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    Amboy Crater

    4.4 (30 reviews)

    Amboy Crater Photos

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    Beautiful shady place to rest near super clean bathrooms.
    Janet J.

    I have long needed to find a safe place to stop and rest in the middle of my frequent commutes between Beaumont and Needles. This is the perfect place, with clean air, shaded tables and spotless outdoor toilets. Be sure to bring your own water for washing and for drinking and a sun hat.

    Crater
    Joan R.

    This was a super cool stop on our way to Death Valley from Joshua Tree. We didn't have time to hike to the crater but it was interesting to read about the history.

    Ready to Hike ‍
    Theresa Renee W.

    Always searching for Adventure this hike was highly planned the excitement of a new place to hike, history, the Deserted Desert... I Planned this hike as the weather was going to be great ! After stopping by a road side attraction and speaking with the owner of all the tails of high school children who use to play inside the Amboy Crater and at times would ignite a fire to give those the impression the Volcano was active. She had me intrigued and I could not wait. I went durning the month of October weather was in late 70's. There was only one other couple out there the day I went hiking. Always let someone know your location. Service for cell highly varies with carrier. Huge alert ! Interesting hiking thru a once active Volcano some 10,000 years ago ! , be careful rocks are sharp, one wrong step and injury can happen. The hike itself is 4.1-mile out-and-back trail. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 1 h 38 min to complete. The best times to visit this trail are September through February. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash. There are picnic tables, restroom facilities, hiking trail to the rim with rest stations along the way, and an ADA ramada overlook for viewing. Amboy Crater was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1973 and is recognized for its visual and geological significance. Definitely worth it; exhilarating views from the rim! Amboy is a little bit out of the way (south of Mojave National Preserve and north of Joshua Tree National Park) as there is nowhere really close to stay unless you are camping, but I think it is absolutely worth visiting if you are in the area.

    Amboy Crater
    Mark G.

    If you're not in a hurry to get to Laughlin and heading down Interstate 40 get off at the Ludlow exit and head to Amboy crater. Driving to my home in Bullhead City I decided to stop at Amboy crater. I hiked inside the crater about 25 years ago and had not been back since. They have really improved the road leading to the crater's hiking trail. It's now paved with a parking lot, bathrooms and a nice covered observation deck. I walked with my dog Frankie to the deck. One gets a nice view on the crater and surrounding lava flow. Well worth the stop and it brought back memories of when I hiked up and inside the crater 25 years ago with my brother.

    Located on Route 66
    Michelle R.

    If you're in Joshua Tree, take the south exit and swing a left on Route 66 to make your way to Amboy Crater. There is a ghost town of Amboy is about a mile east from this Crater, so stop at Roy's Motel and Cafe if you need water and snacks... or gas! Check their hours: https://www.yelp.com/biz/roys-motel-and-cafe-amboy?uid=cKJ0r01eF7E-tYp2FQOyRA&utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct) The Crater trail is about 4 miles round trip. The place is surrounded by the lava that erupted from the volcano around 10,000 years ago. It's quite desolate, and I wouldn't venture out during the summer, as there's no shade. We took a photo from the covered picnic area, overlooking the trail leading to the Crater. It's 97 degrees and we passed on the hike. There are toilets that was quite decent, but no running water so bring sanitizer or wipes. I would probably take the suggestion of Sam W and come back for the stars. I bet it's lovely.

    ThomaS T.

    Really cool spot to hike. Nothing but desert surrounding the crater. We went on 10/14/22. It was very very hot (96f) at the site. Come prepared with electrolyte drinks and enough water. There's a restroom with no sink. Easy safe hike. Wear shoes that can withstand rocks.

    Trail
    Emily B.

    Great! I suggest going on a cool cloudy day because the walk takes about an hour and a half to get to the crater. It's a almost flat nice windy trail. Had lunch inside the crater. It was a harder trek to get into the crater and if you want to climb the rim. I suggest hiking shoes! Overall took about 3-3.5 hours to visit. Two adults and a 2 year old made it. I suggest bringing an ergo or carrier for the way back.

    Ed T.

    Another unique hike; this one involving volcanic rocks and a crater. The trail was easy to follow and consists of sand and rocks. To get to the rim of the crater, you will need to climb up some very steep inclines. Be careful though because the ground has many loose rocks. In addition, it was very windy out there! Total should be around ~4 miles. The views were okay, not great compared to many other hikes. However, it was something different so I found that interesting.

    The sign at the entrance.
    Norm K.

