Running through the heart of southern California's El Paso Mountain range — an area rich in mining history — the Bonanza trail takes the off-road explorer on a journey through time, to an era when men braved the searing heat (and sometimes each other) in order to pursue their dreams of wealth. The Bureau of Land Management, which administers the area, has placed signs and markers at many of the prominent sites. Plus, the trail affords views of stunning scenery from vantage points that are accessible by stock SUVs (four-wheel drive with low-range is a must, though).

 

Heading north on Route 395 past Kramer Junction. Roughly 33 miles north of Kramer Junction, you turn left onto Garlock Road, a two-lane paved road, which is itself named for a ghost town. But that is another story. The trail can also be accessed via the 14 Freeway, which is easier for those coming directly from the Los Angeles area.

 

Another 3.8 miles brings us to the turn-off for Goler Gulch, which begins as a graded dirt road. The road is hard to spot from the highway, but there are a couple of signs that are slightly set back from the highway. One of them says "Goler Heights." Stay on the dirt road and avoid the private community that appears on the driver's left side. A short distance past the trailer park, the road descends into Goler Gulch. At this point, we're about a mile off the highway and the trail becomes very sandy. Four-wheel drive should be engaged. The surrounding hills are full of remnants of the mining activity that once took place here. Old mine entrances and rotted wood - presumably from old head frames - are scattered throughout Goler Gulch. However, the main attractions here are the two cabins, both of which are easily accessible. One of them is in rather dilapidated condition, and sits next to an old corral and a rusted windmill. One look at this place, and we can tell that no one has kept livestock here for quite a long time. The other cabin is newer, and is in pretty good shape. Known as "The Edith E.," this cabin was built during the 1930s by some miners who were working the Edith E. Mine. Still in decent shape after all these years, the Edith E. Cabin is maintained by a volunteer group called The Friends of the Edith E. Cabin. Visitors can sleep in the cabin for up to two nights, per BLM regulations, free of charge.

 

The story of Goler Gulch is a mixture of verifiable history and some intriguing local lore. The year was 1867. Blacksmith/wagon maker John Goler was en route to Los Angeles from Death Valley. Stopping for a drink in the El Paso Mountains, Goler noticed some gold nuggets lying on the ground near the spring he was drinking from. Although he figured that there was probably more gold in the area, Goler feared the local Indians and didn't want to hang around. Intending to come back another time, Goler supposedly stuck his rifle in the ground so that he could find the spot again. Why a man who was afraid of hostile Indians would choose to abandon his rifle is anyone's guess.

At any rate, Goler made it back to Los Angeles, where he met up with another prospector, Grant Cuddeback. The two made several return trips to the El Paso's in search of the spring, but were never able to find it. Nor were they able to find Goler's rifle. The pair eventually found gold elsewhere in the Mojave Desert, but Goler never gave up on finding his "lost" gold. He set off once again - alone this time - and faded into the mists of history.

 

Ironically, gold was eventually found in the area by others, and by 1893 several hundred people were living in and around Goler Gulch. The little town sported several saloons and a school. Unfortunately, Goler Gulch's heyday was short-lived, and today, little remains of the town. If we continue about a half a mile past the Edith E. cabin, we actually come to the old Goler town site. The area is still pretty sandy, and there are some large rocks partially hidden in the sand.

 

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The first  mining stories out of the El Paso Mountains in the Western Mojave talk of  discoveries in the narrow canyon known today as Goler Canyon or Goler Gulch. There are many different versions of the original story. The most popular  tells  of John Goler crossing over the arid Mojave desert after surviving the horrors of Death Valley in 1849. Weakened from thirst and hunger, Goler and companion  found a few gold nuggets as they were looking for water. Supposedly, Goler was so afraid of Indians he hurried away, but had time to leave his gun to mark the spot where he had found the nuggets. When he was safe and sound in Los Angeles he began displaying the gold and a small map where he had supposedly found them.     Future investors were told there would be no problem locating Goler’s potential gold mine  because of that gun he had left  standing on the hill at the canyon mouth.

 

 

Goler’s Lost Gold

 

Goler and a man named Grant P. Cuddeback set out with a well equipped party of men to find the fast becoming famous canyon. Unfortunately, the Mojave desert turned out to be riddled with many canyons that fit the description of the one on Goler’s map, and no gun could be found at the entrance to any of them.   The now disgruntled party, returned to Los Angeles, none the richer for their efforts. Still positive he could re-discover the area where he had found his gold nuggets, Goler organized another party, only to be disappointed a second time.

 

Throughout the years that followed, freighters coming back and forth from the successful mining camps north of Mojave, told stories of seeing a lonely man and his burro prospecting in the eastern El Paso foothills. While camping at Mesquite Springs, Freighter “Slate Range Jack” ran into Goler with more nuggets said to have been found 5 miles to the east of them. Many a man outfitted himself with prospecting supplies and headed into the Western Mojave in search of  “The Lost Gunsight Mine” or “Goler’s Lost Gold. In 1893, when a bonanza was finally found in a dry narrow gulch in the Southern El Paso Mountains, many believed that this was the site of John Goler’s lost mine, and named the camp that grew up around it Goler.