Rings Trail Guide: Mojave National Preserve
“Is it too late in the afternoon to hike the Rings Trail” I asked the Mojave National Preserve Ranger in the Visitor Center. “No, you’ve got time. It’s only a little over a mile and a half long,” she responded with a smile. “It may be windy out there, and keep an eye out for rattlesnakes. We’ve had two reports of them on the trail since yesterday.” “Thanks for the heads up,” I said as we made our way towards the exit.
Windy outside was putting it kindly. It was blowing so hard it made hearing a few feet away tricky. “I hope they rattle loud today,” I said jokingly to my wife, who responded with an eye roll and a hint of concern.
- Trail Name: Rings Loop Trail
- Trailhead Location: Hole-in-the-Wall Visitor Center
- Distance: 1.5 Miles Roundtrip
- Difficulty: Moderate/Strenuous
- Elevation Gain: ~150
- Type: Loop
- Features: Rock Art, Slot Canyon
- Dogs: No
Hiking the Rings Loop in the Mojave National Preserve
There were no clouds in the deep blue sky as we crossed the Hole-in-the-Wall Visitor Center parking lot at the trailhead. The trail sign made us both chuckle: “If you crawl in any holes in the cliffs along the Rings Loop Trail, look for wildlife inside first!” It explained.
Moving on! The first part of the trail is well-worn and flat. We passed by a few blooming cacti and wonderful displays of wildflowers. Judging by the amount of dung on the trail, this is cattle grazing country. We passed through another gate that looked like it may have been off limits or at least not grazed as much. There was larger plantlife. Mojave yucca and large barrel, cholla, and prickly pear cacti gardens covered the landscape.
Petroglyphs can be seen on the trail
After trekking a little further down the trail, we stopped at a boulder covered in ancient petroglyphs that were slowly eroding away. This was a pleasant surprise to both of us. After snapping a few pictures, we moved on, rounding a bend to our first real view, Banshee Canyon, which we will soon hike through.
We immediately realized the warning about crawling into a hole potentially filled with critters. The canyon walls were dotted with holes—some small, others definitely large enough for all 5 foot 11 of me. We made our way to the entrance of the canyon. The wind howled through the canyon. It made it easy to understand why early settlers named it Banshee Canyon after the shrieking fairies of the Celtic Highlands. We walked into the wind beating against our faces. Next up are the famous rings.
Climbing the Rings Trail
The rings are anchored into the wall to assist hikers out of the canyon. There are two sections with rings. We got the first one and were surprised by how steep the section was and how high we had to climb out. Videos on YouTube don’t actually do it justice.
After surviving the first challenge, we came to the second set of rings. It was even steeper and felt basically straight up. This time, there was no doubt you had to use the rings for your hands and feet. I went first and made my way out with a few scrapes against the volcanic rock along the way. The wife had a bit more of a difficult time on the second; she was too short to grab the last ring and pull herself.
I came to the rescue. “I’m really your knight in shining armor,” I bragged to her. “Just give me a hand, please,” she said back. With a quick pull, she could grab the last ring and pull herself out.
After that, it was back towards the trailhead, satisfied with a great hike nearly complete. The Rings Loop is not overly tough, but it is not a good idea for those traveling with small children.
Camping in Mojave National Preserve
It would get dark soon, so we decided to camp at the nearby Hole-in-the-Wall campground in the Mojave National Preserve. The incredible views from our site made up for how much of a pain it was setting up the tent in the crazy gusts of wind. No reservations. It was first come, first served, and on a Saturday in late spring, was little over half full.
