Overview

The Wee Thump Corral is a point of interest just outside the southeast corner of the Wee Thump Joshua Tree Wilderness Area that demonstrates a bit of the ranching history of this area. While the grazing allotments have been closed down and the troughs are dry, the site remains an interesting historic site, and a few cows still roam the area. So far as I know, the site is not protected, so visit it before it is gone.

During spring, this can be a great area for finding wildflowers, and it is a good place to park a sedan and wander out into the wilderness area.

Link to map.

Watch Out

Other than the standard warnings about hiking in the desert, ... this is a fairly safe area. There are cactus and other things with sharp points, so be careful walking around. During warm weather, keep an eye out for snakes.

While out and about, please respect the land and the other people out there, and try to Leave No Trace of your passage. This is adjacent to Wilderness, so pay particular attention to respecting the land. Cell phones probably work at this site.

Getting to the Wee Thump Corral

This site is located adjacent to the Wee Thump Joshua Tree Wilderness Area, about 1 hour south of Las Vegas, just west of Searchlight.

From town, drive south on Highway 95 to Searchlight (Table 1, Site 0927). In downtown Searchlight, turn right onto Highway 164 (Joshua Tree Highway) and drive west for 8.2 miles to Wee Thump East Road, which is marked only by a stop sign and a large pullout on the right (north) side of the highway (Site 1299). Turn right onto Wee Thump East Road and drive north for 0.2 miles to the corral (Site 1352).

The Site

The site includes an old, broken-down windmill, a circular water tank, and a corral with fencing, water pipes, a cement watering trough, and a loading chute. Much of the fencing is made from old railroad ties, a construction material used throughout the region after small railroads that served mining districts went bankrupt or moved on (they would take the metal rails, but leave behind the wooden cross ties).

This hike lies in the Upper Sonoran (Mojave Desert Scrub) Life Zone. The vegetation is thick with Joshua Trees, Buckhorn Cholla Cactus, and Mojave Yucca, and Cheesebush. Also watch for Black-tailed Jackrabbits and Coyotes. Unfortunately, there is an infestation of Puncturevine here.