Definitely interesting to stop and explore... All the wonders in this area may soon be forgotten or…read morelost due to vandalism. Death Valley is so worth exploring! Castle in a cave is unique and fun to see.

Ran into this place upon making a U-turn on hwy 178. If you are passing by Shoshone, just south of…read moreShoshone on hwy 178 is Castle in Clay. If you like caves you will enjoy these mini caves. There is no sign on the road that will tell you it is Rutledge Castle in Clay. I had to look up on Google map to identify this place. The rock formations look like talc or gypsum. It rather hard, similar to hard pan.

Calico Ghost Town is a fascinating place filled with Old West history, weathered buildings, unique…read moreshops, and beautiful desert scenery. We had a wonderful time exploring--or at least, I believe we did. Some portions of the afternoon have become rather difficult to remember. Before leaving, I distinctly heard footsteps following me, although no one was there. I dismissed them as part of the atmosphere. That was my first mistake. Since returning home, objects have moved on their own, something whispers my name from empty rooms, and every night at precisely 3:17 a.m., I awaken to the sound of spurs dragging slowly down the hallway. No one else can hear them. No one believes me. I haven't slept in days. Calico is absolutely worth visiting, but before you leave, count every member of your party--and make certain you haven't gained another. If you hear footsteps behind you, do not turn around. It already knows where you live.

Calico Ghost Town is a historic ghost town and former silver mining community located in the Calico…read moreMountains of California's Mojave Desert. Founded in 1881 during the silver mining boom, the town prospered for over a decade before declining when silver prices collapsed. By 1907, most residents had left, and Calico was eventually restored and transformed into the county-operated attraction known today as Calico Ghost Town.   Situated just off Interstate 15, about 3 miles from both Barstow and Yermo, Calico has become a popular stop for travelers exploring Southern California or driving between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. We visited in February 2026 during our trip to Las Vegas and were impressed by the dramatic desert scenery, unique rock formations, and panoramic views from the surrounding hills.   Today, visitors from around the world come to experience the atmosphere of an authentic Old West mining town. The park offers a variety of amenities, including RV and group camping, cabins and bunkhouses, mountain biking trails, off-road vehicle areas, shops, and restaurants. Throughout the year, Calico hosts several special events such as Civil War reenactments, the Spring Festival with Americana music, Calico Days celebrations featuring burro races and mining-themed activities, and the popular Halloween Ghost Haunt in October.   Only minutes from Interstate 15 and a short drive north of Barstow, Calico Ghost Town makes an enjoyable roadside stop for food, shopping, sightseeing, and a glimpse into California's mining history. However, I would recommend visiting Calico Ghost Town during the spring or winter months rather than in the summer, when desert temperatures can become extremely hot and less comfortable for exploring the outdoor attractions and surrounding hills.

I went on a four-day private tour with Death Valley Photo Tours and it was fantastic. Michael…read morespends a lot of time in Death Valley every year and he knows everything about the park, especially where the best photo locations are as well as the optimal times to be there to get the best photos. After I booked the tour Michael asked me what types of photos I wanted to take, and he customized a tour for me based on what I told him. And during our four days together we continually talked about all our options and made a few schedule changes that I requested. Michael has a great attitude about customer service and he accommodated every request I made. He even helped me carry some of my gear around! I highly recommend Death Valley Photo Tours.

I had a great experience with Death Valley Photo Tours. Michael picked me up at 5:15 am so that we…read morewould be able to photograph the sunrise. He made sure that I was safe as we climbed into position in the dark. I enjoyed learning about Death Valley and discussing photography with him. When I requested a change to our schedule so that we could photograph the wildflowers, he had no problem changing our plans for the day. He knew of great locations away from the crowds which made the day so much more enjoyable. I would definitely do another tour with him when I return to Death Valley.

A bit of a trek from San Diego but so worth it to go! We camped at the base of the dunes. I do not…read morethink you have to reserve the spots but if you do, you don't reserve any particular camp site. The dunes were a slight hike from campsite to top of the dunes but not too bad! Once at the top, the view is beautiful, especially if there for sunrise or sunset. Make sure to bring something the slide down the dune with! Made the hike up worth every step!

