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City of Baker

3.6 (36 reviews)

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Nina B.

I have been thru Baker, CA several times coming back to Las Vegas or going to Northern and Southern California. Three major areas on why you have to pass through Baker, California. First is one of the major rest area stops before heading into Las Vegas which is about an hour and 30 minutes drive depending on traffic or vice versa going on a long road trip. Secondly, its known for UFO sightings and you must visit the Alien Fresh Jerky store. Lastly, city of baker has the world's tallest thermometer which significantly is the record high of 134 degrees back in summer of 1913. Very Hot! A few fast food restaurants and gas stations. Basically, It will take you 10 minutes to go through the city, so take your take time and enjoy the isolation and view of the mountains.

Towering 134 feet, The World's Tallest Thermometer with a backdrop of wispy clouds in the blue sky.
Cristine G.

Yelp 100 Challenge 2017 # 42/100 Because of the now functional World's Largest Thermometer, this city that boasts a collection of stores and restaurants are seeing a lot more foot traffic. At least that's what I think. If you ever get caught not gassing up before leaving LA or LV and you find yourself with an almost empty tank, just to let you know gas prices here are about a $1 to $1.50 more. Yes it's highway robbery. So wise up and before you leave gas -up. It has seen some changes in the four years since my last review but still has room for improvement.

Can you guess the temperature...
Mark D.

Baker is my pit stop town on the way back from Las Vegas. I love that they easy off and easy on freeway access. There are several fast food places as well as some restaurants to choose from. One that is on my list for next time is the Mad Greek, it's always busy. I always look forward to seeing the Baker thermometer tower it's such a historic landmark. The town is very quaint, quiet and so peaceful. People that work here always seem happy...maybe it's the air.

Giant Thermometer
Frank B.

The halfway point between LA & Las Vegas is a small town named Baker. You'll see signs for miles for The Mad Greek littering the freeway for miles , however until you pull off the freeway you'll never understand why on earth you'd ever stop. Baker is really home of a few attractions and one being the worlds largest thermometer which is 134 feet (41 m) and made in 1991. This mammoth thermometer isn't like the one your mother used as a kid, it's the one used on KING KONG. So your fist pit stop is defiantly the Mad Greek for lunch or dinner. You can't miss it since it looks like a Greek Explosion of bad taste and blue & white decorations and erected statues. Across the is a gas station with largest soda pop selection for purchase I've ever encountered. Of coarse you already know about the thermometer but as you drive towards exit well ALIEN JERKY is staring you in the face. I know we're not in Area 51 but darn it sure feels like it. Clark Griswold and Ellen really should have stopped here verse stopping at Cousin Eddy's house or the 2nd largest ball of mud world. Maybe aunt Edna would still be alive had they gave her some Alien Jerky or Greek food. Do yourself a favor it's worth stopping in this town.

The big thermometer in Baker. It's three degrees off from mine inside my car. Theres says 82 and mine says 85
Ron L.

Five stars just for surviving out here in the desert. This place is remarkably amazing perhaps because people have chosen to live out here and work out here at the surrounding businesses. There are some decent restaurants. They have auto repair shops, a local fire station and a county fire department just yards apart. The long road through the city very early in the morning with no cars on it looks like a long drag strip. And as for the historic huge thermometer, I guess generally most of the time, it is pretty accurate. It matches the temperature in my new car. I guess if I lived here, I'd have off road vehicles, motorcycles, and maybe even a personal runway.

Running Man Statue " Start of the Baker to Vegas Police Running Race. 1/2 Mile Hwy127
Jess L.

My Favorite site to visit while in Baker Ca. Short Story: When Businesses close they Often leave behind - Local Historical/Landmarks and Art..... and memories.... The *Stop The Go Mart* (now closed) -- Left Behind the Now Iconic "Running Man Statue" a 6 ft pipe symbol of someone in a "Hurry in a small town. The Statue second location was on HWY 127 by the School zone 25 MPH Sign. Now the "Running Man Statue" is Alive an Well and new home - Located on Hwy 127 and School House st. and is maintained and owned by the Baker Valley Unified School District.

Aliens!!!!
Joyce E.

Way more than I expected. The alien shop was very well done. Lots of better than average food in the town. The thermometer was a little underwhelming but fun to see from the highway, and know we were getting close.

Alien jerky
Scott K.

I usually stop here to stretch my legs a bit when driving from Vegas to wherever I'm going in the people's republic. Basically a main strip through town with several gas and food options. There is Alien Jerky and the world's largest thermometer as points of interest. I also go there to grab lottery tickets sometimes. Gas is $1.67 more here than Vegas. No thank you.

