40 Best Sights in The Mojave Desert, California

Hopalong Cassidy, Barbara Stanwyck, Roy Rogers, John Wayne—even Robert Downey Jr.—are among the celebrities who have starred in the hundreds of Western films shot in the Alabama Hills and surrounding dusty terrain. This marquee-embellished, 10,000-square-foot museum relates the Hollywood-in-the-desert tale via exhibits and a rollicking 15-minute documentary.

Drive around the area and marvel at the desert vistas, or overnight at one of five pack-in/pack-out campsites. The main attraction, however, is Mitchell Caverns. Access to them is via 1.5-mile round-trip hike and a two-hour, ranger-led tour, during which you'll encounter stalactites, flowstone, stalagmites, and possibly cave-dwelling animals. (Book campsites or cavern tours at  www.reservecalifornia.com.)

Many science-fiction movies set on Mars have been filmed in this area 8 miles north of Barstow. Huge slabs of red, orange, white, and green stone tilt at crazy angles like ships about to capsize, and traces of ancient beasts such as mastodons and bear-dogs, which roamed the basin up to 16 million years ago, have been discovered in its fossil beds. The dirt road around the basin is narrow and bumpy so vehicles with higher clearance are recommended. Rain can quickly turn the road to mud so, at times, only four-wheel-drive vehicles are permitted. Owl Canyon has 22 primitive campsites.

The colorful history of the Rand Mining District during its heyday of 1896 is celebrated in this small museum, with displays that include historical mining photographs, documents, and artifacts. Since the museum is only open weekends (11 am–2 pm) based on volunteer availability, it's best to email ahead regarding a visit. (The phone line is seldom answered.) 

A geological feast for the eyes with its layers of pink, white, red, and brown rock, this remote canyon is also a region of fascinating biological diversity—the ecosystems of the Sierra Nevada, the Mojave Desert, and the Basin Range all converge here. Native American known as the Kawaiisu lived here some 20,000 years ago. Later, Mojave Indians roamed the land for centuries.

From 1863 to 1893, the gold rush lured miners, eventually leading to an infrastructure comprised of a stagecoach station, the Ricardo settlement, and the Red Rock Railroad. You can still see remains of gold and ash mining operations in the park, and more than 150 movies such as Silverado and Jurassic Park have been shot here. For a quiet nature trail a little off the beaten path try the 0.75-mile loop at Red Cliffs Natural Preserve about about ⅓ of a mile off Highway 14, across from the entrance to the Ricardo Campground.

Check out a bit of surviving Americana at this dusty drive-in, where you can watch the latest Hollywood flicks among the Joshua trees and starry night sky. Keep in mind the old-time speakers are no more; sound is tuned in via car radio.

Nestled in the foothills of the Antelope Valley, this enclave is both Benedictine monastery and restful place for both day visitors and those participating in retreats. You can walk the lush tree-lined grounds, which include a shaded pond teeming with ducks and red-eared turtles, or browse the well-stocked gift shop. Ceramic tiles in the image of saints and angels by Father Maur van Doorslaer, a Belgian monk whose work U.S. and Canadian collectors favor, are among the items sold here to help sustain the monastery and its good works.

Fantastic-looking formations of calcium carbonate, known as tufa, were formed underwater along fault lines in the bed of what is now Searles Dry Lake. Some of the more than 500 spires stand as tall as 140 feet, creating a landscape so surreal that it doubled for outer-space terrain in the film Star Trek V. The Pinnacles also served as the backdrop in Planet of the Apes, Battlestar Galactica, and music videos by Rihanna and Lady Gaga. An easy-to-walk ½-mile trail allows you to see the tufa up close, but wear sturdy shoes—tufa cuts like coral. It's located 45 minutes east of Ridgecrest, and the best road to the area can be impassable after a rainstorm.

You can almost hear the murmur of passengers and rhythmic, metal-on-metal clatter as you stroll past the old cabooses, railcars, and engines, such as Sante Fe Number 95, that are on display outside the historic Barstow station housing this museum. Inside, the memorabilia includes a train simulator, rail equipment, a model railroad, items from the depot’s Harvey House days, and period dining-car china from railways around the country.