About
Sources of surface water are extremely rare in the Mojave Desert, as might be expected, and a perennial creek is anomalous indeed. Unsurprisingly, this occurrence was of extreme importance both for wildlife and humans. The source of the water, which causes an incongruous lush green watercourse along this otherwise unprepossessing desert canyon, is groundwater out of the sediments filling Lanfair Valley to the west. A fault zone through the Piute Range, along Piute Creek, provides a conduit for the water, which emerges at Piute Spring in the upper canyon.
Piute Creek lies on the old Mojave Road, which connected southern California to the Colorado River in the 1860s. ((The Mojave Road was later occasionally called the Old Government Road, and both names have been applied indifferently to various alignments over the years.) Fort Piute was built here in 1867 to protect the mail riders using the old Mojave Road. However, soon after the fort opened the road was rerouted through a lower pass a couple of miles south, where it remains today. The fort then closed, less than six months after opening. Only stone foundations are left, plus the remnants of a stone corral. Please stay off the foundations to help preserve what's left.
Completion of the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe transcontinental railroad, about 15 miles south, in 1885 drew the remaining traffic off the Mojave Road. (This railroad remains in use today and is now part of the BNSF system.) A few homesteaders persisted as late as the 1950s, and some ruins downstream from the fort date from this era. However, Piute Creek is now an ecological preserve and remains sacred to the local tribes.
Know Before You Go
Getting to Piute Creek involves some lengthy stretches on dirt roads that are likely to be washed out. High clearance is imperative and 4wd will be appreciated. Which road is the best is also likely to depend on the vagaries of the last few big storms. Several alternatives are sketched below.
You can take the either alignment of the old Mojave Road. On the north, which is called Old Government Road on Google Maps, go 4.6 miles south of the California-Nevada line on US-95 to an intersection (at about 35.11286 N, 114.82925 W) and turn right (west). Now go about 7.1 miles to an intersection with a powerline road (called Gulch Road on Google maps) at about 35.11212 N, 114.95415 W. Continue across Gulch Road and go about 1.9 miles to a parking area below the ruins of Fort Piute.
To get to the "current" Old Mojave Road continue another 0.9 mile south on US-95, to an intersection at about 35.1000 N, 114.82892 W, and again turn right. Go about 7.15 miles to intersect the powerline road (at about 35.09120 N, 114.95501 W) and turn right. Proceed 1.4 miles to reach to intersection with Old Government Road described above and turn left.
The third alternative is to take the powerline road ("Gulch Road") north from California State Route 66 ("Goffs Road"). The intersection is at about 34.91640 N, 114.96258 W. Turn right and go 13.6 miles to the intersection with Old Government Road described above.
Even though Google Maps shows the "Old Government Road" continuing up Piute Creek, it is now abandoned along Piute Creek above the old fort site and is closed to motor vehicles. However, it remains open to hiking, as does the side trail to Piute Spring. If you wish to hike bring a map and/or GPS, due to washouts and overgrowth, as the trails are not developed.
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Published
May 4, 2026