    My visit to Amboy Crater was 12 years ago. This was on my to do list and I got one of my buddies and we drove from Las Vegas to explore the crater. In the parking lot, we talked with a couple who had a crate with 5 Mojave green rattle snakes they had caught and were taking to sell. Watch your feet as you walk around. Enjoy the sights, but be aware that you may have critters near you that you'd rather not meet. From the parking area, it's a short hike to the crater. The route to the rim is evident and over the years more than one has been created. Once on the rim, I suggest you walk around the top of the rim and enjoy the view in all directions. The hardened lava flows are very interesting. After walking the rim, I'd walk down one of the paths to the bottom and see the depth and enjoy looking up. Be aware that you're close to the Marine base at Twentynine Palms and not too far from the crater, the military land begins. There used to be signs warning people not to hike beyond the signs as there might be unexploded ordinance. After you return to the parking area, there are covered picnic tables.

    Passing a tree of shoes on National Trails Hwy with the crater in the background
    Paul L.

    Amboy Crater, a national natural landmark, is halfway between Barstow and Needles on National Trails Highway, a lonely road that parallels Interstate 40 to the north. If you've driven to Joshua Tree National Park from I-40, you've surely seen Amboy Crater. Indeed, I had seen Amboy Crater many times but I didn't stop until I saw a sea of bright yellow and purple flowers surrounding the crater one Spring morning. It was a beautiful sight at that time of year and the comfortable temperatures encouraged a hike, so I took the opportunity to stop and make my way to the crater. I've driven by a few other craters, but Amboy Crater has a regal bearing. Perhaps, it's the symmetry of its crown-like cone or the surrounding landscape -- I'm not really sure -- but it does demand attention. The blooming colors of the springtime flowers only add to the presence of this little kingdom. Yes, you can hike up to the cone and walk about in the rocky and grassy bowl. There's not much to see inside, but how many people can say that they've been in an old volcano?

    Looking to the northeast from the crater trail.
    Jane A.

    We impulsively decided to take advantage of the (rare?) bloom here to hike to the crater--who knows when there'll be golden flowers glowing against all that black ground again? We arrived in late afternoon (after a sound bath at the Integratron), too late to hike up the side of the crater and inside (needed to get back to civilization that evening). Guys younger and fitter than us who passed us on their way back said the climb up is really steep, with loose rock and nothing to hold onto. Since I'd already managed to twist my ankle on a loose rock on the trail, we didn't attempt it. It was really pretty there, with lots of flowers, views across the Mohave of distant mountains, and some impressive raincloud formations to the southwest. Glad we went.

    I took this shot of the Orion Nebula with my iPhone and a simple telescope from Amboy
    Brandon F.

    While everyone focuses on the day hike and Crater, I'm going to review the most overlooked part of Amboy Crater: the night sky. Amboy Crater boasts the darkest night sky with pavement, bathrooms, and nearby water and coffee (at Roys, 2 miles away) in all of California. There are darker skies, slightly, in Trilobite Wilderness, Walker's Pass, and the far northern end of the state, but none have the amenities, the utter silence (spare the BNSF train), the accessibility of Amboy. Think your sky over Mt Pinos is darker? Wrong. Think Joshua Tree is dark? Amboy is far darker. The Milky Way in Summer is so bright, you can walk and read by it. The Perseid meteor shower is incredible. Don't waste your time going to see the full moon, either. Wait for the moonless nights, and get your astronomical kicks on Route 66

    Trail leading to the crater.
    Ryan G.

    If you're young and in any sort of shape, this hike is easy. But for me it wasn't about the actual hike. You start off in a nicely kept parking lot with bathroom pits, but no sinks. The trail is littered with some sort of porous volcanic rock, and the path can get a little sandy. If you follow the trail heads at a solid pace you can reach the crater base in around 30 minutes. The trail runs along to the back of the crater where a slightly vertical path begins, but nothing too rough. Just be careful of slipping rocks into people behind you. All at once after a quick climb, the inside of the crater opens up to you in its majestic form. You will be at the only opening, and there are several ways to get to the crater rim. There was a large group at the nearest path, and since the missus and I wanted a panoramic, we went for a farther path. Inside are two pieces of solid ground atypical from the rest of the trails, where people have spelled things out with rock. We got to the path to the top, and ascended carefully. Some of it gets pretty slanted, I'll be honest. Once at the top, it was breathtaking. You can see everything around you, Amboy in the distance, and a silent feeling of peace. I set up the camera for the shots, and left feeling satisfied. From parking to leaving we were there for about 1 hour, 30 minutes. Bring sunblock and water. Don't be a fool.

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    Ask the Community - Amboy Crater

    Review Highlights - Amboy Crater

    Worth the drive and worth the hike around and up the back of the crater, around the rim and down to the bottom.

