Things to Do Within 100 Miles of Barstow Secured in Writing from the Author

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Permission to re-print must be Things To Do Within 100 Miles of Barstow secured in writing from the author. Courtesy of Route 66 Mother Road Museum, Barstow CA

Approx. Distance from Websites & Additional Info Name Description Mother Websites may not be updated regularly. Call ahead for current Road information. Museum Afton Canyon Natural The Mojave River flows above ground in the Afton Check with the Bureau of Land Management office in 1 Area Canyon area. Sometimes called the “Grand Canyon of Barstow for up-to-date info. the Mojave,” it is considered a good spot for bird and http://www.blm.gov/ca/index.html wildlife viewing. Kit Carson, Jedediah Smith, & John Bureau of Land Charles Fremont are some of the early western Road conditions can change from deep sand in explorers who passed through the area. The historic summer to mud and washed-out sections after rain. Management Mojave Road is nearby. 35 miles Avoid canyons during thunderstorms due to possible 2601 Barstow Road violent flash floods. Plan accordingly, as no food, Barstow, CA 92311 The Route 66 Mother Road Museum in Barstow has water or gasoline may be available for miles. Always (760) -252-6000 numerous books for sale on areas to explore, such as notify someone of your plans. Cell phones do not canyons, rock formations, intaglios, etc. always work in remote areas. Amboy Crater is a cinder cone from an ancient Amboy, CA volcano. The Crater is on BLM land, and has a graded Avoid intense midday Summer sun at Amboy Crater. 2 Historic Route 66 dirt road leading to the base of the crater. Hiking trail For trail & road conditions, contact the Bureau of leads to top of crater; allow 2-3 hours round trip to Land Management office in Barstow. hike. Picnic tables and vault toilets are available. Best • Amboy Crater 2601 Barstow Rd., Barstow CA 92311 times to view: during spring wildflower bloom, early Phone: (760)-252-6000 morning, or late afternoon. 80 miles • Roy’s Café http://www.blm.gov/ca/index.html

Historic Roy’s Café is a 1940s café, 1930s motel, and There are no services in the town of Amboy. Plan gas station on historic Route 66. Numerous photo accordingly for desert conditions; no food, water, or shoots have been done in Amboy. gasoline may be available for miles.

Antelope Valley http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=627 3 California Poppy This 1,745-acre reserve, 15 miles west of Lancaster, Wildflowers bloom March through May. Peak Reserve CA, is considered the state’s most consistent poppy- blooming is usually in mid-April. Call first or check California State Park bearing land. Owl’s clover, lupine, goldfield, cream 115 miles the California State Parks website above for updates, Lancaster Road cups, and coreopsis wildflowers mingle with the as some years there is not enough precipitation for a (15 miles west of Route 14) poppies, the California state flower. flower bloom. Lancaster, CA 93536

(661)-724-1180 Bagdad Café An old Route 66 café, located in Newberry Springs. It (Formerly called the 4 was the inspiration for the film Bagdad Café. A few Sidewinder Café) miles to the east, is where the original town of Bagdad 22 miles Newberry Springs, CA once stood. Nothing remains of the town today. 92365 Big Bear Discovery The Big Bear Discovery Center has information on Call or check San Bernardino National Forest website 5 Center hiking, biking and camping in the San Bernardino for Visitor Center hours. North Shore Drive Mountains and National Forest. It also has rotating (Highway 38) exhibits on wildflowers, wildlife, and history. There 80 miles http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/sanbernardino/contact/fawnskin.sh are views of the lake and mountains from the tml Big Bear Lake, CA (909)-382- 2790 observation deck. Borax deposits were discovered in Boron CA in 1925. The Visitor Center for the Rio Tinto Borax Mine 6 Borax Visitor Center Normal hours of operation are seven days a week from overlooks the largest open-pit mine in California. It Rio Tinto Borax Group 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., excluding major holidays and contains one of the biggest and richest deposits of weather permitting. 14485 Borax Road borax on earth, and supplies nearly half the world's Email: [email protected] or call Boron, CA demand for refined borates. 45 miles (760) 762-7588. DIRECTIONS: From Route 58, exit at Borax Road. Admission: Motorcycles: $2.00, Automobiles: $3.00, Visitor Center: Follow Borax Road to the main gate. Buses $12.00 (760)-762-7588 http://www.borax.com/borax6.html

