How To Travel The Black Canyon Road in Mojave Desert

Black Canyon Road is scenic drive located in San Bernardino County, in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California.

Black Canyon Road

Located at Black Mountain Wilderness in Mojave Desert, the road is 31.06km (19.3 miles) long, running north-south from Cedar Canyon Road to Essex Road. The northern 9.1 miles are graded dirt, and the remaining miles are paved. The dirt portion generally is fine for sedans, but it can be badly washboarded.

The road is easy in a 2WD-HC vehicle, and it should be passable in a carefully driven sedan. If driving a sedan, inquire locally about current conditions and use your own good judgment about the road, as the road is subject to washouts. Much of the dirt road can be driven at 45 mph, but if driving that fast, pay attention to unsigned curves.

The drive is steep in parts and the road tops out at 1.629m (5,344ft) above the sea level. The road offers excellent views of the Providence Mountains. Watch for wildlife on the road.