K Ka-Boom at Kelso Sand Dunes

Nature has its special way of always bringing out the child in us. There is just so much to experience in our natural world. On our way home from Utah during our last thanksgiving trip, my husband asked if there is another sand dune we will pass along the way that we have not seen yet. Hmmm, sand dunes again? There is just something with the sand that draws us into it, it may be the inspiring artistical ripples wonderfully carved by the wind, or it may be the complexity of how it was formed, or it may just simply be enjoying the different gifts and the many faces of our wonderful world.

Me @ Kelso Dunes, Mojave National Preserve, California

Leaving at about 8:00 am in Utah, we were supposed to get home at San Diego by 2:00 pm. It seems we would have enough time if we stop over another park along the way. After passing Las Vegas and entering the NV-CA border, I searched our GPS for directions to Mojave National Preserve. Thankfully, the GPS did not have a hard time locating the preserve, and as soon as we entered the park, we searched again our GPS for directions to Kelso Dunes.

Kelso Sand Dunes from Afar and Joshua Trees, Mojave National Preserve, California

This turned out to be a wonderful and joyful detour. On our way to Kelso Sand Dunes, we passed by a Joshua tree forest, mixed with cholla cactus, and from afar, we could see the sand dunes and the excitement was growing as we were getting closer and closer to the sand dune's trailhead.

Kelso Dunes ( from the base )

Kelso Sand Dunes is about 600+ ft in height, the 3rd tallest sand dune in US. The hike to the peak of the dune was about 1.5+ mile. From the trailhead, we followed a well maintained trail through desert scrub, and on reaching the base of the dune, anyone is free to make his own trail and go in any direction to the top. At the base of the dune, we saw a family on their way back to the trailhead, but the kids were showing signs of not having enough fun since they still keep on sliding down and rolling whenever they see a slope :)

Kids Not Having Enough Fun with the Sand, Still Sliding even at the base of the dune :)

On the way up was a little bit of struggle, it was one step up, 1/2 step down! We get buried in the sand, and the loose sand slides us back. Can be frustrating when one would think of "but I have to go up the top faster"! But can be fun and enjoying when one focuses on the beauty around while climbing up the dune.

Kelso Sand Dunes from the base

Lady With Umbrella at Kelso Dunes

Family Preparing to Sled Down the Sand Dune

At the top, the view around was amazing. It is different and not something we often see, though looks barren and devoid of vegetation, but kind of stretches our imagination if we are still in the same planet.

Vast Field from the top of Kelso Dunes

However, if going up the dune was a little bit of a struggle,

going down is simply FUN and AMAZING.

Going Down the Dune

Hearing the Sound of Music Sliding down the Sand

Coming down straight from the face of the dune, the sand generates a rumble that can be heard, the deeper we sink into the sand and the longer we slide, the louder is the ka-boom sound! It was my first time to hear a "ka-boom, ka-boom, ka-boom" sound. The sands groaned and rumbled in our every step. And if we would slide together, the sound waves generated became louder and followed a rhythm, like music that BOOMS!

Our Booming Footprints on the Sand

Going down, the child in me was awakened, and there was that desire to go back up again and slide down again! No wonder why the kids I saw close to the trailhead were showing signs of not having enough sand and was still sliding and rolling down despite they were already at the base. No wonder why some family and kids would go up and down, up and down, because of the simple joy of hearing a different kind of music!

Family Having Fun Up and Down the Sand

Going Back Up After Going Down

The Only Way to Hear the Sound Again is to Go Back Up and Slide Down Again

The Joy of Climbing

Not all desert sand dunes produce a booming sound. There are not that many sand dunes in the world that are reported to produce a BOOMing sound. For more about the singing sand dunes, their occurence and the science behind, please visit the site "The Singing Sand Dunes".

♥♥