Elmer Long’s http://bottletreeman.blogspot.com/ 7 Bottle Forest Elmer Long has been collecting bottles in the desert Approximately 9 miles north of Victorville between since childhood, and has turned them into an eclectic National Old Trails 20 miles Oro Grande and Helendale/Silver Lakes on National forest of bottle trees. Elmer & his bottle forest have Highway (Route 66) (Approx.) Old Trails Highway (Rte 66). between Helendale and been on HGTV. This is a private residence. Please be respectful. Oro Grande, CA

Rev Date: February 3, 2012 Page 1 K. J. Diffenbacher© Things To Within 100 Miles of Barstow Permission to re-print must be secured in writing from the author. Courtesy of Route 66 Mother Road Museum, Barstow CA Approx. Distance from Websites & Additional Info Name Description Mother Websites may not be updated regularly. Call ahead for current Road information. Museum Calico Early Man 8 Archeological Site Archaeologist Louis Leakey was the director of this 15 miles northeast of Barstow.

site/camp from 1963 until his death in 1972. The BLM Barstow Field Office website has additional Off I-15, Excavations continue here at his old camp, which has information. Minneola Rd. exit, 15 miles Barstow, CA a visitor center and museum.

Calico Ghost Town http://www.co.san-bernardino.ca.us/parks/calico.htm Calico is a former mining town, founded in March 36600 Ghost Town Rd. 9 1881, and preserved by Walter Knott, of Knott’s Berry Northeast of Barstow. Take the Ghost Town Road P.O. Box 638 Farm. It is a San Bernardino CA County Park. One 17 miles Exit from Interstate 15 in Yermo, CA. Yermo, CA 92398 third of the town is original, and the rest is

(760) – 254-2122 reconstructed. 1-800-TO-CALICO Campground, camping trails & bunkhouse. California Route 66 Hours: Mon, Thur, Fri, Sat, 10 am – 4 pm Historical exhibits, contemporary gallery, research 10 Museum Sunday: 11 am – 3 pm library, travel information and gift shop on historic 16825 D Street 32 miles Tuesday & Wednesday by appointment Route 66. Victorville, CA http://www.califrt66museum.org/ (760)-951-0436 The National Old Trails Highway (Route 66) goes Historic Daggett 11 through this historic Mojave Desert town. Daggett Most historic buildings are privately owned and not Daggett, CA 92327 was once home to naturalist John Muir’s daughter. open to the public. Please respect private property. Death Valley Scotty and “Borax” Smith were regular 10 miles For a printable driving tour and map, go to: visitors to the (remains) Stone Hotel located on Santa http://www.route66museum.org/id8.html Fe Street. Desert Discovery The Desert Discovery Center is now staffed by the 12 Center Some of the displays include: extinct animal tracks, Bureau of Land Management. the famous Old Woman Meteorite, paleontology and 831 Barstow Road 1 mile Call for Hours geology. Barstow, CA 92311 http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/barstow/meteorite.html (760) – 252-6060 Devil’s Punchbowl is a 1,310-acre park, with unusual Devil’s Punchbowl Park Hours: Sunrise to Sunset rock formations, one mile from the San Andreas fault. 13 Visitor Center: Tues-Sun; 9 am – 5 pm L.A. County Park Hiking, geology walks, reptile programs, and a small 70 miles 28000 Devil’s Punchbowl Rd nature center. http://www.devils-punchbowl.com/ Pearblossom, CA 93553 Edwards Air Force Base is the birthplace of supersonic 14 flight and where Captain Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager General Public Tours are offered twice a month; broke through the sound barrier in the Bell X-1. usually on Fridays, but, not always. They begin at 9 Edwards Air Force a.m. and end around 1 p.m (Security conditions and Tour generally includes: 90-minute walking tour of the Base missions permitting). Advance Reservations are NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, presentation at 85 miles required. See website below for info. Rosamond, CA the Air Force Flight Test Center Museum, and windshield tour of the Edwards Air Force Base flight line. Availability fluctuates with base alert levels. http://www.edwards.af.mil/questions/topic.asp?id=812

Fort Irwin 15 National Training th Center & 11 The museum focuses on the history of Fort Irwin from

1844 to the present and 11th Armored Cavalry http://www.museumsusa.org/museums/info/1152778 Armored Cavalry 34 miles Regiment Museum Regiment from 1901 to the present. Fort Irwin CA 92310 (760) 380-6607 In 1998, The Mojave Desert Heritage & Cultural The Goffs Schoolhouse is located near the intersection 16 The Goffs Association restored the one-room mission style of Goffs and Lanfair Road and is open by appointment schoolhouse to its original configuration, and it is on only. Schoolhouse the National Register of Historic Places. The Hosted by the Mojave Desert Heritage and Cultural 37198 Lanfair Road - G15 schoolhouse is one of a few remaining structures in the 121 miles Association. Essex, California 92332 community of Goffs on the original 1926 alignment of For additional information: http://www.mdhca.org/ Phone (760) -733-4482 Route 66. Or call (760) -733-4482 to schedule an appt.

