Trails and Backroads To Explore
We've collected a number of guides to trails in the Barstow / Calico vicinity from which to choose day trips from the relatively easy-to-reach petroglyph site at Inspiration Canyon, or the Mule Canyon Road in the Calico mountains . . . to other trails better suited to seasoned off-roaders. We've excerpted and included relevant information from published trip guides; these books are available for sale in our store. There you'll also find free copies of the web pages* cited below for your off-roading enjoyment while visiting the Barstow Calico KOA park.
Trails NorthWest of the park:
We've included our own description of a drive we recently made to Inspiration Canyon after we learned that a newly-restricted government area made previously published guides to the area obsolete:
- Inspiration Canyon petroglyphs – see "Rock Art On Display"
- Black Canyon Road to Inscription Canyon
- Rainbow Basin National Area - Rainbow Basin
Trails North of the park (Calico Mountains):
The Calico Mining district was one of the richest in California. About $86 million in silver was extracted from over 500 mines during the 1880s. The Bismarck Mine was one of the largest. Its unusual exposed catacombs resulted from modem-day strip mining. An entire mountain was carved away, exposing the original network of underground shafts. Miners used to hike up Wall Street Canyon from the town of Calico and climb a 100-ft.ladder at the end of the canyon. The trail described here looks down into the canyon where the miners climbed out. The town of Calico began in 1881. By 1887 there were 22 saloons and many other businesses serving a population of about 1,200. In 1966, Walter Knott. founder of Knott's Berry Farm. donated the town to San Bernardino County.
Trails East of the park::
South of the park:
* NOTE: In most cases we've included GPS coordinates with the driving directions in the hand-outs; these are omitted in the park's website versions.