NEW  LAKES  OF  THE  MOJAVE 

A 1966 Travelogue by Slim Barnard 

An oasis in the midst of one of America’s most magnificent deserts is springing up around two man-maid lakes in the Mojave, about 190 miles from Los Angeles.  Silver Valley, a region rich in the lore of the Old West, now has two new attractions, Lake Kalikoa and Lake Loreen.  Kalikoa will be the center of a residential and resort development, and Loreen already is known for its public fishing, picnicking and swimming facilities. 

Driving a 1965 Ford Country Sedan, we reached this section of the Mojave Desert via Highway 66.  Leaving Los Angeles on the San Bernardino Freeway, we followed U.S. 66 past Barstow to the Needles turnoff.  This road goes to Needles through Daggett and Newberry, the latter a small but important point in the desert because of its plentiful water.  The wells of Newberry actually supply the water needs of such surrounding communities as Ludlow, Amboy and Essex.  As the only source of water between it and the Colorado River, some 100 miles away, Newberry played a key role in the settlement of the desert.  Today, its precious water is transported in railroad tank cars, each capable of carrying 10,500 gallons.  It is not unusual to see strings of 24 or more tankers waiting on a siding, but trains can be filled with 250,000 gallons of water in three hours. 

The road to the lakes is found about a mile beyond Newberry School, and is well marked.  The pavement ends a half mile short of the lakes, but the unpaved portion is in good condition.  The desert seems to be empty, until the lakes abruptly appear, almost like mirages.  Kalikoa is 20 acres, and Lake Loreen covers 34 acres, creating tow large sparkling mirrors of the blue sky.  Charles Schreiber, developer of the first lake, showed us the building lots he is preparing, to be know as Kalikoa Estates.  We also learned how Lake Loreen gained its lyrical name when Schreiber led us across the road to meet his neighbors.  Loreen and Gus Raigosa welcomed us to the recreation area they have carved out of the desert.  Both former aircraft employees from El Segundo, the Raigosas bought the lake site on a shoestring, and literally dug it out with a bulldozer. 

Their lake is stocked with catfish, bass, bluegill and trout, and they permit fishing for $2.50 per day. The daily limit is 5 trout, 5 catfish, 10 bass and 25 bluegills, but no state angling license is required.  Besides fishermen, picnickers and overnight campers are welcomed for 50 cents a person per day.  Visitors with boats may launch them but motors of more than 7 ½ horsepower are not allowed.  The lakes are in the center of an area of great historical interest.  For example, within a few miles are a group of 100-year-old covered wagons, the ruins of an early Army outpost and a one time mining camp.

Pioneer Life

 The wagons were bought into the area by Mormon settlers, and today form the nucleus of a youth camp operated by the Baptist Church of Ontario.  Each wagon is being fitted to sleep four youngsters, and all are arranged in a semi-circle around a campfire in the traditional night formation of the pioneers’ wagon trains.  A few miles farther, the century-old ruins of Fort Cady, one of the early outposts established to protect travelers and settlers, still survive as part of the desert scene.  Built by General James B. Carleton, whose California Column cleaned Confederate General H. B. Sibley out of Arizona and New Mexico during the Civil War, the fort was placed near the junction of the San Bernardino-Salt Lake and Santa Fe Trails.  It held the unenviable reputation of having the highest number of desertions in the United States Army.  The fort was considered to be one of the worst assignments in the Army because of its remoteness and the savagery of the surrounding Indians.

Early Perils 

More than 2,000 wagons per year sought its protection before Fort Cady was abandoned in 1870, and archeologists are now probing its ruins for clues to the life once led within its walls.  The fort’s sutlers store was located a half mile south on a ranch now owned by Ken Wilhelm.  The sutlery, sort of a privately owned PX, was raided many times by the reckless soldiers from the fort.  Wilhelm charges visitors $1 per car during winter months, and $1.50 in the summer. Visitors are on the honor system, and may deposit the fee in a can at the gate.  The ranch property on the banks of the Mojave River is a pleasant place for picnics and swimming.  Frog hunting is also excellent along the river. 

Fort Cady also was the shipping point for gold from the mining camp of Alvord, one of the oldest towns of its kind in the West.  Alvord boasted its own gold mill, and shipped it out as bullion by stagecoach.  Alvord is reached via a dirt road from the highway that leads to Las Vegas.  Its three miles are passable in good weather, but should not be attempted within three days following a rain.  The first sign of the town is an ancient pump made of huge timbers, and used in the early days to lift water over the top of a mountain to the mine workings.  The mine has been owned since 1912 by the Hart, Schafner and Marx clothing interests, and was worked until 1952. 

Staying overnight at Lake Loreen, where we enjoyed an excellent Cantonese dinner, we started home the next day via a dividend stop where we could find semi-precious stones.  Near the village of Poe, a road marked “Lake Havasu” leads through lava beds to a hillside that is rockhound’s delight.  Agate and jasper lie on the ground for the taking, and Dell Woodin, of Lake Loreen, led us to some splendid specimens.  As can be seen, the desert is alive with happy things to do and see, making a weekend full of fun and excitement at any time of year.

Motels available at Barstow, 20 miles away at $8 and $10 per night for two.