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Things To Within 100 Miles of Barstow Permission to re-print must be secured in writing from the author. Courtesy of Route 66 Mother Road Museum, Barstow CA Approx. Distance from Websites & Additional Info Name Description Mother Websites may not be updated regularly. Call ahead for current Road information. Museum Approx. 35 miles north of Barstow on the Ft. Irwin Goldstone Deep Space Public Tours are available of the Goldstone Deep Military Base. Advance reservations required. A valid 17 Network Tracking Space Communications Complex. Tour begins at the driver’s license, vehicle registration and current proof Goldstone museum with displays on current and past Station of insurance are required to enter Fort Irwin. All missions, Deep Space Network history, and a hands- On the Ft.Irwin Military 35 miles adults on tour must carry a current photo I.D. For on room for children. A guided tour travels around the Base further information, or to book a tour, call: (760)- 255- 53-square-mile complex to view the large antennas. 35 miles from 8688 or go to the website: All tours must be scheduled in advance. Barstow, CA http://deepspace.jpl.nasa.gov/dsn/features/goldstonetours.html Harper Dry Lake Wildlife Viewing Area was created The Bureau of Land Management manages this area. 18 Harper Dry Lake in 2003 by pumping water into Harper Dry Lake by For additional information, contact: Harper Lake Road the Bureau of Land Management to create a marshy area as a wildlife oasis. The marshy area is Bureau of Land Management Off Route 58 near approximately 60 acres. 2601 Barstow Road 30 miles Hinckley, CA Barstow, CA 92311 Plans call for boardwalks, concrete benches, trails and (760) -252-6000 a kiosk with information about the site. There is a vault restroom at the site. http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/barstow/harper.html Holcomb Valley Gold 19 Road Begin at: Start at the Big Bear Discovery Center, and pick up a Big Bear Discovery A 3-4 hour, 12-mile historical driving tour on dirt map of the Gold Road. You will also need an roads, takes you past remains of 1860s mining camps, Adventure Pass. Check with the staff on road Center 80 miles including a Hangman’s tree, the Metzger mine, and the conditions, as certain times of the year may require North Shore Dr. (Rte 38) spot where the town of Belleville stood. high-clearance, 4WD. Fawnskin, CA 92333 http://www.bigbeardiscoverycenter.com/ Phone: (909)-382-2790 The Hesperia Zoo From the I-15 Freeway take Hesperia/Main St. Exit 20 Go East 7 miles to Peach Ave turn left 19038 Willow Street, Established by Stephanie Taunton in 2001, The Take Peach to Willow Street turn right Hesperia, CA 92345 Hesperia Zoo is the only zoo in the High Desert. The Follow Willow Street to the zoo on the Left. 45 miles zoo is an ever growing project to educate visitors on Address: 19038 Willow Street, Hesperia, CA 92345 (760) 948-9430 conservation. They are an interactive guided tour. The parking lot is the second entrance on the left next to the Zoo sign. Enter through the gift shop door. http://www.thehesperiazoo.com Visitor centers are usually open daily, 8 am – 4 pm. Joshua Tree National Two deserts meet in this park; the lower Colorado Call or check website for current hours. 21 Desert and the higher Mojave Desert. Joshua Tree Park Tours of the Keys Ranch are by reservation only. They became a national monument in 1936, and a national 128 miles are conducted by park rangers and are very interesting! park in 1994. Rock climbing, camping and stargazing Call (760)-367-5555 to book tours. are popular activities. Additional info: http://www.nps.gov/jotr/ Kelso Depot is an historic railroad depot, built in 1923 22 by the Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad (now Union Kelso Depot Pacific) as a combination depot, employees boarding Restrooms and water are available at Kelso Depot. and rooming house, and restaurant for employees and Gasoline is not available. Mojave National passengers. The depot has been restored and is now Hours: Daily 9-5, Closed Christmas Day. 103 miles Preserve the information center for the Mojave National Phone: (760)-252-6108. Kelso, CA Preserve. It houses a museum, historically furnished http://www.nps.gov/moja/planyourvisit/visitorcenters.htm rooms, a theater, and bookstore.

Kern County Museum The Kern County Museum is on a 16-acre site north of Check their website or call for hours of operation. 23 Kern County Museum downtown Bakersfield. The museum features 56 Admission. historic exhibits, many in relocated structures, and an 3801 Chester Avenue 129 miles http://www.kcmuseum.org/ award winning hands-on oil exhibition, Black Gold: Bakersfield, CA 93301 (661) 852-5000 The Oil Experience.