Definitely a great place to hike in the fall and spring time, also winter too. Warning, do not hike…read morein the summer. Extreme heat and can be dangerous for some. We did our hike in December. It was a perfect day to hike this dune. We started around 2pm and came down at the right time to catch some beautiful winter sunsets. Definitely a great place to hike at night. Do not miss out on this hike if you are heading out to Vegas. It's technically open 24/7 so you can do it any time. Take precaution during night time and bring flash lights for emergency situation. There are multiple peaks at this dunes to climb. Based on how the sand has shifted due to winds, some peaks might be higher than others at different times. And yes, you will see people sliding down the dunes. W

Had a wonderful small group tour yesterday to the Hoover dam. Our tour guide was very nice & gave…read morelots of information. Van was very clean & great a/c. Breakfast stop included in price was great because we didn't have to worry about grabbing breakfast beforehand somehow. :)

The small group tour to Hoover Dam and Grand Canyon was so much fun! Our guide, Alfonzo, provided…read morehistorical information throughout the drive. At each stop, Alfonzo took photos for all of us and was very attentive- making sure we were safe and having great time. Highly recommend Grand Adventures Tours!!

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.

As part of our quest to visit all 63 U.S. national parks, we set off on a six week road trip. I…read morehave a personal rule: I only count a national park as "visited" if I actually spend time there, hike or walk through it, and truly experience it. On this trip, we visited 14 national parks, and Death Valley National Park was one of the biggest surprises of the entire journey. Before visiting, I honestly expected Death Valley to be mostly a vast, empty desert. Instead, we discovered a place that was incredibly diverse, dramatic, and surprisingly beautiful. We stayed at The Oasis at Death Valley, which was a wonderful retreat after long days exploring the park. The funny thing about Death Valley is that when you first drive in, the landscape can seem almost endless and barren. You wonder what you are going to find in such a harsh environment. Then, as you turn toward the different areas of the park, the scenery completely changes. The desert opens up into mountains, colorful hills, salt formations, canyons, and landscapes that look almost unreal. One of the highlights was visiting places like Artist's Palette, where the hills are painted with incredible shades of gold, pink, green, and purple created by different minerals in the earth. It truly feels like nature took a paintbrush and created its own masterpiece. We also enjoyed driving the historic Twenty Mule Team Canyon, named after the famous Borax mining operations that helped put Death Valley on the map. In the late 1800s, teams of 20 mules pulled enormous wagons loaded with borax across the desert because there were no practical roads or railways. Learning about those incredible journeys added a whole different dimension to the landscape. It made us imagine the determination and hardship of the people who lived and worked in this extreme environment more than a century ago. We also visited areas where scenes from the Star Wars movies were filmed, which added a fun element to the experience. It was easy to understand why filmmakers chose Death Valley. The landscape looks like another planet. What surprised me the most was discovering that even in one of the hottest and driest places on Earth, there is life. We were amazed to see fish surviving in the waters of Death Valley, a reminder that nature finds a way even in the most extreme environments. Our visit also came with a little adventure of its own. We experienced a powerful dust storm that knocked out electricity for several hours. It was impressive to witness the force of nature, but thankfully we were safe and comfortable. And we were very lucky with the temperatures. When we arrived, it was around 110 degrees, but the following days cooled down to about 97 degrees. We took advantage of the cooler mornings, waking up early to hike and explore before the midday heat arrived. By late morning or noon, we would return to our peaceful retreat and enjoy the comfort of being out of the desert sun. Death Valley is a place of extremes: extreme temperatures, extreme landscapes, and extreme beauty. It is not just a desert. It is a place full of surprises, colors, history, and incredible scenery. I left with a completely different appreciation for this park and would highly recommend it to anyone willing to experience one of America's most unique landscapes. Death Valley truly earned its place as one of the unforgettable stops on our journey.

STEPH JUDGEMENT: A truly amazing place, period…read more You might think the whole place is just sand dunes, but you'd be wrong. There are fantastic sand dunes, yes, and Mesquite sand dunes is a great place for some free form fun (like sand sledding and boarding, and you can just roll down some dunes like my hubby), but there's so much more! Some more highlights: - Ubehebe Crater: mind-boggling crater with a fun hiking trail around its rim. You can hike down to the bottom too, but you gotta come back out, and we opted to just stay at the top. That rim trail was plenty long for us. - Badwater Basin: We decided to walk out about a mile into it, and as the crowds faded away the vast white expanse made it feel like we were in the Arctic--magical. - Zabrieski Point: Took in breathtaking views and sunset. Also did some hiking around the Badlands nearby, which was really cool. - Death Valley Inn: treated ourselves to some great cocktails at their swanky bar after a grueling hike. The bartender didn't bat an eye when we arrived all dusty and gross. I did clean up a bit in the bathroom, but there's only so much you can do. - Artists Palette: Did the drive-thru road and got out along the way for short explorations into its canyons. We were there in late March/early April and lucked out with relatively cool overcast weather. It was also very windy. The last time I was at Death Valley was in the spring of 2009, and it was also very windy, making my decision to tent camp a miserable experience. This time the hubby and I decided to stay at a hotel in Pahrump, NV, about an hour away. Yes, we had to drive into the park every day, but it was totally worth it. We loved our time here and are looking forward to our next visit, hopefully before another 15 years pass!

