This Mojave canyon has steel rings bolted into its walls, and the only way to finish the loop is to climb them

---

Most trails throw in a ladder when the rock gets too steep. Banshee Canyon skipped the ladder, bolted a few metal rings straight into the canyon wall, and left the rest up to you.

That’s the whole charm of the Rings Loop in Mojave National Preserve. It’s a short desert hike that squeezes through a slot of pale, water-polished rock, and right when the walls close in, you find out how comfortable you are hauling yourself up a wall on steel hoops.

---

Psst — we made you a West Coast Adventure Map. Nearly 1,900 of our favorite spots, already pinned, ready to load into Google Maps in two clicks — grab it here.

---

The rock here looks like Swiss cheese, and there’s a reason

The cliffs around Hole-in-the-Wall are rhyolite tuff, left behind by massive eruptions that started here roughly 18.5 million years ago. Over time, the porous rock got wet, dried out, and got wet again, over and over, until the walls weathered into pockets and holes.

The result is a cliff face that looks like someone took a giant melon baller to it. Some holes are fist-sized, some are big enough to sit in, and the late-afternoon light turns all of it a warm, glowing tan.

What the Rings Loop is actually like

The loop is 1.5 miles with only about 200 feet of elevation gain, and it’s rated hard anyway. That rating is all about the rings — the rest of the walk is sand, flat rock, and wide-open desert views.

Banshee Canyon itself is short and tight, with a couple of small boulder piles to scramble over. Then come the rings: one section is about 10 feet tall and the other about 6 feet, and you climb them like a ladder, grabbing one ring and stepping into the next.

Can you climb a ladder? Then you can probably do this. Young kids may need a hand, and the National Park Service doesn’t recommend the rings section for dogs, so plan on leaving the pup out of this one.

Here’s my one strong opinion: this is the best 1.5 miles in the whole preserve. It packs a slot canyon, a little scrambling, weird volcanic rock, and huge desert views into a hike most people finish in an hour or two.

Look for the rock art on the way

Keep your eyes on the boulders along the trail, because petroglyphs left by Native peoples long ago are scattered across them. They’re easy to walk right past if you’re staring at your feet.

Look all you want, but don’t touch — this art has been out here a lot longer than any of us.

Why fall is the time to go

The trailhead sits at about 4,400 feet, so it runs cooler than the lower parts of the preserve. Even so, the park warns that summer days can still be too hot here, and winter can bring snow.

That leaves fall as the sweet spot. The sky goes gold and pink at sunset, and the campground right next to the trailhead makes it easy to turn a hike into an overnight.

Getting there (and a GPS warning)

The trailhead is at the southwest edge of the Hole-in-the-Wall Visitor Center parking lot, and there’s no reservation or activity fee for the hike. Mojave National Preserve doesn’t charge an entrance fee either, which still feels a little too good to be true.

Getting there is the adventure. As of the park’s latest road update, Essex Road and Black Canyon Road are both open with caution, with washboarding, debris, and washouts from recent rains.

One more thing: the park specifically warns that GPS apps may show Essex Road as closed when it isn’t, and not to follow GPS onto random dirt roads. Check the current conditions page before you go, and if storms are in the forecast, skip the slot canyon that day.

While you’re out here

Mojave National Preserve is huge, so stack a few stops if you’re making the drive. The Mojave Lava Tube is a quick walk to a cave where sunbeams pour through holes in the ceiling — we’ve bumped down that dirt road ourselves, and it’s worth every rattle.

The Kelso Dunes are another easy add, with towering sand that rumbles when you slide down the steep face. Between the dunes, the lava tube, and the rings, that’s three completely different landscapes in one desert.

So, would you go up the rings or turn around at the bottom? Tell us in the comments, and tag the friend who’d be halfway up before you finished reading the trail sign.

Trip tips: grab a rental car to get out here, lock in your hotel before the good rooms are gone, or skip both and book a camper van instead.

Rules and fees change — always confirm current requirements before you go.

Sharing is caring!