The following is my creation - if you have corrections or updates, please get to me @ jwest@ridgenet.net
Janet Westbrook, Professor of Biology, emeritus, Naturalist; updated 7/25/2011
Places to go within an hour of Ridgecrest:
North and West of Ridgecrest
Coso Petroglyphs:
The Coso Rock Art District, National Historic Landmark Area is on the Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake. Tours to this world-famous rock art site may be arranged through the Maturango Museum or through the Navy as everyone must be escorted by a Navy-approved escort guide and these are many access regulations. Little Petroglyph Canyon has easily 10,000 glyphs along the walls and they are bright, distinct, and not vandalized. The Museum leads all-day tours to this amazing canyon various weekends from March to June, and from September to December. See our tour information here- http://www.maturango.org/petroglyphdescriptionl.html 95 mile round trip from the Museum. No gas, no water, one picnic facility, 1 vault toilet, no shade.
Inyokern and Brown:
* west on Hwy 178, north and south on Brown Road
It started as "Siding 16" on the Southern Pacific Railroad which ran to Lone Pine in 1909, then it was Magnolia, and got its own post office as Inyokern in 1913. The name was changed even though Inyo county starts some 11 miles north of this Kern Co. town. There is a lovely town park south of the school. Inyokern celebrates "Magnolia Days" each year. The Inyokern Airport was built by the WPA in 1935 and enlarged by the military when they moved into the valley in 1943. It now is the civilian airport for the area with full services and commuter airlines as well as private flying clubs, glider towing, etc. Several long distance records have been set by gliders from IYK. The runways easily accommodate small jet aircraft. Many commercials are filmed on runway 28.
Brown, "Siding 18" at the northern end of Brown road, was important when the original Los Angeles Aqueduct was constructed in the early 1900's. George Brown built a hotel there to house workers.
Today it is an important agriculture area. Alfalfa is the main crop grown in the Indian Wells Valley, but pistachio trees do well here too. Other farms have many other crops, and there is a Christmas tree farm. Inyokern area also had ostrich farm and llamas are found here and there... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inyokern,_California
The Indian Wells Valley Lodge on Hwy 14 is situated at one of the good springs which attracted both animals and the early travelers through the valley. The Indians used the waters for many years, the Death Valley 49er rescue party used the waters, and today the Indian Wells Brewery Co. at the Lodge uses the waters. The nearby historic Homestead Restaurant is also on good water and is a longtime building of the area. It's for sale to a good owner.
Walker Pass, Pacific Crest Trail crossing:
*west on Hwy 178, south on Hwy 14 3 miles, west on Hwy 178; 8 miles to the top of the hill. Elev. 5250 ft.
This road passes through lovely Joshua tree forests!! The display of wildflowers in the late spring is spectacular. Snow stays on the top of the pass in the winter. Chains may be required!
At the top of the pass, the Pacific Crest Trail crosses the highway. This trail goes from the Mexican border to the Canadian border. You should hike the trail north for about 5 miles for a wonderful view down Indian Wells Canyon to the Indian Wells Valley; continue about 5 miles farther to a good place to climb (a second class scramble) to Owens Peak. Continue north to Kennedy Meadows crossing, through July 2000 fire area; pass Kennedy Meadows the trail heads north to Trail Pass and Horseshoe Meadows, and eventually it joins up with the John Muir Trail through the Sierra to Yosemite. To the south, the trail goes first to a BLM campground (pit toilet, sometimes water) and then into the Scodie Mountains at the tail end of the Southern Sierra Nevada. http://www.pcta.org/about_trail/overview.asp
Short Canyon:
*west on Hwy 178, north on Hwy 395 to junction with Hwy 14 at Brady's gas station, turn west on to dirt road just south of the buildings under that huge billboard; go west about 2 miles. Note: BLM has cut a new road west at Leliter Road, but it has a steep, very sandy spot in it requiring 4x4.! Use the "old road" at Brady's! In the spring this is THE place for wildflowers. There's a perennial stream a little waterfall, a nice meadow up the trail. When you get to the old aqueduct (buried, but covered with a concrete "cap") you have 2 choices: straight ahead takes you over a cattle guard and to a parking lot. From here hike up the hill and continue on this trail to the stream. Go as far as you like - the trail continues on up into the Joshua tree forest. This hill is a wildflower paradise in the spring!