If you're looking for something unique to do near Las Vegas, Camel Safari is absolutely worth it…read more We drove up from the Las Vegas Strip and visited earlier in June, and it exceeded our expectations. We were amazed by how up close and personal we could get with the camels and the other animals. The safari tram tour was informative and much more engaging than anticipated as well. We had plenty of opportunities to see the animals in a natural, spacious environment. The friendly staff were also incredibly knowledgeable and clearly passionate about the animals in their care. They shared interesting facts about the area and the animals throughout the tour that made the experience both fun and educational. This was far better than your average zoo... it felt much more interactive and authentic. One of the biggest highlights is the location itself. It truly feels like a backcountry adventure, and it's hard to believe you're such a short drive from the Las Vegas Strip. We also did the UTV tour, which took us down to the Virgin River and deeper into the surrounding desert landscape. The scenery was stunning, and I couldn't believe we had just been in the middle of Vegas. What a great experience!

First, you NEED to make a reservation before going…read more I never knew we had a ranch with 30 Camels, Alpacas, a Llama, New Guinea Singing Dogs, a Two Toed Sloth, an African Crested Porcupine, a Donkey and a few other animals about an hour outside of Las Vegas. Guy the owner, an amazing bank of knowledge, he knows so much about each animal and more. He is a little rough around the edges and some may think him rude; you try to manage a 176 acre ranch with well over 60 animals who have to be fed daily, not so easy... The Camels have a diet of lettuce, carrots, sweet potatoes, apples; the sloth has a special diet which includes egg whites, the ranch dogs get the yolk as a daily treat and they know when that's coming. So in addition to taking care of all the animals, the ranch which is 176 acres, there are also tours to manage. So show him a little appreciation for what he does every day, seven days a week, etc... You can do camel rides, an ATV experience, a zoo tour on a tram, it's not easy and I feel for him so if you go out there, understand his personality has to be rough to deal with all this. Also understand, each animal has its own personality and feelings. Yesterday, Norm a camel used for rides was having a bad day. He was not in the mood for riders. I first tried to ride Norm, he was calm getting his saddle on but once I got on him, he was nope. When Allie got me off of Norm, Norm had an attitude with both Allie and Guy, Norm had to be put in a kennel which Norm was not happy about but needed a time out. So remember, dealing with 30 camels, mini horses, a Llama, Alpacas, a sloth, etc; they are dealing with a lot of different personalities and feelings in addition to people coming to visit. Safety is taken as a HIGH priority. These animals can inflict pain & even death, so I have a LOT of respect for Guy & Allie. They not only have to be concerned with adults but children as well. We arrived at 8:45 which is when the gate is opened, we met Allie and Guy along with another couple. We rode first and as I said Norm was not happy so I got off and they took my friend around the track. Upon coming back with my friend, a whole group showed up for the zoo tour so we were asked if we minded doing the zoo tour and then we will get back to the camel ride. No biggie... The zoo tour was amazing. We got on the tram and were taken to see every animal on the property stopping in each area, learning all about the animals in that area with the opportunity to ask questions, got to go in the kennel to feed the Llama and Alpacas, cool animals, petted the zebra, fed and petted the porcupine, got up close and personal with the sloth and just had an amazing experience. The knowledge gained yesterday was so cool. Once the zoo tour was over I got to ride Lodi. The camel ride was really cool, long and a really neat experience I would do again. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you go out and visit this Camel Safari. They need the support as they have a lot of mouths to feed daily and you will have an amazing experience in the Nevada desert.

Tom was an amazing host. He was very knowledgeable and entertaining. The food and drinks at each of…read moreour three restaurants was incredible. Tom's description of every dish and drink was detailed and spot on. It was an awesome evening and we would absolutely do it again. Lee & Cheryl T. from MS

Lip smacking foodie tours are the best option for checking out the best dining Vegas had to offer…read more I loved it! I went alone but our tour guide Nannete made the experience so much fun and relaxing. We tried out 3 restaurants in the Aria area. I couldn't decide which one was the best. I also loved that our tour included stops to check out the local artworks. Please dont hesitate to try a tour! You wont regret!