Mojave National Preserve - Natural Features

The backbone of Mojave National Preserve is a chain of high mountains bisecting the park; the jumble-rock spires of the Granite Mountains mark the southern end of this group, followed by the Providence Mountains and New York Mountains to the northeast.

The desert is a great place to see geology in action. The Kelso Dunes, 600 feet high, are only a small part of a much larger sand transportation system that includes the nearby Devil's Playground sand field and Soda Dry Lake. Volcanic features dominate the area south of Baker, including cones and lava beds. The Cima Dome, a huge granitic intrusion, is famous for its remarkably smooth dome shape. The rhyolite of the Hole-in-the-Wall is textured like a huge hunk of Swiss cheese. Wind passing through the holes at just the right speed and angle cause an eerie humming in Banshee Canyon.