Mojave Narrows Regional Park

An urban desert metropolis isn't always the best place to look for a trail to explore nature, but the packed city of Victorville still provides adequate ones to use inside the Mojave Narrows Regional Park. This vast network of connected trails explore different habitats in the over 100-acres of the park. Trails consist of asphalt, crushed stone, and compacted dirt terrains with varied widths from 3 to 6 feet.

When you enter the main parking space of the park, you'll find a beautifully developed area near Horseshoe Lake that offers a playground, restrooms, water fountains, picnic shelters, trash bins, and clean-up stations for Fido. The main trail begins on the opposite side of the road to the playground, marked by a wooden kiosk and to walk it with Fido, you'll have to make sure they are on a leash 6 feet or shorter. This main trail explores the eastern side of the park, which boasts lush grasslands with bordering trees.

The main trail turns right to see Pelican Lake, where it splits off into smaller trails that explore the grassy area, or left to see more natural habitats where it sticks to the outer border of the park. Going left, you'll travel north, viewing forests, deserts, and get a grander view of the tall mountain peaks in the distance to the south. There's plenty to see, from native plants to blooming wildflowers, with a chance to see one of 1,500 different species of watchable wildlife throughout the park.

Nature and wildlife viewing aren't the only activities that go on here, the park offers fishing, camping sites for RVs and tents for a fee, picnicking, and plenty more space to walk on the trails. The trail loops around the entire park, with smaller more rural trails splitting off to explore the inner fields and middle of the park. These smaller trails are separate from the main trail and aren't as well maintained. The exit finally comes back along the southern side of the parking lot, where you and Fido can head back home.

The hot summer months still bring lots of people to the park, nearly taking up all the parking spaces and although you'll miss out of wildlife and flower viewing opportunities, the park is just as nice to walk in during the winter. There's no other place to visit to see all the natural habitats for this area and get some great exercise in between!