Left along the aqueduct - you can turn west (right) on a road which will dead-end and leave you a short hike to the waterfall near the cottonwood tree. Continue along the aqueduct road south and east up over the hill to pick up the "new" aqueduct road and contour around the hills to eventually drop down into Indian Wells Canyon. From up on the aqueduct there are fantastic views over the entire Indian Wells Valley!!
No facilities: no drinking water; no shade
Sand Canyon:
*west on Hwy 178, north on Hwy 395 to Brown Road intersection, turn left (west) onto dirt road; go south of the gravel pit works, cross the new (white) aqueduct, stop near the old (black) aqueduct; about 2 miles.
Sand Canyon's little stream usually runs all year, feeding the cottonwood grove and supplying needed water for a wide variety of desert animals. It is a great place to take a picnic any time of the year. Birding is always great along the stream. The area above the second stream crossing is now wilderness area, so you can't drive back there, but you are most welcome to walk the washed out roads anyway and explore. Mountain lion and bear tracks are often seen - watch for these animals!! Back about 2 miles is an old ranch and an old Indian village site near a grove of Foothill (Digger) pines. There are some grinding holes in various rocks.
No facilities; no drinking water unless treated properly; lots of shade! Primitive camping allowed.
Indian Wells Canyon - the southern-most canyon north of Walker Pass - access from south-bound Hwy 14 only, on hill just above Indian Wells Lodge. Road goes back to old corrals, and with 4x4, to a cabin and access to the 2nd class climbing route to Owens Peak.
Grapevine canyon, north of Short and places to investigate too, although the road doesn’t go far as there is private property up there. Mt. Owens Cemetery just behind the locked gate.
Little Lake: North on Hwy 395 about 40 miles
Indians loved it! Private Property today, but sometimes the Museum can arrange tours to see the many petroglyphs on the rocks and cliffs surrounding the lake. It is a major stop-over for migrating water birds - ducks, snow geese, coots, even white pelicans. The lake is spring-fed but there is a man-made dam at the south end that keeps it about 10 feet deep in the center. Note that the cliffs are columnar basalt just like at Devil’s Postpile.
There are a few petroglyphs on the columnar basalt rocks by the Railroad bridge and some grinding holes at the base of them- access from the side road (Old 395) turn left and park in the clearing opposite the cliff rocks. You might be most interested in stopping by the Maturango Museum or USO Building to pick up the Historical Society’s book "Zig Zag Post Office," a history of the Little Lake area, the people who lived there, the post office locations, and more about the making of Little Lake (a dam), moving the train and roads around the marsh that was there, etc.
Fossil Falls:
*north on Hwy 395 past Little Lake; 3 miles north of Little Lake, turn east (right) on dirt Cinder Road just south of "red hill," a volcanic cinder cone and cinder mine- active during the week, watch for large trucks!; watch for BLM sign to turn south (hard right) to Fossil Falls, about another .7 mile with a left turn in there... to the parking lot. Picnic tables, pit toilet. New accurate archeology and geology signs at the beginning of a 1/4 mile trail that takes you to the falls overlook. The trail is obvious, but goes up and down over rocks which house various residents - watch for rattlesnakes when the weather is warm!! At the waterfall - note all the obsidian chips. Native Americans long ago camped along this stream; archaeologists have investigated several sites. There is abundant obsidian here from the source at nearby Sugarloaf mountain to the east. Do not collect arrowheads or obsidian chips!! - leave them where they are as a record of the past for others to see. (besides, it's illegal to collect archeological artifacts of any kind any place!) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fossil_Falls
It’s a total of 80 feet from here to the bottom! It’s now dry of course, but the falls were cut through the basalt basement rocks of the area. The "fossil" part of the falls is that the Owens River used to run through here during Pleistocene times as the glaciers melted and fed the China Lake-Searles Lake system. The waterfall cuts are fascinating - lots of pockets and holes. The rock is solid to climb on, but be careful!! In the winter when we get our rains, the river runs again and there is water falling once again. When the winter rains come and fill the potholes on top, almost transparent fairy shrimp hatch from eggs lying in the dry mud and swim around in their little pools. Their life cycle is all of 6 weeks. This area is very popular with rock climbers. It’s tempting, but dangerous to try to slither down through the holes - and once you’re down there, how do you propose to get back up? The walls are vertical. Rock climbers have proper ropes and techniques, and also need to watch for snakes on ledges!
BLM campsite. Tables, BBQ, pit toilets, water in season. 12 sites among the basalt rocks. Just north of the Falls trail parking lot - watch for signs. Picnic table and pit toilet; no drinking water, no trash collection, camping in designated campground sites, some OK for RV’s.