Las Vegas Nevada Gambling, casinos, restaurants, adult entertainment. 24 150 miles

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=615 Mitchell Caverns is a California State Park located Mitchell Caverns Above website opening page reads: 25 within the Providence Mountains State Recreation Providence Mountains will be closed until further Essex, CA Area, which is located within The Mojave National 105 miles notice. All tours of Mitchell Caverns are suspended Preserve. until further notice.

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Kelso Depot is in the middle of the Mojave National Restrooms and water are available at Kelso Depot. 26 Preserve. It is a restored historic Railroad depot that is Gasoline is not available. now the information center for the National Preserve.

Mojave National It contains a museum, historically furnished rooms, a Plan accordingly for desolate areas, as no food, water Preserve theater, and bookstore. Nearby is Kelso Dunes (8 103 miles or gasoline may be available for miles. Always notify Kelso, CA miles south of Kelso on Kelbaker Road, then 3 miles to Kelso someone of your plans. Cell phones don’t always work west.) They are "booming dunes," meaning they in remote areas. produce a low rumbling sound when sand particles

slide. You can initiate the sound by running down the Restrooms and water are available at Kelso Depot. dunes. Gasoline is not available.

Teutonia Peak Trail is a 2-mile round-trip trail leading Hours: Daily 9-5, Closed Christmas Day. through a Joshua tree forest. Phone: (760)-252-6108. http://www.nps.gov/moja/planyourvisit/visitorcenters.htm Mojave River Valley The museum has numerous displays and exhibits on Museum the history of the Mojave River Valley from the arrival Open every day, except Christmas from 11 am to 4 pm of Father Garces in 1776 through pathfinders, Free Admission

27 pioneers, miners, railroads and the present space http://mojaverivervalleymuseum.org/ 1.5 miles 270 E. Virginia Way program. The museum also has an archive of local Barstow, CA 92311 area newspapers dating back to 1911, and an extensive Phone: 760-256-5452 (760) 256-5452 photo collection containing over 20,000 photos. The Cajon (“Box”) Pass is where the San Gabriel and Views from the nature trail include Cajon Summit 28 the San Bernardino Mountain ranges overlap. area, Cleghorn Ridge to the east, Ralston Peak to the Mormon Rocks southeast, Upper Lytle Creek Divide and Cucamonga Cajon Junction, CA Mormon pioneers traveled through this area in the 1850s looking for a smoother route from the Mojave Wilderness to the southwest, and Baldy Mesa is north

Desert to the San Bernardino Valley. The Rocks or beyond the Mormon Rocks. 53 miles (From the junction of I-15 hogbacks stand above the floor of the Cajon Wash. A & Highway 138, head 1/2-mile nature trail of gradual switchbacks goes U. S. Forest Service west.) http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/sbnf/recreation/hiking/recarea/?reci through manzanita, yucca, chamise (greasewood), & d=26543&actid=50 sage. Off Highway Vehicle Areas Various Off Highway Vehicle • Stoddard Valley Bureau of Land Management for up-to-date 29 Areas • Johnson Valley information on conditions. Plan accordingly for Check Bureau of Land • El Mirage desolate areas, as no food, water or gasoline may be with the available for miles. Always notify someone of your Management • Dumont Dunes BLM for plans. Cell phones don’t always work in remote areas. 2601 Barstow Road The Route 66 Mother Road Museum in Barstow has further

Barstow, CA 92311 numerous books for sale in its gift shop on areas to info. http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/barstow.html (760) -252-6000 explore such as abandoned town sites, canyons, rock formations, etc Peggy Sue’s Nifty I-15 at Ghost Town Road Exit 30 Fifties Diner 50s style diner serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. I-15 at Ghost Town Road With advance notice, Peggy Sue’s easily Features include soda fountain, pizza parlor, burgers, accommodates large groups. Exit steaks, homemade chili & soups, old fashion candy, 8 miles Call: (760) 254-3370 Yermo, CA and 50s music. Phone: (760) 254-3370 http://www.peggysuesdiner.com/

