Cougar Buttes

[RockyMtRebel]

Has anyone here even heard of Cougar Buttes in the Johnson Valley area of Southern California Mojave desert? Well this place is like a mini Moab, with amazing rock formations all over and trails from mild to wild. I’ve come here a few times solo just to check it out and take some cool pictures but yesterday I met a guy who’s camping there and knows the area really well and we took a “tour” of the area. It was awesome, totally reminds me of Moab except the rock is a granite with quartz making it very course and grippy. The whole area is just magical for off-roaders like us, so many options and endless trails go into in all directions into the Mojave desert.
If you ever end up in Southern California and want to do some rock crawling, look up Johnson Valley (home of the annual King of the Hammers event) and Cougar Buttes!

[Jim]

Nice.

That guy does a good job filming - nice and steady with scant narration.

[RockyMtRebel]

Here he is on that same obstacle. He sent me the video of me over cell service so it’s a little fuzzy. This one is crystal clear

[newracer]

I take it you have never watched King of the Hammers, that area is always part of the course.

[RockyMtRebel]

Yep KOTH goes thru here! It’s an amazing desert landscape that reminds me a lot of Moab trails…. Super sandy and rocky. It’s only 90 minute drive from my place in Palm Springs so I’ve gone 3 times in the last week

[RockyMtRebel]

Yea I’ve been wheeling pretty often this week since the wife is out of town! Going again today!! Gotta love the desert 🌵

[RockyMtRebel]

Went back yesterday with my new wheelin buddy Dave. Here’s a video of us doing Chicken Rock. Dave struggled because someone early in the day must have smashed their diff and left a couple quarts of oil streaming down the steep part of the rock. you can see it in the video of Dave doing it pretty well. You can see it in my video too but I drive over it without issues.

[JRF]

Johnson Valley in the whole is awesome.

[GaryG]

Looks like it could be a fun place.

[Schmitty]

RockyMtRebel previously posted: