Kelso Dunes is located in Mojave National Preserve, about 3.5 hours away from Los Angeles. It covers 45 square miles and rise 650 feet above the ground.

Shot at 6:30 a.m. en route to Kelso Dunes
Sunrise at 6:45 a.m.
On January 9, 2016, my fiancé then (husband now) and I decided to hike in California before leaving for the Philippines. We considered this as one of our big adventures in 2016.

We started hiking between 7:15-7:30 a.m. 


It was my first time to witness ice on sand- it was unbelievable! I even took off my shoes just to try what it was like to walk bare-feet on cold sand. It was uncomfortable and I got sand all over my socks! lol


As the sand got finer, our feet would sink at every step, which made it difficult to climb.


We weren't even halfway but we just had to stop and take pictures with BB-8 (which we returned the next day lol) and the view was already breathtaking! 


In the midst of the hike, Bani ran out of camera battery so he had to go back to the car and get a fully charged one, while I waited for him in the middle of nowhere. But I didn't mind being alone for a while. It was just me and the secluded nature.


Bani came back after 20 minutes or so and continued our hike. On the way up, we heard an unnatural sound coming from nowhere. I looked it up right after our hike and that was when I learned that sand dunes could "sing", which was caused by a hot surface sand breaking over colder sand below it. Cool!

We weren't able to record it but the sound was eerie and amazing at the same time.


After a few hours with countless stops, we finally reached the summit! The 360º view from the top was fascinating!


We took a break for a couple of minutes and shot some photos and videos for Bani's vlogs. On my way down, I used the lightweight plastic sled we bought from Sports Authority. It was super fun!

It was well worth the long drive! If you're in California and you have the desire for adventure, this should be beyond any doubt on top of your go-to list!

Things to bring/wear:
- Water
- Sunscreen
- Lightweight sled
- Boots made for hiking
- Caps / hats
- Jackets / scarves
- Extra clothes

Pros:
- FREE! No admission fee.
- Easy climb
- It's only sand!
- Spacious parking with restrooms
- Only a few hours from Los Angeles
- Freezing cold in the morning (winter)

Cons:
- Unpaved Kelso Dunes road
- It easily gets scorching hot
- No food and drinks for miles

Check out Bani's vlog below: