The Rings Loop is a 1.5-mile trail at Hole-in-the-Wall in the eastern part of Mojave National Preserve, and it shows how the area got its name. The route drops into Banshee Canyon, a short, narrow ravine where two sets of iron rings bolted into the rock help you climb the steepest pitches. The surrounding cliffs are pocked with holes and hollows formed in volcanic rock laid down by an ancient eruption.
Details
- Type
- Trailhead
- Accessibility
- Limited accessibility
Overview
The loop runs about 1.5 miles with roughly several hundred feet of elevation change, rated easy to moderate. Most of the climbing is concentrated in Banshee Canyon, where the walls are riddled with the cavities that give Hole-in-the-Wall its name. These formed when a volcanic eruption blanketed the area in hot ash and gas, and as the deposit cooled and the gas escaped it left behind the pockets and hollows you see today. The return half crosses open desert with cholla and prickly pear.
The rings
Two sets of iron rings are bolted into the smooth, water-polished rock at the two steepest points in the canyon. The first set climbs roughly ten feet and the second is a little taller. The rings make the route a scramble rather than a walk, so it is not suited to anyone uneasy with heights or short vertical climbs, and it can be slick when wet.
Getting there and know before you go
The trailhead sits just past the Hole-in-the-Wall Information Center, near the campground, reached by graded roads off Black Canyon Road. The area sits at higher elevation than the basin floor, so it runs cooler than the low desert but still gets very hot in summer. Bring water and sun protection, and check road and visitor center status before you go, since the information center keeps limited seasonal hours.