    Mentioned in 8 reviews

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    Hole-in-the-Wall Rings Trail - So many unique rock windows in the desert

    Hole-in-the-Wall Rings Trail

    4.7(7 reviews)
    41.3 mi

    I love being impulsive and waking up to go adventuring. My man and I woke up on a Friday morning…read moreand decided we were going out to the Mojave Desert to see the lave tube and hike this very short but interesting trail. We did this trail a couple years ago and I just had failed to review so here we go. It's easy to find and the trail is approximately 1.4 miles with an elevation gain of 131 feet. The trail is a complete loop. What makes this trail fun and unusual is at the end in order to leave the narrrow canyon, you must use rings that are bolted into the wall to climb out. You can also descend the canyon with the rings but climbing up and out was much more challenging and rewarding. It helps to be in good shape as you will need to be strong enough to pull your body up through the canyon via the rings. The canyon you hike into is so incredible and so many different rock formations. I loved all the rocks with holes as you could hear the wind blowing through them. Plus there are so many petroglyphs along the way. Lots of photo opportunities and I highly recommend exploring this trail when you are looking to hike a one of kind trail. Plenty of parking and be sure to where solid trail shoes or hiking boots. Remember to pack in and out and LEAVE NO TRACE.

    Absolutely gorgeous trail. It passes by wind-worn caves and a petroglyph, and ends at a set of…read moresteel rings for you to climb up (or down, depending on how you traverse the loop). I've never hiked such a unique trail before! The visitor center is also near by and has a gift shop, water, flush toilets, and a nice ranger stationed there who can provide more information about the area and advice. The center is very small so there aren't as many displays to educate you about the surrounding area compared to other visitor centers, but that's ok as you'll probably be itching to go outside and take in the views.

    Photos
    Hole-in-the-Wall Rings Trail - Coming around the bend and into the canyon where all the fun is.

    Coming around the bend and into the canyon where all the fun is.

    Hole-in-the-Wall Rings Trail
    Hole-in-the-Wall Rings Trail

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    Mojave Lava Tubes - View of the tube from on top

    Mojave Lava Tubes

    4.7(23 reviews)
    46.5 mi

    I can't believe I forgot to review this crazy adventure from a couple years ago…read more I have visited the lava tubes in Hawaii and when I found out we had one in the middle of the desert I knew I would have to come check it out. Post pandemic, my husband and I set out on a Saturday morning to find and explore these tubes. From Las Vegas it takes roughly 2.5 hours to get there. Driving the I15 freeway, take the Kelso Road exit and make a left turn. Drive on this road till you see Aiken Mine Road. Turn here and it will take you to the tubes. Be advised this is a dirt road not maintained so it can be a challenge for a regular vehicle. High clearance vehicles are preferred. Once you arrive and park, you will see the trail that takes you to a ladder that you will climb down to enter the tube. Be careful and watch your head as you descend into the lava tube. It is very easy to hit your head on the overhead rock hanging down. If you hit the tube at just the right time, light will filter through and it's very interesting and unique. Be careful with the dust down there, it is swirling all around from foot traffic. I advise wearing a mask like I did in order to not breathe in bad air. Although not as picturesque as the Hawaiian tubes, it was a fun little adventure to seek out. Remember to follow the principles and Leave No Trace.

    Very cool spot, off the beaten path... and when I say beaten, I mean it -- think bumpy, rocky…read more.. all the things besides smooth lol! This is about a 30 min drive off 15 and then once you turn off the main road, you'll take the unpaved road about 4.5 miles to the lava tubes where you'll then walk about .3 miles or so! Super easy and straightforward to find, worth it but take a look at my tips to understand what to prepare for to make it a great experience! 1. Make sure you have a vehicle that is higher up and can with stand a bumpy road -- it is no joke! 2. Climb all the way down into the lava tube, don't just look from above, otherwise it's not worth the trip. 3. Make sure you have some kind of light source because it's dark and you will bump your head or trip if you can't see. If you only have your phone, highly recommend videoing with the flash on, it is MUCH brighter than just the flashlight. 4. There is minimal to no service so just be prepared for that. 5. The 4.5 mile road to the lava tubes is one wide enough for cars going both ways most of the time, but there are times it's really a one lane road, so be aware of who is coming at you from afar and use the pull offs if needed. 6. Optimal lighting in the tube is between 10-2. Think peak sun time. This is slightly dependent on the season as it could fluctuate a bit, but ultimately that's the best time! Hopefully my review and tips help you have a great adventure at the lava tubes! Enjoy!

    Photos
    Mojave Lava Tubes
    Mojave Lava Tubes - Entrance with staircase

    Entrance with staircase

    Mojave Lava Tubes - Unpaved road

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    Unpaved road

    Mitchell Caverns Natural Preserve

    Mitchell Caverns Natural Preserve

    4.4(27 reviews)
    31.6 mi

    I've been on a LOT of tours in a LOT of places around the world, and Willy is in my top 10! The…read morecaverns are pretty cool, but Willy's knowledge, humor, pacing, and care made this a five-star experience. Our group ranged in age from tween to 60s and everyone was engaged for two hours. I'm a California Naturalist with high standards and Willy knows his stuff! As a native Californian I especially loved knowing he's local, young, and a former CCC "graduate". His contributions and energy are why these government programs are so important. Must see if you're visiting the area, but be warned -- you need reservations and these fill up weeks ahead of time. The paved road, nature center, views, and well-organized everything made this a real treat!

