So I make no bones about my love for abandoned things. Yes, it does make me feel a bit like Indiana…read moreJones minus the whip, cool factor, and the only real enemy here in the desert is me being unprepared or doing something stupid. They Keystone Mine is roughly halfway between the Panamint Valley and the Barker Ranch of Charles Manson fame. It is just before the Death Valley National Park boundary. During its productive years used to mine gold. I simply explored the mine entrance and offices. The mine itself is located away from the main gate area and involved pretty rough terrain over miles of switchbacks to get to so I passed. I did attempt to drive above the wash plant and encountered conditions that I could have gotten past with my stock 2016 MDX but decided not to chance it given there is no one out here and no cell service. The main building was pretty cool to explore as were the remains of the washplant, the swimming pool, and the shower area. As with most of these places there is plenty of stuff abandoned in place decaying slowly in the dry conditions. There is also a lot of fauna about if you are patient. From various raptors to wild sheep and donkeys Aside from this there are no services etc so you need to bring whatever you want to use. There are a few camping areas and some of the cabins are for public use. There is also lots of flora and fauna if you are patient. If you want to get to the actual mine, a legit off road capable vehicle with good ground clearance is needed. Also you need to be prepared for desert conditions. I made the run in April and it was still mid 80's. Summertime may be much higher.

Only a few hours outside of LA, a must see if you like exploring and checking out old relics in…read moreghost towns/old mining towns. Yes, you may get the distinct feeling of the hills have eyes and be watching your back upon entering Randsburg the first time, but you will soon discover a little ghost town steeped with character and meet some very interesting people while there. Be sure to bring a camera...there are a ton of things to take pictures of. And don't leave without giving the existing shops some business. There is a museum, general store and neat antique stores to spend money at.

A Living Ghost Town…read more We took another detour to check out this historic mining district. We thought it was a ghost town but there are actual residents living and working the businesses along Butte Avenue (which is like their Main Street). Randsburg was once a mining town with a rich history. It is located between SoCal and the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California. We parked right outside the General Store, which is the town's claim to fame. Unfortunately, we were told by its next door neighbor, the Rock and Crystal shop, that it closed its doors in early January this year. Bummer! I spent some time at this crystal shop, I got to know the gentle and sweet owner as we chatted a little bit, I purchased some items. We walked over to the infamous "Joint" and ordered cheeseburgers and a couple of sodas. Inside has a huge bar, a couple of pool tables, music, TV, and good ole Cali ghost town hospitality. We sat outside at their outdoor patio... they seemed surprised to see a couple of Asians walk in LoL! Randsburg is a cool place to visit. A genuine Old West gold mining town with all the original buildings still in tact and some of them still in use. Check out the genuine storefronts... these aren't fake. We also stopped at the City Jail. There are two cells inside with mannequin props. The cell on the left is a Dancehall gal standing next to a poem telling one of her stories. The one on the right houses a miner who just had a little too much to drink. The museum was closed. Review #2994

I pulled off here because the plug on my trailer wasn't connected properly, and my trailer lights…read morehad a blinking thing happening. Imagine my eager mirth to find a big oxidized-looking water tank featuring the words Hubcap Capital of the World, a statue of a 1960s mom-golfer, and a gas station. Didn't need gas, and I suck at golf, so wiggles and jiggled some wires behind my truck and got back on down the 395. If you're into desolate, sleepy, minimalistic, and/or forgotten abandonment of former roadside features that have lost their context to the decades.... this is what you are looking for. Otherwise, it's a minor distraction from a time when cars didn't go as far on a tank of gas, and this spot wasn't passed by as often as it is today.

Unless you're into weird roadside attractions there's not much to see here. Fortunately for you I'm…read moreinto this sort of thing so I stopped here for you. All you have to do is read my review and continue on down the freeway. Not sure why this place is called the hubcap capitol of the world. I didn't see a single hubcap. I went ahead and took a photo of myself with the water tower and the giant lady. Anyone know who she's supposed to be?

So basically it was something to do on out Califas trip with fam. Mostly teenagers. Its cheesey,…read morebad dad joke type eye roll stuff but cute and endearing. A fun house. Everyone had fun and that was what we hoped to get out of it.

Fun experience that's a test for your balance and vertigo tolerance!…read more We bought our tickets from a very nice older lady at the counter. The tour was very affordable at around $4.50/ person. It was a quick tour through the mystery shack with a quick talking young man who was our guide. He was very funny and did a great job. Worth the visit if you're in Calico.

Unlike other white, powdery magical substances, Boric Acid is actually good for you…read more It preserves food, makes fireworks, cleans jewelry. Boric acid mixed with water is an acne treatment. Used in the ear it helps with ear infections. It kills fungus and athlete's foot (just apply the powder straight). It is antibacterial and can be used as an aseptic. And (my personal favorite) stick a gel cap full in your yoni a few nights in a row and you will be yeast infection free. Don't be thrown by it's labeling as a rat/bug killer. Boric Acid is an amazing thing.