Petroglyphs Tour on 31 China Lake Naval The Maturango Museum in Ridgecrest has docent-led Maturango Museum Hours: 10-5 every day, except Weapons Base hikes into a canyon on the China Lake Naval Weapons major holidays. Base. The canyons on the naval base are believed to Tours are set up with: contain the largest concentration of Petroglyphs in the http://www.maturango.org/ Maturango Museum 83 miles 100 E. Las Flores Ave. western hemisphere. The Navy strictly limits access Ridgecrest, CA 93555 to the Little Petroglyph Canyon. Tours are offered The Petroglyphs tour must be arranged 14 days in through the Maturango Museum. advance so the Navy can verify citizenship. (760) 375-6900 Ridgecrest, CA Rainbow Basin Rainbow Basin, a national natural landmark managed Graded dirt road leads to the campground with by the Bureau of Land Management, is an area of covered concrete tables, fire rings, grills, & vault 32 National Natural badlands that folded and faulted leaving colored rock toilets. Bring drinking water with you. Only vehicles 8 miles Landmark strata that eroded to create small ravines & pinnacles. less than 25 feet long are permitted on the 4-mile loop Bureau of Land Great time to view: spring when wildflowers & cactus road.

Route 66 Mother The Route 66 Mother Road Museum is located in the http://www.route66museum.org/ 34 Road Museum historic Harvey House, a 1911 hotel, restaurant, and

In the Historic Harvey train depot. Route 66 is ½ mile from the museum. Free Admission.

House *** The Museum’s gift shop carries an extensive number 681 N. First Avenue Hours: Friday to Sunday, 11 am - 4 pm. of books and Route 66 items. Barstow, CA. 92311 Call to arrange other hours.

(760)-255-1890 Santa Monica Pier The “finish line” of Route 66. Activities include: 35 beach, an aquarium, arcade, historic carousel, The end of Route 66 at the restaurants, gift shops, & Pacific Park amusement 132 miles http://www.santamonicapier.org/ Pacific Ocean park. Drive In movie theater. Skyline Drive In Opened in 1966 Open all year. Call (760)-256-3333 for show times. 36 31175 Highway 58 Closed in 1987 3 miles Barstow, CA 92311 Reopened in 1996 (760) – 256-3333 Added second screen in 2000

The Route 66 Mother Road Museum has a number of 37 Take a Hike books for sale on hiking in Southern California. Do not hike without appropriate gear, food and water. The BLM office in Barstow & the Mojave National Inform a responsible person of your plans. Preserve are other sources of information for hikes in Various the Mojave desert and canyons. http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/barstow.html

I-15 at Lenwood Road or Outlet Center Drive Tanger Outlet Outlet shopping 7 miles from the Route 66 Mother 9 am – 8 pm. Closed Easter, Thanksgiving & Shopping Road Museum. Stores include: Bass Shoes, Coach, Christmas. 38 2796 Tanger Way Gap, Michael Kors, Maidenform, Nautica, Polo, 7 miles (800)-409-3175 or (760)-253-4813 Barstow, CA 92311 Reebok, and more. For a full list of stores, see: http://www.tangeroutlet.com/barstow This website explains The Loop. th The Tehachapi Loop, a 19 Century engineering http://www.tehachapi.com/v-int.php#loop achievement, is 8 miles west of Tehachapi near Route 39 58. The rugged Tehachapi Mountains were in the way To view trains traveling through the Loop: From of a route between Bakersfield and Los Angeles. At Route 58 in Keene, follow sign pointing to Tehachapi the time, the maximum grade permitted was 2.2%. An Loop. You will pass "La Paz," the burial site of Cesar

Tehachapi Loop entry tunnel was built, and the rail track was laid in a Chavez, and headquarters of the United Farm Workers 100 miles Keene, CA loop. Because modern freight trains are often more Union. The Loop is approx 3 miles from Keene on the than a mile long, the locomotive will pass over the paved road. There is a monument along the road final cars in its own train. Passenger train service overlooking the Loop. Parking is off-street. “Freight through the Loop was discontinued in 1971; only schedules are not predictable, and there is no freight trains travel it now. guarantee of railroad traffic frequency.”

Trona Pinnacles The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages the National Natural More than 500 tufa (calcium carbonate) spires, some Trona Pinnacles. The 3-mile graded dirt road to the 40 Landmark as high as 140 feet, rise from the bed of the Searles Pinnacles is generally accessible to 2-wheel drive 20 miles east of Dry Lake basin. The Trona Pinnacles have been seen vehicles, except after rains when the road is closed to Ridgecrest CA on in a number of commercials, films, and still-photo 96 miles all vehicles. Current road conditions, contact the BLM Highway 178, via a 3-mile shoots. One of the more famous movies featuring the office in Ridgecrest: (760) -384-5400 Pinnacles was Star Trek: The Final Frontier. 300 South Richmond Road, Ridgecrest, CA 93555. dirt road. http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/ridgecrest/trona.html