Highway area
Addie G.

When going from Vegas to California, Baker is a semi mid point to stop by and have a quick bite and pump gas. They have the alien beef jerky, a country store, Arby's, Burger King and a Greek place with great gyros, milkshakes and baked goods that I've had before. There's really nothing more but a bonafide rest stop, but it's one I'll continue to come back to.

Janine A.

This is a place to go for a quick stop for gas and food. There's KFC, yogurt, small market, Pizza Hut and subway. The price was quite expensive but I guess they are in the middle of nowhere and the next stop is another 45 minutes or so.

The famous Lucky Lotto store!

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6 years ago

The city of baker is pretty much a huge rest area. Good selection of fast food chains and gasoline stations.

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6 years ago

Hot hot hot hot hot hot hot and what more can I say pretty hot idk why we even need to rate has simi okay food selection

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The halfway point between LA & Las Vegas is a small town named Baker.

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Strawberry Peak Fire Lookout Tower

Strawberry Peak Fire Lookout Tower

5.0(37 reviews)
156.2 km

Strawberry peak fire lookout tower what a wonderful place to visit. They are open daily; keep in…read moremind no smoking and no dogs. There are a few spaces for parking and the gates were opened when I arrived. There are a few flights of stairs so I got to it and I was met upstairs by a volunteer. He gave me a run down of the history (ex: it was named after a strawberry farm owned by a man named Bart) and he even pointed out popular spots off in the distance. Impressive mountainous views on top of the 30 ft tower built in 1934. There are multiple other peak tower lookouts around and best of all it's free--donations are accepted. All in all this was a nice visit and one way to quiet all the noise in nature.

Such an incredible view and fun hike!…read more The hike itself is easy/moderate walking up the road. Definitely a hike that you can do with people of any experience level. There aren't too many cars that go by, but it is good to be mindful of cars that could be going down or driving up in the parts of the street that overlap with some of the residential houses. The hike itself is maybe a mile depending on if you start all the way at the bottom of the road or park a little bit up. When you get to the strawberry Peak fire lookout, you get to go up into the lookout tower. If you are afraid of heights or claustrophobic, this might be a little uncomfortable since you are going up into the little metal lookout and you can feel the wind move the building and see-through the metal slats to the ground. If you can handle it, the views are so worth it! You get to learn about the history of the lookout tower and you get a full 360 view around the mountain. For nature lovers this is a really cool experience. If you are with any small kids, the Rangers also give out little cards and tend to have a fun pin or something for kids. Just make sure to go during hours that they are open. If the tower is closed, you will not be able to go up in it, but you can still see some of the nice view.

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Strawberry Peak Fire Lookout Tower - Lookout tower

Lookout tower

Strawberry Peak Fire Lookout Tower
Strawberry Peak Fire Lookout Tower

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Indian Rock Camp

Indian Rock Camp

4.8(4 reviews)
150.4 km

Great little hike with some shade for the family. Park by the Metate Trailhead sign and cross the…read moreroad to where trail begins. According to AllTrails the hike is called Metate Trail and is approximately 2 miles of fairly flat trails. There are many different trails that links to this so you can extend your hike and go a totally different way. The Indian Rock Camp is only about 1/4 mile into the trail if you take the entrance on the left that says "interpretative." Once you get to the sign you will need to explore the hill for the Rock Camp. Our kids had a blast exploring and looking for acorns to play with. There is also a small hut for the kids to explore. Further down the trail is a small creek and lots more trail to explore. We saw signs of a large herd of deer so if you are quiet you maybe in for a surprise.

Starting at the Rock Camp Forest Service Station a very short trail (maybe a mile) winds through a…read morebeautiful grove of ponderosa pines and soon you will see a sign for the centuries (and maybe millennium) old Serrano Indian rocks that were used to grind acorns into meal for use as food. I love this place because it brings everyone back to reality, letting us know that we were not the first ones here, and we will not be the last. Its a really neat little piece of history in a secluded patch of woods. The trail head is located at 34.287955, -117.212582, just walk east and you'll run into it. I'm pretty sure there is a map and sign there as well.

