The stone house above Rock...
The stone house above Rock Springs.
Because water was more plentiful at Rock Springs than most of the other springs, it became well known as a desert oasis. Ranchers and a few homesteaders tried living nearby. At the top of the hill behind Rock Springs is a stone cabin built by a World War I veteran. A modern pit toilet has been added for use by travelers.
In 1868, the mail route was changed to a road through La Paz, so the army moved out.
A short distance past the road to the cabin is a man-made well called Government Holes. A windmill still stands at the site along with a corral and water tank. This location seems to have been built to favor livestock watering. Since it is so close to Rock Springs, travelers could choose one or the other.
From Government Holes, the Mojave Road remains on the High Desert. It passes through more Joshua tree forests and crosses a seemingly endless desert garden of cactus and brush. The next spring is only 20 miles away and is the most remote of all the others.
Marl Springs consists of two separate natural springs, but the upper one was dry when the Lone Riders visited the site. Without this spring, the Mojave Road could not have existed. The next water is 30 miles away at Soda Springs.
After leaving Marl Springs, the road begins a gradual descent into the hotter and drier climate at lower elevations. Along the way is a place simply called the Mailbox. A register in the box is available for signing. Memorials for previous travelers also mark the location. One such memorial consists of a post with a small steering wheel attached that says, "Let's see where this road goes."
Another unusual attraction at the site is a Frog Shrine. Apparently these tributes to the almighty frog are scattered all over the world with no real reason and without any leadership. Someone leaves a frog, then someone adds a frog, and the process continues. In this case, the shrine includes an assortment of frogs with lots of coins scattered around them.
At the end of the second day, the Lone Riders arrived at the leading edge of Soda Lake. The decision was made to split off the Mojave Road onto a side road leading to the town of Baker to top off gas tanks, stock up on food and ice, and to have a hot dinner that someone else cooked. Coco's was the chosen dinner spot followed by a quick trip through the Dairy Queen. As the sun settled onto the western horizon, the Lone Riders arrived back at the Mojave Road intersection and utilized an existing campsite to set up their tents. The wind blew hard for a couple of hours then died down about the same time the campfire tales were beginning to fade out.