Little Lake Overlook: follow signs - go past the Fossil Falls turnoff and continue ahead and head east about 3 miles - all the way across the valley to the Power Lines - turn south on Power Line Roads, go 3.1 miles to the sign indicating turn to the parking lot. Walk a short ways to the overlook. !! 2 nice benches, 3 interpretive signs about the area, the birds, the geology. You're on top of the volcanic basalt cliff overlooking the lake. (Don't jump, the lake isn't that deep!) The road is rocky - high clearance best.
Across the way on the Sierra escarpment, you can see the remains of the old Sacatar wagon road coming down from Kennedy Meadows. This road was the main trading route before the highway was put in over Walker Pass. Wagons and cattle were brought to the Owens Valley from the Central Valley by way of this switchback road. Settlers in Kennedy Meadows even drove down that road to Brown and Coso! It is now in wilderness area, but you can hike on it. No facilities, no water. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacatar_Trail_Wilderness
Robbers Roost:
*west on Hwy 178, south on Hwy 14, west on Hwy 178 toward Lake Isabella; at .9 mi, turn south at signed dirt road just across aqueduct bridge, follow signs and "your nose" to the rock outcrop, about 2 miles. Access to the rocks is closed from February through June to allow the raptors peace and quiet during their nesting season.
This is a remnant of Sierra granite all by itself; its name comes from being used by robbers who plagued the stage coaches and freight wagons bearing gold and silver ore on the nearby wagon roads. Today it is the home of many desert animals, including the very dangerous Mojave Green Rattlesnake and nesting great horned and barn owls and prairie falcons. Check with BLM on road and access conditions. Great views of the valley are had from there. It is a nice place for an evening dinner picnic in the summer. It affords great rock climbing opportunities. no facilities, no water http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robber%27s_Roost_(Kern_County,_California)
Red Rock Canyon State Park:
*south on Hwy 14 about 20 miles, 35 miles from Ridgecrest. Elev. around 3000 ft.
Greatly enlarged by the California Desert Protection Act, Red Rock Canyon is a huge area of lovely colors to explore on foot or by auto. There are some 4x4 roads to explore, and OHV areas are on either side of the park. Stop by the Visitor Center at the former "Ricardo" site where there is the nice campground.Visitor center open weekends. Evening campfire programs spring and fall weekends. The Visitor Center has displays, books, maps and lots of information about the many trails in the park. Hike Haugen Canyon. Visit "the red cliffs," the most famous area of the park - these cliffs show up in many commercials, movies, etc.
In your explorations, watch for rattlesnakes - sidewinders and Mojave rattlesnakes live here too!! (as well as many nonpoisonous snakes)
On the east side of Hwy 14 is the Holley Ash Mine, the Dutch Cleanser Mine, Bickel Camp, and a 4x4 road down Last Chance Canyon - all are in RRCSP. Many roads in the park require 4x4 due to steep grades or soft sand. Campground with 50 sites, tables, drinking water, toilets, $25 per night; no gas - nearest is in Mojave or Ridgecrest. Cell phones will NOT work anywhere around RRCSP and there is no pay phone. http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=631
BLM Jawbone Station Regional OHV Facility Visitor Center - open every day 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. right at Jawbone Canyon turnoff. Lots of info, maps, friendly people to answer questions. Water, Toilet. (Jawbone Canyon store is open - in a trailer- they rent ATV's, and have expensive gas. Best to get gas and groceries in Mojave or Ridgecrest.)
Jawbone Canyon is an OHV open area. http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/ridgecrest/jawbone_open_area.html
Dove Springs OHV area is just north of Red Rock Canyon. Another open play/open camping OHV area.
If you wandering around in this area, you might want to investigate some of the old wagon road traces that are still left much as they were in the 1900's and visit the sites of some of the stage stops. There's a site north of Red Rock Canyon State Park, one near the crossing of the aqueduct on the way to Robber's Roost, one just north of the Indian Wells Lodge. You'll need to stop by the Maturango Museum or Historic USO Building and pick up the Historical Society’s book "Indian Wells Valley Stage and Wagon Stops" to guide you. It has great pictures of what used to be there, directions, maps, etc. Leave any artifacts you see for others to enjoy as well. http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/ridgecrest/dovesprings_ohv_area.html
South and East of Ridgecrest
Rademacher Hills south of Ridgecrest above Cerro Coso College
Head toward the hills on any number of roads - Downs, College Heights Blvd, Sunland, Richmond, etc.