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Indian Rock Camp
Indian Rock Camp
Indian Rock Camp

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Integratron

Integratron

4.2(251 reviews)
111.6 km

Absolutely love Integratron and I've been here a handful of times now. If you are staying anywhere…read morein the desert down here this is worth adding to your list of places to visit. From La Quinta it's a good one hour + drive but definitely worth it! If your staying in Palm Springs proper or Joshua Tree much closer, regardless though worth it! Integratron essentially is a sound bath experience but in one of the coolest and best acoustic domes. I'll let the staff give you the history but it was very cool about learning how this place came to be and the intention behind it and land the dome sits on. This is a family owned business which makes it even more special. Three sisters own it and all of the family helps to run this space one way or another. On the day we came different cousins were sharing the duties. Love a local family run and operated space! Before starting the sound bath it's nice to explore the grounds, relax and they even have a gift shop. Nice bathrooms and plenty of parking. The system here is organized and seamless. Very great communication and guidance here. Make sure to pay attention to your emails before you come because they give great tips - like to bring blankets, dress in layers etc. As others have shared. The first 15-30 minutes is essentially going over rules, tips and history before they get started with the meditation/sound bath. I appreciate that they take everyone safety seriously and want everyone to have a joyful experience so they make sure to talk you through the do's and donts. The sound bath itself was relaxing and very soothing. The cushioned mats were premium and much nicer than I had remembered in the past. Very comfortable and nice temperature inside the dome. My only wish is that the sound bath piece was slightly longer but all in all it's a relaxing and unique experience. Would highly recommend that everyone come at least once.

This has been on our bucket list for years. Ever since seeing TV show host Anthony Bourdain visit,…read morewe've been fascinated by the Integratron and couldn't wait to experience a sound bath here. We finally went for my wife's birthday, so we came in really excited. First, the positives: the structure itself is incredible and the staff is genuinely kind. It's a family-run operation and you can feel that in a good way. But the actual experience? Rough. Within minutes of the sound bath starting, people were snoring. Not one person... a lot of people. Loudly. Full-on, out-cold snoring. The entire group of seniors next to us. Then the ladies on the other side of us. Add in constant fidgeting and movement, and it completely killed any chance of relaxing or getting immersed in the sound. It made it nearly impossible to relax or focus on the sound bath. The sound bath session itself felt surprisingly short, maybe 25 mins tops. It seemed like more time was spent waiting and going through instructions than actually experiencing the sound bath. The bowls were also not very loud, which made it even harder to tune out the distractions. In other sound baths we've attended, the instruments are more immersive, sometimes even amplified, which helps create a deeper experience. The final portion of the session transitioned into music played from an iPad, which felt a bit underwhelming and took away from the overall atmosphere. For the price (over $120 for two), it just didn't deliver. We left pretty disappointed after years of looking forward to it. Honestly, if you're someone who snores or can't stay still, this might not be the place for you because it really affects everyone else. And it would go a long way if staff actively managed that during the session. Cool place, great people, but not an experience we'd do again.

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Integratron - Me walking around taking it all in. Pics & videos allowed after the experience ends.

Me walking around taking it all in. Pics & videos allowed after the experience ends.

Integratron - Singing bowls

Singing bowls

Integratron

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Spring Valley Lake

Spring Valley Lake

4.8(4 reviews)
138.1 km

I love the lake and it's great for family time and relaxing. I wish the was more things to do at…read morethe lake like jet skiing, but I haven't seen that.

What a beautiful little gem of a place far off the beaten path up in the high desert of CA…read more This is a man-made lake is located in the Mojave Desert about 1-1/2 hours drive from Los Angeles and just 40 minutes from San Bernardino, Ontario and Inland Empire areas, the Club is just a 10 minute drive from the 15 Freeway. Here's some history of the lake: Boise Cascade Corporation acquired the land and projected the layout of Spring Valley Lake, and in March 1969 the company broke ground. The Spring Valley Lake project was built upon Kalin Ranch, a former cattle ranch that was being utilized for alfalfa farming and lay serene and quiet on both sides of the Mojave River. The whole area was at one time called Rancho Verde Co., which was purchased in 1877. Lake construction began in June 1969, and was officially filled and completed in February 1970. The lake is one mile long and reaches a depth of 22 feet. The lake is surrounded by a community filled with homes with both modern, funky and vintage architecture. No two homes are alike. There are plenty of houses that I would love to call mine one day, especially those right on the lake. There is also a golf course, a country club, tennis courts and various other amenities. Its a great place to drive around to get out of the hustle and bustle of LA and get a nice cozy small town feeling.

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Spring Valley Lake - Home sweet home!!

Home sweet home!!

Spring Valley Lake
Spring Valley Lake - Spring Valley Lake

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Spring Valley Lake

City of Baker - localflavor - Updated May 2026

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