Places to Explore

• Baker

  The small town of Baker is Death Valley's gateway to the western Mojave. There are several gas stations and restaurants (many of them fast-food outlets), a few motels, and a general store (that for many... (more)

• Barstow

  In 1886, when a subsidiary of the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway began construction of a depot and hotel here, Barstow was born. Today outlet stores, chain restaurants, and motels define the landscape... (more)

• Bishop

  One of the biggest towns along U.S. 395, Bishop has views of the Sierra Nevada and the White and Inyo mountains. First settled by the Northern Paiute Indians, the area was named in 1861 for cattle rancher... (more)

• Cerro Gordo Ghost Town

• Independence

  Named for a military outpost that was established near here in 1862, Independence is small and sleepy. But the town has some wonderful historic buildings and is certainly worth a stop on your way from the... (more)

• Lake Havasu City, AZ

  In summer Angelenos throng to Lake Havasu. This wide spot in the Colorado River, which has backed up behind Parker Dam, is accessed from its eastern shore in Arizona. Here you can swim; zip around on a... (more)

• Lancaster

  Lancaster was founded in 1876, when the Southern Pacific Railroad arrived. Before that it was inhabited by Native American tribes: Kawaiisu, Kitanemuk, Serrano, Tataviam, and Chemehuevi. Descendants of... (more)

• Lone Pine

  Mt. Whitney towers majestically over this tiny community, which supplied nearby gold- and silver-mining outposts in the 1860s. In more recent decades—especially the 1950s and '60s—the town... (more)

• Manzanar National Historic Site

• Mojave National Preserve

  The 1.4 million acres of the Mojave National Preserve hold a surprising abundance of plant and animal life—especially considering their elevation (nearly 8,000 feet in some areas). There are traces... (more)

• Needles

  On Route 66 and the Colorado River, Needles is a decent base for exploring many desert attractions, including Mojave National Preserve. Founded in 1883, the town of Needles, named for the jagged mountain... (more)

• Palmdale

  Before calling itself the aerospace capital of the world, the desert town of Palmdale was an agricultural community. Swiss and German descendants, moving west from Nebraska, settled here in 1886. Most... (more)

• Primm, NV

  Amid the rugged beauty of the Mojave's landscapes, this three-casino cluster is a small-scale substitute for those who are overwhelmed by Las Vegas—or who simply cannot wait to get there. The resorts... (more)

• Red Rock Canyon State Park

• Ridgecrest

  A military town that serves the U.S. Naval Weapons Center to its north, Ridgecrest has dozens of stores, restaurants, and hotels. As you head northeast, it's the last city of any significant size (about... (more)

• Victorville

  At the southwest corner of the Mojave is the sprawling town of Victorville, a town rich in Route 66 heritage. Victorville was named for Santa Fe Railroad pioneer Jacob Nash Victor, who drove the first... (more)