About an eight hour drive from the Bay Area, the Mojave National Preserve is an ideal escape if you’re looking for a rugged experience. Mid Hills, Hole in the Wall and other developed campgrounds are open, but if you wanna go big, primitive vehicle camping is also permitted throughout the 1,542,776 acres of the wilderness area. All you need to do is find an existing site — a fire ring — to not cause further damage to the land, and you’re good to set up camp.  Silent during the day, aside from warm gusts of breeze and sounds of scurrying lizards, everything changes when the sun dips below the horizon. Birds chirp, jackrabbits start hopping around. Surroundings infuse with color without the glaring rays and hues of green, purple and maroon pop out. Even the softest looking flora is deceptively spiky. Chollas, a cylindrical cactus, are known for their ability to “leap” and attach to you. I know from experience, walking away from one with no less than 10 thick, black barbs lodged in my calf and upper thigh. The desert is not shy, it will assert itself.