Fodor's Expert Review Kelso Dunes

As you enter the Mojave National Preserve, you'll pass miles of open scrub brush, Joshua trees, and beautiful red-black cinder cones before encountering the Kelso Dunes. These golden, fine-sand slopes cover 45 square miles, reaching heights of 500 feet. You can reach them via a 1.5-mile walk from the main parking area, but be prepared for a serious workout. When you reach the top of a dune, kick a little bit of sand down the lee side and listen to the sand "sing" (or vibrate). North of the dunes, in the town of Kelso, is the Mission revival–style Kelso Depot Visitor Center, a striking building that dates from 1923. It's normally open everyday but Tuesday and Wednesday, but it's closed for renovation until 2025; check ahead for updates.