Cow Camp Road ~ Desert National Wildlife Refuge

Flickr album link: flic.kr/s/aHBqjAeRNy

Touring desert dirt roads may sound like a boring thing to do to the uninitiated, while others may not be interested at all. Not everybody has a rugged vehicle that can handle the bumpy ride and the number of potential participants becomes even fewer with every demographic checkmark on the list. What this all adds up to is a desert dirt road tour offers a chance to find peaceful solitude far away from the big city rat race. This is true for even a short touring route like Cow Camp Road, because there will be no hurry, no worries and there will likely not be another living soul in sight. There will only be the deafening silence of the high desert and plenty of magnificent views to take in!

Cow Camp Road is one of the first side roads to be found when touring the very lengthy Alamo Road through the Desert National Wildlife Refuge. Just like the neighboring Joe May Road or Hidden Forest Road, this dirt trail head uphill to the base of the Sheep Mountain Range, where hiking adventures begin. All along the way the the flora changes with the increasing elevation, so the trip will be a learning experience. At the end of the line is a picturesque old west corral at the mouth of a narrow gorge, which definitely is a choice picnic spot for a sunny afternoon picnic. 

The dead silence of the desert is rarely interrupted out by the old cow camp. This is a nice area to explore on foot and the spring season wildflower blooms can be numerous. There are some autumn season blooms in the high elevations as well, so be sure to pack a macro lens for the journey. A telephoto lens might be worth packing too, because this wildlife refuge protects one of the biggest desert bighorn sheep habitats in the west. Cow Camp Road can be rough, so a high ground clearance vehicle is recommended. This may just be a short trip down a desert dirt road, but there is plenty to discover, so be sure to pack enough water for an entire day!
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