If you happen to be into mountain bikes and/or rockhounding, have I got a place for you. If you venture north on old highway 91 starting north from Beaverdam, Arizona if you're paying attention, which can be difficult on this stretch of not much to see Mojave Desert, then you start up the grade just past the mule train marker ... well, keep driving north and when you get to the first passing lane northbound, after the passing lane ends keep a watch for the Revenant Trails sign. The sign is on the north side of highway 91. Anyway, hang a left turn onto the dirt road and drive up the hill a short ways and then you'll come to the split in the road and turn left at the sign marked by the skeleton on a mountain bike. There's another rather rugged looking 'Revenant' sign and keep driving, slowly, and past the first parking area to the big parking area and you've arrived at the 'Revenant Trails' parking. Nicely graded with plenty of room and 20 miles of groomed and worked on by BLM bike trails. Mountain bikes and horses are acceptable and the BLM has posted signs informing the adventurous what vehicles are and are not to be on the trails. The BLM has gone out of their way to make the 'Revenant Trails' mountain bike Mecca for the folks that do the mountain bike thing. There is also much quartz just about everywhere you look. Which is why the wife and I happened on to the 'Revenant Trails' site. We've driven past the spot dozens of times and really never bothered to see what was up the road. Well, not really a road as it's just old country dirt trail that's been graded once and that's it. The road is a bit rocky in spots but you can easily drive the family auto up the road without much difficulty whatsoever. The other day we ventured to the 'Revenant' for a morning of rockhounding and sharing the site with the bikers is quite neighborly. So word of mouth is spreading amongst the mountain bike aficionados and we found a number of bikers from as far away as Delaware. Yep, Delaware and I spent a moment or so with the biker guy that didn't really have a mountain bike. Nope. Guy was riding a unicycle dealy that was equipped with an electric motor and I was truly surprised at how versatile the gizmo was. Just one rather large and fatty tire and a board. I suppose the dealy is a uni-board. Guy riding the thing was good and was attired head to toe with ground preventive accouterment. If you take a header while riding the 'board' on a mountain bike trail, you'll want all the padding you can slap on your carcass. Anyway it was a pleasant morning and I got to share some rockhounding tips with the uni-board rider and guy has even rode past Joe Biden's house in Delaware. PS, the Biden home is heavily guarded by the Secret Service so being a looky-lou is not recommended. At the 'Revenant' there are varieties of rocks and minerals so if you like picking up the rocks for relocation, bring a bag, gloves, and plenty of water. Stay hydrated as this is the north eastern terminus of the Mojave Desert and there are plenty of bones of people and things that didn't believe the hydration recommend. I can imagine that in the mountain bike following the word is out about 'Revenant Trails' ... one top notch destination for mountain bikers, uni-board riders, rock hounds, and yep it's set up to accommodate horses and horse drivers. No gasoline vehicles are allowed and the site is posted. BLM has really gone out of their way to establish one truly fine off road haven. Old highway 91 northbound and old highway 91 is the actual site of the "old "Spanish Trail" made famous in books and movies. You can actually touch the same dirt that Father Escalante did way way back in the day. A rather off topic screed from moi but I felt the need to share this just about secret little paradise with the world at large and mountain bikers that may not be aware of one dang nicely fixed up bike site. Now for Sunday machine art.
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one last little detail that really needs a mention ... the 'Revenant' site is open range and ranchers let their cattle roam free so don't mind the cows and ESPECIALLY watch out where you step. cows don't bother with people very much they just sort of look at you, keep on grazing then, sashay up the west hill and poof just like that the cattle are gone. you'll more than likely meet up with one of the grazers next time you have a burger with fries ... 😏
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