Mojave Road Historical Run

A Tent camping History trip led by Mike Whittington. The land was taken from Mexico by the US in 1848 following the Mexican–American War, and in early 1858 the Mohave Trail became the Mojave Road, a wagon road connected to the newly pioneered Beale's Wagon Road across northern New Mexico Territory from Fort Defiance to Beale's Crossing on the Colorado River where it linked up with the Mojave Road. Wagon trains of settlers coming west on the Santa Fe Trail, soon followed Beale's Wagon Road and the Mojave Road into Southern California. Beale's road was shorter than the route via the more southern Southern Emigrant Trail and it was cooler in summer and snow-free in winter, had better forage and was better watered. Soon hostilities began between the Mohave's and the settlers, triggering the Mohave War. From the time of the Mohave War the Mohave Road came under the purview of the U.S. government. Army posts were established at Fort Mojave, at Beale's Crossing in 1859 and after the Bitter Spring Expedition at Camp Cady, 10.9 miles (17.5 km) east of Fork of the Road its junction with the Mormon Road, in 1860. Later in the 1860s, smaller outposts were established east of Camp Cady along the trail and regular patrols instituted. The army protected the settlers and travelers from the attacks of the resident Paiute, Mojave and Chemehuevi Native Americans until 1871. This also opened the way for large mining development in the Mojave Desert region of San Bernardino County and agricultural development in the Victor Valley area.