We are visiting a friend who works in Ridgecrest, unable to stay on China Lake RV park, Bertrands…read morewas recommended. Very simple, all level sites, most are dirt. They're very wide, a couple trees, $30 a night for 50 amp full hookup. Would definitely stay again if ever in the area. They do not take reservations, first come, first served.

So this place is called Sierra Vista which is kind of funny because we live in Sierra Vista…read moreArizona but I'm from Lone Pine going up to the reunion so we stayed one night here which is a great deal for military $35 a night or so they had a nice restrooms and showers and places to cook your food and entertainment and entertainment they also have a bowling alley on the base and gas, a commissary And a place to eat

Traveling home wanted to check out a few rv parks. We discovered this place is actually on the…read morenaval base. We explained to the guard we were just checking the rv park out. The guard wasn't sure we could stay there because my husband isn't retired military so our adventure began. Found the park. It is nice and someplace we would stay. Caution! After getting lost on the base and our encounter with a different guard station we finally found where to go to get a base permit. So, unless you are active military or retired you can't stay here.

Comfortable and clean accommodations in a cool historic motosport friendly town. Nice surprise…read morewhen things are better than expected. Met the owners, Dan and Craig, couple real nice guys who are all about the customer experience. Can't recommend enough.

Excellent hotel. 5 stars all around. The staff and owners are incredible. Dirt biked like crazy up…read moreand down the trails then ride back and enjoy the charming accommodations. The cottage saved my marriage!

If you are attending Gem-O-Rama in Trona California this is the place to stay. Most people do,…read moreusually you'll be amongst several hundred other campers. Located about 5 miles north along 178 this wee campground is dry desolate and parched. But it's the desert!!!!! For only $5 we were able to pitch our tent anywhere in the overflow parking lot. We arrived at night, around 8:30pm and a super friendly and nice sheriff something (I couldn't really read the patch well) chatted with us and registered our vehicle. After setting up our tent, we went in search of the bathrooms, and noticed that they have a swing set, an empty area where once a pool was, there are restrooms and portable toilets, fresh water at 3 faucets, an outdoor shower to wash the salt and mud off after field trips, and a trash receptacle. There are also tennis courts where some other camper had set up a projector showing Alvin and the Chipmunks. Kids were running around playing soccer under the fluorescent street lamps but everyone seemed to quiet down around 10pm (which is the quiet time) and I was able to hear coyotes nearby. It got really cold at night, so I recommend bringing extra blankets and dressing warmly. There are only barrel fires allowed here, no ground fires and sadly we didn't have time nor a barrel to have a fire. Literally we walked around for a little while, marveled at the stars and then went to bed having to be up at 6AM to get in line for pancakes and register for our field trip back in town. What I liked about this site, is that they let you set up where you wanted. We were able to find a place as far away from the 100 or so boy scouts as we could. I probably wouldn't camp here under any other circumstances than for Gem-O-Rama. http://www.yelp.com/biz/gem-o-rama-searles-valley But it's perfect for this event!

Pretty decent rest stop in the middle of nowhere. The restrooms are ok not super clean but decent…read more There are plenty of pinic tables and an area for dogs to strech. You will how ever notice the sulfur smell (rotten egg smell) since its next to a plant. There was plenty of TP and hand soap.

Trona Highway Safety Rest Stop is located...wait for it,...... in Trona,California…read more It is a typical rest stop we find in the California desert. This one has shade, a bathroom, and alot of billboard showing the interesting history of Trona, the mining that goes on , and the Searles Valley and lakebed. It can be quite windy, and given its desert location, it has austere landscaping that blend in with the surrounding valley. It is worth a stop to perhaps eat something purchased at the excellent TIS General Store just down the road, stretch you legs, and bone up on the local history

Searles Lake has Borax. For that matter most of the area and its history are essentially the tale…read moreof Borax and other minerals that folks far more heartier than myself came to this area (as well as Death Valley) and braved Dante's Inferno like conditions. The only town, Trona, has a few places to stop and 2 gas stations now and while the prices are high befitting its remote location it's an essential stop. Death Valley is not just a name. It can be brutal for the unprepared so I always stop here and fill up for added safety margin. There are some things to do like the Trona Pinacles etc. Beyond that its JAHM or Just Another Historical Marker

Where do I start!? They may be a small town, family owned and operated business (which I love) but…read morethere is nothing small town about their quality of service and professionalism. My experience with RC1 was seamless from beginning to end. I do EVERYTHING on my cell phone, so the fact that their website is mobile friendly was a huge plus. The website was so detailed and answered every question I had...how often does that happen!? Photos, diagrams, and the rental agreement right at your fingertips. You KNOW what you are getting with RC1. We rented the 2017 Polaris Rzr 4. The availability calendar was right there on the site and I was so stoked to see that the days we wanted were open to book! The cost was SO reasonable and it was so clear that this family really takes pride in their equipment. We had such a great time, and the RZR made all the difference!! For our next trip, we're definitely going to rent one of their Toy Haulers too! I had the chance to check one out when we picked up the RZR and was majorly impressed. So clean, well maintained and I would be 100% confident in its reliability. All the little details of trying to make the most out of your rare time off can be stressful, but not with this company. They have most definitely earned a loyal Customer with me.

A local treat that is on the left side of Highway 178 as you approach Trona, about 2.2 miles before…read morethe dirt road turn-off to Trona Pinnacles. One of the employees at Esparza's Mexican Restaurant (a good place to eat in Trona) said the Fish Rocks have been here for decades, and at one point when they were either cleaned or painted over, someone repainted the faces, and they've been there ever since. Although I don't condone graffiti, I can't help but love how these look, and as they've been embraced by many in Trona, who am I to argue? They sure look really cool. I am a night photographer and took star trails photos of these Fish Rocks a little while ago, so I'm ever so grateful for this great subject matter.

Between Ridgecrest and Trona, there are the Fish Rocks -- an outcropping of stones painted with…read moreeyes and teeth -- in Poison Canyon, not far from the turn-off for the Trona Pinnacles. Some call them the "Whale Rocks," but they're more commonly the "Fish Rocks" or "Fish Head Rocks." Poison Canyon, officially Salt Wells Canyon, was plagued with graffiti (and still is). The Fish Rocks came about some time in the 1930s or '40s (some claim even earlier, 1928) and became a favored landmark with the locals. When the heads were painted over in colors meant to match the pinks and beiges of the natural stone, along with the rest of the graffiti, the people of Ridgecrest and Trona became infuriated with the loss of their bizarre, though beloved Fish Heads. Someone repainted the eyes and teeth about a year later and this time they stuck and became protected. The Fish Heads can be seen off Highway 178. There are a couple dirt road pull-offs on the western side and you can walk right up to them. Though there is some graffiti on the surrounding rocks (a Mercedes sign I'm sure was meant to be peace, for example), but the Fish Heads are pristine. They're pretty trippy in person. The eyes and teeth are only painted on one side -- you only really see them heading northbound, from Ridgecrest to Trona. My boyfriend's dad was saying his friends used to throw beer bottles at them as they drove back to Ridgecrest from the factory in Trona at the end of the day. Back then the highway went right beside them. A dirt road goes right by them, but is broken up into a wash.