Home Destinations USA California Death Valley and Mojave Sights Rainbow Basin National Natural Landmark

Rainbow Basin National Natural Landmark Review

Read our Death Valley and Mojave sights reviews. Or post your own.

All California National Parks

Rainbow Basin National Natural Landmark

Address: Fossil Bed Rd., 3 mi west of Fort Irwin Rd., Barstow, CA | Map It
Phone: 760/252-6000
www.blm.gov/ca/barstow/basin.html

Category: Parks
Location: Barstow

Write a review

Fodor's Review:

So many science-fiction movies set on Mars have been filmed at Rainbow Basin National Natural Landmark, 8 mi north of Barstow, that you may feel like you're visiting the Red Planet. Huge slabs of red, orange, white, and green stone tilt at crazy angles like ships about to capsize; hike the washes, and you'll likely see the fossilized remains of creatures (such as mastodons and bear-dogs), which roamed the basin up to 16 million years ago. You can camp here, at Owl Canyon Campground, on the east side of Rainbow Basin. Part of the drive to the basin is on dirt roads.

Find more sights in Death Valley and Mojave »