    Tours are offered on Friday-Sunday and Holiday Mondays at 11am and 2pm from October to May. In June…read moreand September, tours are on the same days but only at 10am. Reservations are highly recommended, as tour size is limited to approximately 12 people; and reservations are only taken via phone on Mondays between 8am-5pm. Cost is $10 per adult 17+ and parking is $10, payable at the visitors center upon arrival for the tour. The tour itself takes approximately 2 hours, and is about 1.5 mile round trip. It may feel strenuous for some people walking back up to the parking area from the caverns. Our guide was very knowledgeable and informative. I recommend bringing food and drinks to eat before or after the tour, as none is available. Also, leave your bags/belongings in the car. You will be asked to put these items at the entrance of the caverns, including water bottles.

    Photos
    Mitchell Caverns Natural Preserve
    Mitchell Caverns Natural Preserve
    Mitchell Caverns Natural Preserve

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    Arch Rock - Arch Rock

    Arch Rock

    4.9(28 reviews)
    40.5 mi

    Seemingly short but a pretty far walk from the parking lot. Once you get to the Arch rock trail…read moreit's 1.4 miles and winds through some great rock formations, all of which you can scramble on. Our favorite parts were all the "off-trail" moments where you could get up and close with the desert. In summer it's recommended to do this trail before 10 am, it gets hot even in Spring! It was by far the hottest we were because of the long walk from parking with no shade at all. I believe the elevation is lower here so it felt warmer than the other Joshua Tree hikes. The iconic stops are whale rock, heart rock, and the large arch near the beginning of the trail. I'm not sure what it was but there is also a cliff you can walk to the edge of and there is some great rock formations in a canyon. It is popular also if you come too late there will be no parking, when we left we saw people walking from pretty far to get here since the parking lot was full.

    Well Coming to Joshua Tree National Park and trying to hit up all the beautiful spots in This park…read moreso Arch Rock is one of them and we had to see what this rock was all about !! It's a good hike to the rock and not hard at all !! It's all flat land with a lot of sand and Gravel but you will enjoy it !! We parked and walk about a mile and a half and you will reach this beautiful Rock . We got to the top of the rock and it makes beautiful pictures and under the Arch of the rock it looks cool and we of course took a lot of pictures here !! Just remember to bring a lot of water and some snacks you might need it . Because we did and you can sit on the rock and enjoy the amazing Views here . I highly recommend you check it out it is amazing and we had a lot of fun here .

    Photos
    Arch Rock - Arch rock

    Arch rock

    Arch Rock - Heart rock

    Heart rock

    Arch Rock - Arch rock

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    Arch rock

    Ludlow - Ghost Town - Ludlow - a mecca for abandoned cars!

    Ludlow - Ghost Town

    4.1(7 reviews)
    24.3 mi

    If you are on the 40 hwy stop at this little town which is all but ruins! 2 gas stations one on…read moreeach side of the freeway, both selling gas at 6.59 gallon!

    About 52 miles east of Barstow, California on the I-40 you'll run across an old town called Ludlow…read more Don't blink or you'll miss it. Pulling off the freeway into Ludlow you'll immediately see there aren't many active businesses left. There's a gas station, a cafe and a small motel. That's it. Less than a half a mile behind this thriving metropolis you'll find quite an assortment of ruins. The town was formed in 1883 originally as a water stop for the railroad. Ore was found in the nearby hills and Ludlow was off and runnin. The town was doing well until the 1940s when the railway activity and the mining sort of dried up. The town survived by catering to travelers along old Route 66. I-40 was built in the 60s and now people were able to blow by the town at highway speeds never giving it a look. It was around that time most of the residents started to move on to greener pastures. The building behind me was built in 1908, Most of the other side of the building is in ruins due to a earthquake that hit the area in 2000. Apparently this use to be the general store for the community. Now days there's a handful of residents that call Ludlow home. The morning I visited there wasn't a soul to be found. Wandering around old abandoned places such as this always makes me wonder what they were like in their heyday. Years ago this town boasted a population of around 600 people. If you're a fan of picturesque old buildings Ludlow is definitely worth pulling off the highway for.

    Photos
    Ludlow - Ghost Town - Abandoned cars decaying in the hot desert sun.

    Abandoned cars decaying in the hot desert sun.

    Ludlow - Ghost Town - Old mining building...

    Old mining building...

    Ludlow - Ghost Town

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    Amboy Crater - hiking - Updated May 2026

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