Fort Piute

Fort Piute is a military fort ruin located at an elevation of about 2,828 feet in the Mojave Desert near Piute Creek. The site consists of thick stone walls and the remains of a three-room building that still shows the basic shape of its original construction.

The U.S. Army built this fort in 1859 to protect travelers on the Mojave Road from conflicts with the indigenous people of the region. Its construction was part of a larger effort to secure new trade routes crossing the desert.

The fort's name comes from the Piute people who inhabited this region long before its military construction. Visitors walking through the ruins can see how this space marks an intersection between two different histories of human presence in the desert.

Reaching the site requires a four-wheel-drive vehicle and takes considerable effort due to the remote desert location. Visitors must bring plenty of water and be prepared for the isolation and lack of facilities in the area.

The fort was strategically positioned where Piute Creek's surface flow ends, creating a natural water source for travelers crossing the desert. This hidden oasis made the site a critical stopping point on the harsh crossing.