Europeans first settled in the canyon around 1860—naming it Jawbone because its shape resembled a
mandible[1]—and the trail was used as a trade route from
Keyesville into the Piute Mountains (not to be confused with the
Piute Mountains of the eastern
Mojave Desert). During the
Kern River gold rush, several gold mines operated in the canyon; the most successful of these, the St. John mine, yielded nearly $700,000 worth of
gold between 1860 and 1875. The Gwynn mine, on the Geringer Grade, ran six claims yielding a total of $770,000 worth of gold and
quartz before ceasing operations in 1942. Mining continued throughout the 1940s, mainly focused on
rhyolite and
antimony.[2]
The area has been used for recreation since the early 20th century. A scientific study, published in 1983, shows that extensive environmental damage had been caused by off road vehicles operating in Jawbone Canyon.[3] Although off-roading is still permitted in the recreation area, as the
Jawbone-Butterbredt Area of Critical Environmental Concern riders are restricted to established trails.[4]
^Webb, Robert H.; Wilshire, Howard G. (1983). Environmental effects of off-road vehicles: impacts and management in arid regions. Springer-Verlag.
ISBN0-387-90737-8.