campground and Trail

Wow! We stayed at the best $3 campsite we gave ever found and there is a great hiking trail attached to boot. The Owl Canyon Campground is a BLM site near Barstow California. There were pit toilets, water when available (not for us), and 30+ sites, each with fire pits, cooking grills and a covered table.

Sunrise

Pam with her coffee watching sunrise.

Heading out to the trailhead.

The trail is an out and back that winds up a wash into the canyon and sports a thru hike of a cave/ tunnel. We, of course saw what looked like but wasn't a trail and hiked up to a dead end and had to descend, but we got a good view of the actual trail from there so we could follow it when we got down.

This wasn't the actual trail, but made for a fun scramble to the top, only to find, a dead end, with a beautiful view!

Back down to the dry riverbed and the actual trail.

The cave!

And we made it through to the other side...

The tunnel/cave, from the other side.

About 3 miles into our route is where the tunnel is.  We didn't know that it was there let alone that we could thru hike it. It was pretty cool even for Mr. Paully who is no fan of caves or tight spaces.

We made it back and had our second breakfast of breakfast burritos and were about to take showers when we found out that our on-demand water heater had frozen and broken while it was in Washington - likely while we were in Ecuador. We will have to get a new one at the next Camping World. The only other problem thus far is Paul dropped his phone and needs to have the screen replaced.

After we broke camp we drove the Rainbow Basin drive which was a sketchy road that was well worth the crazy challenge. It is a worthwhile one-way dirt road (RV's, cars with trailers and long trucks are prohibited) about 3-4 miles long, and definitely worth the slow drive on this windy, narrow track.  Don't miss the turn-out to the viewpoint too!  Enjoy some pics below.

Don't be fooled...this was a very nice section of the dirt road.

Pam enjoying the scenery from the viewpoint.

Some folks at the campground suggested we go to Pioneertown which was a fairly dumb place that we could have missed so we moved on. The drive through Pipe Canyon area was pretty though, so it was all good.

Tomorrow we begin exploring Joshua Tree National Park which should be a blast.

More soon.