There are trails on the ridge east of the college; there are many, many roads and some motorcycle trails all through the hills, but it’s a “limited use area” - wheeled vehicles must stay on existing roads. There are plenty! Some dead end in canyons, some go to the top of the ridge and east, south, and west from there. It’s easy to get lost up there! Mountain biking paradise! Watch for horses as the locals often do endurance rides up there. No facilities, no camping, no water, no shade. Sometimes cells phones work when you can see Ridgecrest... http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/ridgecrest/rademacher.html
BLM Wild Horse and Burro facility
east on Hwy 178 - right turn right at the top of the hill above town at the sign .2 mi; there is a dirt road around the corrals; horses seem to be on the east side, burros on the west side.
The government has decided that there are too many non-native wild mustangs and burros, all left over from mining days 100 years ago, roaming BLM lands. They are eating forage that the native animals, particularly mountain sheep, would be eating, and they foul up water holes that are needed by quail and tortoises. So several times a year BLM folks, often with helicopters, round up stray burros and horses and bring them to this facility. Your tax dollars pay for the round up, and then the feeding of these animals. They are all available for adoption! If you see a furry friend you’d like to take home with you, talk to the folks at the Fire Station. There is a fee and some regulations, but these animals all tame down well and make great pets! Take a bag of carrots up there and make some new friends. They’re quite used to humans now.
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/ridgecrest/whb.html
Wagon Wheel and Spangler Hills Open OHV Area
East on Hwy 178 to the “Trona-Red Mountain Road” in Salt Wells - go uphill until you see the open OHV area and Wagon Wheel boulder fields. Primitive camping allowed, all types of wheeled vehicles allowed. No water, one pit toilet, no shade, no trash pickup - take your own with you! http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/ridgecrest/spangler.html
Garlock, Mesquite Canyon, Burro Schmidt's Tunnel, Bullion Trail, etc.:
*south on 395, west on the "Garlock cutoff" to Garlock. To reach Burro Schmidt's tunnel, head west from Garlock about 2 miles and look for a marked white barrel where you turn right. Follow "EP 100" signs. The road to the tunnel turns south at the sign. A trip up into the hills brings you to Burro Schmidt's tunnel. Miner Schmidt hand dug a ½ mile-long tunnel right through the mountain - the view south into the Fremont Valley and Koehn dry lake is spectacular!! Usually you can do this with 2wd high clearance and good tires but be sure to stay on roads marked EP 100. The washes have deep sand which require 4x4, but you shouldn’t be getting into washes to get to the tunnel. Take a flashlight. The tunnel is solid and quite safe to walk through. Unfortunately the interesting people who used to live there are there no more, and the quaint little cabin is not in good shape. http://www.burroschmidttunnel.org/
A side trip to Bickel Camp is in order if you have high clearance and 4x4 is needed due to soft sand in the washes. Check their website, http://www.bickelcamp.org/ and BLM maps for directions. It's a wonderful collection of innovative machines and mining tools, a unique home - just an interesting place of a real gold miner!
You can access Bickel Camp and the Holly Ash mines from Hwy 14 as well - watch carefully for the signs to Burro Schmidt’s Tunnel, turn east, and then be careful to not get into trouble on those remote roads! These and Last Chance Canyon are now in Red Rock Canyon State Park.
Other roads in the hills can get quite rough. BLM is developing a series of interpretive signs and road numbers to connect various of the mining camps in the El Pasos and neighborhood - go get a map so you know what roads to take. Ask them which require 4x4!!
Garlock was the headquarters for miners in the Rand District and the hills behind Garlock for quite some time because there was good water nearby at the Tamarisk trees. When water was piped to Randsburg from the "steam wells" NE of Red Mountain, the buildings and people of Garlock just moved up the hill! A few interesting buildings remain, but some of the land is private property - respect the fences!! A historical marker tells interesting tales of this little town.
Unfortunately the school is falling down, and the ex-brothel is being torn apart by vandals and the weather.
Ask BLM office in Ridgecrest about the "Bullion Trail" project they are working on to sign and connect some of the interesting mining claims and sites in the El Paso mountains. They have maps and directions. Some requires 4x4, most not, just high clearance.
No facilities, no water, no gas, no shade.
