Twenty Mule Team Wagons: Keeping the Tradition Alive
May 2026
At the Mule Days 2026 celebration in Bishop, California, the Death Valley Conservancy (DVC) was proud to sponsor an event that honors one of the American West’s most enduring traditions. This year also marked an important milestone: the public return of our replica Borax Twenty Mule Team ore and water wagons, iconic symbols of the ingenuity, endurance, and history of Death Valley.
For the DVC, Mule Days 2026 was more than a celebration. It was also an opportunity to honor a lifetime of work by our long-time friend Bobby Tanner, whose skill, dedication, and vision were instrumental in reviving the historic Twenty Mule Team jerk line hitch. Bobby played a central role in creating the replica wagons and, over the years, led the mule team in Mule Days appearances and parades across the country.
Although Bobby passed away two years ago, his influence remains deeply felt. This year’s appearance provided an opportunity to continue the work he cared about so deeply. We were honored to work alongside Bobby’s wife, Claudia, and his son, Bo, as well as veteran crew members and experienced mules, in taking that first careful step toward sustaining a skill and tradition that Bobby helped preserve for future generations.
To ensure a safe and successful return, we began on a modest scale. Eight seasoned crew members guided eight experienced mules pulling one of the replica ore wagons along the Mule Days Parade route. Safety remained our top priority —for spectators, the crew, and the animals. We were especially proud to carry Grand Marshal California State Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil and other Mule Days VIP guests. The team’s performance throughout the parade reflected the professionalism, preparation, and care that this tradition demands.
The warm, enthusiastic response from parade and arena audiences demonstrated how much these wagons still mean to the public and naturally prompted the question: What comes next? Our aspiration is to continue to work with the Tanner family to recreate the full historic hitch—twenty mules pulling all three wagons; however, we are also committed to moving forward carefully and responsibly rather than on any fixed timeline. Every future step will be guided by the same principle that shaped this year’s appearance: protecting the safety of people and animals while preserving the authenticity of this extraordinary tradition. We hope to return to Mule Days in 2027 and will share updates as our plans develop.
In the meantime, visitors can continue to connect with this living history. The mules spend their summers working at Red’s Meadow Resort & Pack Station near Mammoth Mountain, and the Borax Twenty Mule Team wagons can be seen at the Laws Museum in Bishop, California. The story of the Twenty Mule Team remains a living legacy that continues to be preserved, interpreted, and carried forward with care.