Boric Acid. Obliterates pests, gives mule teams a thing to drag across the desert, and finally…read moregives even Yelpers lost in the desert something to click into while resting after four hours of enfevered driving. Thanks, Boric Acid!

-- Desolate terrain. Middle of nowhere. Hot and dry. Little shade in this summer heat…read more + But thank goodness for what IS available out there. The few shops and rest stops, albeit far between. + Convenient stop for some grub between State Park & National Forest destinations and Mammoth Lakes. No need to detour as far as Ridgecrest (another 10 mins from the 395).

One hundred miles from everywhere is what the city if Inyokern is implying. No denying that they…read moreain't lying, so keep driving, not worth city profiling, from the heat dying, this I am verifying, tried my best to drop this yelp review rhyming.

I have had the Desert Tortoise Natural Area (DTNA) on my list of places to visit for a few years…read more Since I was camping nearby, I jumped at the opportunity. Passing through sleepy and imprecisely-named California City then on to the sandy Randsburg Mohave Road, it became clear why the desert tortoise -- California's official state reptile -- has been facing extinction. Housing has encroached and off-road vehicles play in this habitat seemingly disconnected from the consequences of their actions. Reaching the DTNA, the large amount of special fencing at the perimeter illustrates the amount of effort required to protect these animals. A gravel parking lot, pit toilet and small interpretive kiosk are the only amenities so come prepared for the visit and the weather. Interpretive brochures are available on the trails to lend perspective and, perhaps, more importantly, lower expectations. I walked all of the flat trails and aside from some small lizards and long-eared rabbits, I saw no tortoises or even the really venomous Mohave green rattlesnakes. If you're into creosote bushes, though, this is the place for you. Unfortunately, there's not much to inspire taking out the camera. So, did I like my experience? Well, I wasn't sure but I sorted this out as I sat watching the sunset back at my campsite. It's not about the visitor at all: it's about the tortoise. It's reassuring to know that this protected area exists and that many volunteers and experts have devoted so much of their time to the cause of saving the tortoise. That feels good. Selfishly, I'll be back in the Spring when the desert flowers are blooming and maybe I'll be lucky to see a tortoise or two basking in the milder temperatures.

Call it a bit of beginner's luck but my three children and two nieces, ages3-15, and I had a great…read moreexperience. We got some guidance from Ms. Sharon on some earlier tortoise sightings and took that loop. We saw plenty of lizards, including a couple horned lizards, caterpillars, gopher and rattle snakes, empty tortoise burrows and finally just before turning to head back, a desert tortoise. Mission accomplished! He was burrowed but we still saw him. Yes the bathroom isn't that great but it was clean in general. Don't look in the whole, lol. It's a fine piece of construction for an outhouse. I believe I saw a sidewinder just outside the preserve fence while I was trying to find the entrance. It was moving so fast and peculiar from average snake. Tip: stay on Randsburg-Mohave Rd to get to entrance.

At first glance, one might see a little shack, but this donation-run museum houses an interesting…read morecollection of pieces from the mining era and beyond, including a modest display on an archaeological search for wreckage of a Northrop YB-49 flying wing in the Mojave Desert. The friendly gentleman overseeing the museum that day was showing people a vial of gold his friend had just found recently in the desert. There's all sorts of things here. Out back are old, mining tools and machinery that really cool to look at up close. They don't look very maintained, so be careful splinters and such.

We tried calling several times and no one ever answers the phone there. We showed up today on a…read moreMonday and the sign said they are open Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays. Have they ever heard of an answering machine? From the street, it looks like a tiny museum. I don't remember their hours; but if you try call on the weekends, maybe the ghost in the living ghost town will finally answer.

Sherman Pass, the northern most pass over the sierras until Tioga Pass some 200 miles north. It is…read morethe 3rd highest pass over the sierras at 9,200 feet and is one damn windy road. It is a really interesting road, at some points you feel like you are on the moon, in south america, out in the middle of no where, somewhere that a wildfire just burned, or a beautiful sierra meadow. Like I said it is a very interesting way to get over the Sierras, just be ready for several hours of hairpin turns and nobody coming the other direction. Camping: it is obscure yes, but Troy Meadows is a VERY nice campground with no one around. its right off Sherman Pass too! GPS: 36.064070, -118.239262

I have been over Sherman pass six times in the last ten years. It is everything the first reviewer…read moresays and more. I have always made a point of traveling West to East as I know that is the most scenic direction. I like to start with breakfast at "The Cracked Egg" in Kernville and do lunch in at "The Grill" in Lone Pine. You can take as many days as you want to do this three hour drive. Supplies at Murphy Flats and Hungry Bear restaurant. Truly a wonderful drive!