Recent Stories
Gear
The Swagman Roll Poncho — Why I Never Camp Without It
I got into camp in the dark, wet, mid-30s, wind cutting straight through whatever I had on. I slipped on the Swagman Roll, threw a heavy poncho over the top of it, and that was it — I could have stayed outside all night.
Latest Stories
Mojave Desert
Astrophotography from Desert Camp — Shooting the Night Sky With What You Already Have
Phone astrophotography doesn’t require a telescope. You need a dark enough sky, a way to hold the camera still, and…
Trip Planning
BLM Land Access Rules — Where You Can (and Can’t) Camp in the Mojave Corridor
Public land isn't all the same. Here's how BLM land, national preserves, and designations like ACEC and WSA actually affect…
Knowledge & Skills
Desert Survival Skills and Emergency Preparedness — What to Know Before You Need It
The Mojave corridor is remote in ways that catch people off guard. Cell service drops out, temperatures swing 50 degrees…
Knowledge & Skills
How to Find Places to Camp — The Map Tools and Sources We Actually Use
We don't rely on one app. Here's the actual stack we run to find campsites and trails — OnX Offroad,…
Park Alerts
via NPS.gov
Trail Reports
Hamilton, NV — Three Days in White Pine Range Wilderness Country
Cherry Creek to Preston, NV — three days, two rigs, 125.9 trail miles through the ghost towns of Treasure City…
Mojave Desert
Leave No Trace for Overlanding — What It Actually Means on Desert Terrain
Leave No Trace principles exist for real reasons — primarily because public land access depends on the people using it…
Mojave Desert
Mojave Desert Wildlife Guide: What You’ll Actually Encounter in the Corridor
The Mojave corridor has a functional and in some cases surprising wildlife population. Most of it is not a threat.…
Gear
The Sleep Setup I’ve Stopped Questioning: Crashpad Stealth Swag Review
Five years ago I bought a Crashpad Stealth Swag on a whim. I've since run it through rain on the…
Desert Almanac
October 8, 2026
Sunrise
6:42 AM
Sunset
6:16 PM
Daylight
11h 33m
Moon
Waning Crescent · 10%
Dark Sky
7:40 PM – 5:19 AM
Times for the central Mojave — varies about ±10 minutes across the region.
Mojave Desert
Best Seasons for Different Mojave Regions — When to Go Where
The Mojave corridor runs from sea level to 11,000 feet and spans four states. Seasonal timing that works in the…
Mojave Desert
Dark Sky Locations and Stargazing in the Mojave Corridor
The Mojave corridor sits far enough from major population centers that significant portions of it are genuinely dark. Not dark-ish.…