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The Mojave Desert Tour

Spanning a vast area of Southeastern California, the Mojave Desert is home to several major parks and other off-the-beaten-path sights. In its own right, this Desert is full of life and incredible sights, with views as far as the eye can see.

During the cooler months between October and April, this area is a perfect getaway for a weekend trip or a week-long warm-up. Bottoming-out at an elevation of 282 feet below Sea Level in Badwater, Death Valley National Park, the Mojave Desert generally lies between 2000-4000 feet above Sea Level, giving warmer temperatures during the cooler months of the year. Higher elevations can see cold temperatures and snow during winter months, while the lower elevations - especially those found in Death Valley - can easily reach 120°F during the summer months.

This Tour is designed to give travelers some information about this underrated region of the United States and some ideas for a trip itinerary. The outline below assumes a North to South plan, starting in the northern part of Death Valley National Park and ending at the South Entrance of Joshua Tree National Park, with points of interest between.

Death Valley National Park

Death Valley National Park is located in the Northern Mojave Desert, approximately 2 hours (112 miles) west of Las Vegas, Nevada, the closest major city in the region. The Park covers an area of 3.3 million acres, making it one of the largest parks in the Lower 48 United States and providing a large area for exploration and discovery, both on foot and by vehicle. For more details about this Park, plus more places to visit, check out the Death Valley National Park page on this site.

Ubehebe crater

Located at the northern end of Death Valley, Ubehebe Crater is a natural landmark in the park - the largest volcano cone located within the park's boundary. Parking is along the eastern rim of the crater, giving easy access to this feature for anyone.

For those with more time to spend, there is a cinder trail along the circumference of the crater, giving a variety of views of this feature, plus access to a few smaller craters to the southwest. Total distance around Ubehebe is XXX miles, with an elevation gain of XXX feet over the entire length of the trail. There is no shade along this route, so plan to do this trail during the cooler morning or evening hours.

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes

Info about dunes here.

Furnace Creek Visitor Center

Info about VC here.

Zabriskie Point

Perhaps one of the most recognizable locations in Death Valley, Zabriskie Point is a highly-popular short hike just minutes east of Furnace Creek.

For first-time visitors, this viewpoint gives you an initial taste of the Mojave Desert and Death Valley with its arid climate and painted hillsides, giving way to a panoramic view of the Valley below.

Dantes View

Info about Dantes View here.

Natural Bridge

Info about Natural Bridge hike here.

Badwater

Info about Badwater Basin here.

Ashford Mill Ruins

Info about Ashford Mill ruins here.

Baker, California

World's Tallest Thermometer

Info about Thermometer here.

Mojave National Preserve

The Mojave National Preserve is bordered on the north and south by Interstate 15 and 40 and covers an area of 1.6 million acres, giving backcountry adventurers plenty of room to explore on foot or by 4x4, including the Mojave Trail. A less-travelled park, chances are low you will encounter other travelers once you are off the main thoroughfare. Be mindful, however, of the endangered Desert Tortoise that may be on the road - go posted speed limits and keep an eye on the road ahead. For more details about this Park, plus more places to visit, check out the Mojave National Preserve page on this site.

Zzyzx

Info about Zzyzx goes here.

Kelso Depot & Visitor Center

Info about Depot goes here.

Cima dome & Teutonia Peak

Info about Cima goes here.

Kelso Dunes

Info about the Dunes goes here.

Historic Route 66

Passing through the southern entrance of Mojave National Preserve and crossing under Interstate 40, the long, straight downhill decent on Kelbaker Road ends at the Historic Route 66. Both these roads pass through a newly-established monument called "Mojave Trails National Monument". Although no visitor center or info about this park exists along the road, a search online will give info about it if there is an interest in exploring this area.

If you want to cover a greater distance of the Mother Road, turn left here and head east toward Essex and turn around to continue this journey. Otherwise, turn right onto west Route 66. There will be a few locations along this stretch of highway with the famous Route 66 emblem painted on the roadway. Use courtesy when pulling off the road to photograph these emblems and watch out for traffic passing through.

Amboy, California

Amboy is one of the most recognized stops along Route 66 with its famous Roy's sign out front of a 60s-era gas station and simplistic motel layout. Several movies have included it in their locations, both in real-life and animated form. Although not much there, it is well worth the stop to refuel (although quite expensive), grab a drink, take a few shots, and mail a postcard before moving on.

Roy's at amboy

Info about Roy's here.

Amboy Crater

Info about Amboy Crater goes here.

Joshua Tree National Park

One of the most populated parks in the United States, Joshua Tree covers 790,636 acres of desert lands, bridging both the Mojave and Colorado Deserts. Generally, this park is higher in elevation than most of the Mojave parks, making it a better place to visit if the temperatures start to increase in the lower areas surrounding it. Due to its proximity to Palm Springs and Coachella in the Coachella Valley to its southwest, and only a couple hours from Los Angeles via Interstate 10 to its west, this park can be quite busy during peak times of year, including Spring Break and Summer Vacation seasons. For more details about this Park, plus more places to visit, check out the Joshua Tree National Park page on this site.