Trip Date: November 2011
A narrow stretch of Owl Canyon
A hike up Owl Canyon will take most people by surprise. After crossing the wide open spaces of the Mojave Desert near Barstow, one would not expect a canyon full of odd geologic formations and wild colors. Owl Canyon is located inside what is known as the Rainbow Basin Natural Area. This “Natural Area” is managed by the BLM office in Barstow. Rainbow Basin itself speaks for itself – it is a big basin full of colorful geological layers that are warped into what geologists call anticlines and synclines.
Although there are more trips to be taken in this immediate area, the centerpiece of this trip focuses on the hike up Owl Canyon. Owl Canyon covers the eastern section of Rainbow Basin. In this section is the Owl Canyon campground, which is actually comprised of two – the main campground and an equestrian campground. As of 2011, the BLM did some significant upgrades to the entire campground, making it look first rate.