Randsburg/Rand Mining District:
*south on Hwy 395 about 20 miles, turn right one mile to the town of Randsburg
Recently celebrated the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Rand Mining District, Randsburg hasn't changed much. Old buildings along the main street are full of charm and interesting things, antiques, even an old marble saloon bar and soda fountain in the General Store. Some of these buildings were moved up the hill long ago from Garlock when gold was discovered in the Yellow Aster. The mine has always been a rich source of gold but it has been shut down because it's just too expensive to remove the overburden. There's still a lot of gold there! The Museum is open on weekends and has a fine collection of mining era relics and photos. Visit the 5 stamp mill behind the building and picnic area. The nearby communities of Johannesburg and Red Mountain are of the same vintage. Interesting stores, bars, hotels are still standing. Both limited strip mining and underground mining take place today in the area.
Johannesburg grew up as a townsite to support the mining, and the Randsburg Railroad from Kramer Junction ended here. Drive uphill and visit the interesting cemetery near the King Mine. http://www.maturango.org/Hist/RandRail.html
Red Mountain also has a colorful past history with the Kelley Silver mine and many other mines, some still active today. Red Mountain is in San Bernardino County, Randsburg in Kern County - and they were connected by tunnels - when the Sheriff came, illicit activities and folks just went to the other county, underground!! :-)
Atolia Mining District has tungsten which was much needed during WWII. There are still some relics of the mining era here, but all the property is private, including the huge headframe west of Hwy 395.
http://vredenburgh.org/mining_history/pages/west_mojave_desert.htm#ATOLIA
Be careful when you explore!! Respect private area signs. The Kelly Mine area and all of Atolia tungsten mine areas are private and the new owners really don't want you there at all. Beware open mine shafts!!
Trona Pinnacles Natural Landmark:
*east on Hwy 178 about 20 miles, south on signed dirt road 5 miles: caution - don't go if it has just rained!! The whole place turns to a quagmire!!
These strange formations are actually tufa towers just like those of Mono Lake, only these are bigger and thicker. Tufa forms underwater from a reaction of a fresh water calcium-laden spring coming up from earthquake faults (the end of the Garlock fault system) and mixing with the carbonates of the Pleistocene lake waters with the help of precipitating blue-green algae. As you drive out to the towers, note the "bathtub rings" all around the valley from the ancient Searles Lake which was over 600 feet deep as the glaciers melted from the last "ice age" in the Sierra, some 25,000 years ago. This is when the tufa formed. The 500 strange calcium carbonate towers are quite delicate, some 140 feet tall - please don't climb on them!! They can't be replaced. The whole area is open for exploration - just don't get stuck. Better to walk around than to drive... Take pictures at low light, dawn or dusk. Movie companies use the area a lot!! Star Trek has filmed here several times. A bunch of recent vehicle advertisements have been filmed there!
one pit toilet, no water, no shade. http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/ridgecrest/trona.html
Trona/Searles Lake:
*east on Hwy 178 about 25 miles; elev 1659 ft.
Searles Valley Chemical Company is the main presence in this conglomeration of West End, Argus, Trona and Pioneer Point. Once a year in October, usually Columbus Day weekend, the Searles Valley Gem and Mineral Society holds their annual show with lake tours for hanksite crystals, and the plant is open to tours. The Trona Historical Society has a small museum open on weekends. www1.iwvisp.com/svhs/ Searles Lake is partly owned by SVC and partly by BLM. It is incredibly rich in many minerals which were deposited over the eons by continual erosion and deposition from the mountains. Borax and related chemicals are extracted from the mile-deep sediments. The lake brine is mixed with carbon dioxide at the Argus plant and soda ash is produced. It is used extensively in the production of glassware. The Trona plant boils the brine to extract potash, used in fertilizers, and borax products. The Westend plant produces boric acid and other sodium sulfate products. These products are shipped all over the world by way of daily trucks and the Trona railroad. The huge coal-fired cogeneration plant produces steam for the plants but also a whole lot of electricity to add to "the grid."
Gas (sometimes), stores, restaurants, rest stop with nice bathrooms. http://www.trona-ca.com/
http://www1.iwvisp.com/svhs/SVTimeLine.htm A history of the activities in the Searles Valley, mineral explorations, etc.
On your way there - the white mud hills in Poison Canyon near "fish rocks" have Pleistocene fossil snails and clams in them from when this whole area was underwater during the last ice ages. They're small, 5-8 mm, white, fragile, but 20,000 years old! Stop and have a look!!
Hwy 178 ends at the Pinnacles road officially, but the road continues through Trona, over the Slate Range and into Panamint Valley and on to Death Valley, Panamint Springs Resort, Hwy 190 - Olancha to Death Valley, Darwin Falls, etc.