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    Recommended Reviews - Town Of Darwin

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    7 years ago

    Helpful 16
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    5 years ago

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    Fish Rocks - I imagine the fish in the back is talking or laughing about something ;-)

    Fish Rocks

    4.7(3 reviews)
    68.6 km

    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.

    Photos
    Fish Rocks - Up up, and away! @Tronawildlife on IG.

    Up up, and away! @Tronawildlife on IG.

    Fish Rocks
    Fish Rocks - Fish rocks at night, showing the movement of stars caused by the rotation of the earth through a long exposure photo. -Ken Lee, photographer

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    Fish rocks at night, showing the movement of stars caused by the rotation of the earth through a long exposure photo. -Ken Lee, photographer

    Trona Pinnacles

    Trona Pinnacles

    4.6(52 reviews)
    75.0 km

    Though this site gives some amazing history about the pinnacles I would not have known otherwise,…read morethe road to get here is very long, very rocky and in some places questionable if I should cross them. It was extremely hot even though it's April. I didn't walk around as the temps too high. The highlights - you cross over where the salt has dried from the lake ( wash your car as soon as you can as salt bad for it!), the beautiful scenery of the pinnacles (obviously) but the mountains behind them, the history lesson, the train cars sitting on the tracks was kinda fun and interesting and best of all the Navy flying planes doing test runs. Loved that. So hard to believe so much of this was under water and that where these were created. It's other worldly with how alive our planet is and constantly changing. It's free to come here but be warned about deep sand, very rocky roads and the heat. Bring water and have plenty of gas in the tank. There's nothing around for quite a ways.

    Out of this world! Free admission but make sure the roads are in good shape. I drove out in an SUV…read moreand some parts of the road were a little sketchy. Once you arrive at the Pinnacles, you can hike up really close to see them first-hand. The pinnacles were created out of tufa ("porous rock formed as a deposit when springs interact with other bodies of water" per Wikipedia), when the area was under a lake. If you visit in spring, you'll see some wildflowers as well. Very interesting spot and worth a stop on your way to Death Valley. Highly recommended!

    Photos
    Trona Pinnacles - OHV @ Sunset Pinnacles

    OHV @ Sunset Pinnacles

    Trona Pinnacles
    Trona Pinnacles

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    Panamint Valley

    Panamint Valley

    5.0(2 reviews)
    5.5 km

    The Panamint Valley is a 65 mile long valley located in the Mojave Desert of California. Contained…read moreby the Argus, Slate, and Panamint Range, it primarily is a typical desert basin with the associated scrub, desert flora and fauna, and little in the way of infrastructure. The northern part of the valley is part of Death Valley National park, however, parts of highway 190 can be driven without a park pass. However, many of the side roads would require one. The valley allows you to access the Wildrose charcoal kilns, the Barker Ranch (offroad only), Epson salt monorail, the Ballarat Ghost Town, Panamint Springs, Father Crowley Overlook aka Jedi Canyon, etc. The only services are in Panamint Springs. Temperatures in the valley can be brutal. To give you perspective I was there in early April and the temperature was 103 with 20-40mph winds. If you are unprepared you will be in trouble. The other aspect and my reason for spending 3 days there is that the valley is part of a restricted military airspace known simply as R-2508. The R-2508 is one of several in the area where the USAF, USN, and USMC, test and practice with their planes. It is not unusual to see a F/A-18 or F-35 come screaming in at low level as our military practices. Its not low level only the skies can be filled with planes dogfighting and maneuvering. If planes are your thing then it is a really hot and dusty nirvana. If you want to try plane spotting out, please be aware that this is an extreme location and you need to be prepared......

    Photos
    Panamint Valley
    Panamint Valley
    Panamint Valley

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    Racetrack Playa - Milky Way

    Racetrack Playa

    4.8(29 reviews)
    45.8 km

    Once in a lifetime opportunity. Recommended driving a truck/jeep/suv/Subaru. It is nearly 30 miles…read moredown a dirt/gravel road with at times severe washboarding. It is 100% worth the drive. Once you get to the start of the lakebed there is a small area for parking to go walk around and see the grandstand. Keep driving south to get to the moving rocks area and here is a tip. don't spend your time at the rocks right at the entry. walk all the way to straight out to the side of the mountain where the rocks start from. If you continue south you will have to have a 4x4 vehicle with high clearance (Subaru's won't make it) it is a great off-road trail but will take you pretty much all day round trip from the start of the racetrack road to getting back into Death Valley on the south side. It is very much worth it, you get deep deep into the back country on this trail. This is an absolute must see place!!

    Update to clarify a point: many reviewers are saying you need a 4WD to visit the Racetrack. You…read moredon't - it's a fairly good 27 mile gravel road that gets washboarded and has many, many tire-killing rocks. A 2WD vehicle will get there just fine as long as you drive carefully. The driver absolutely must concentrate on navigating the road and avoiding rocks. That said, what you DO need are good tires. Don't attempt this drive with anything other than at least fairly new street tires - not performance tires. All terrain tires are better. And make sure you have a full size spare in good condition with a jack and all necessary tools to jack up the car. This last trip, we encountered a guy in a pickup with a flat tire that not only didn't know how to jack the truck up but - after searching his truck - didn't actually have the tool necessary to get the spare tire down from where it was under the vehicle.

    Photos
    Racetrack Playa - Racetrack Playa, Death Valley

    Racetrack Playa, Death Valley

    Racetrack Playa - Racetrack Playa, Death Valley

    Racetrack Playa, Death Valley

    Racetrack Playa - Racetrack Playa, Death Valley

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    Racetrack Playa, Death Valley

    Badwater Basin

    Badwater Basin

    4.7(101 reviews)
    69.5 km

    The farthest point I think in the park and we got to see it with a little water which created this…read moreincredible reflection. Good amount of parking and you can walk as far as you'd like on the basin. Peep the sea level sign on top of the mountain to really grasp how 'low' you are!

    We decided to take a little day trip out to Death Valley to view the wildflower bloom, hike a bit…read moreand visit Lake Manly (otherwise known as Badwater Basin). I really wanted to walk in the glorious saltwater. We were there on a Thursday and this place was hopping with people. I had forgot that spring breaks have begun. We eventually found a place to park and made our way out to the water via the boardwalk that heads out. We all know that Badwater Basin is the lowest point in the USA. It is 282 feet below sea level and it sure was pretty. The basin normally does not have water, but with all the rain California received this winter the water was almost up to my shins. The saltwater flats cover over 200 miles. The basin includes sodium chloride, gypsum, borax, and calcite. The best part of the visit was that by the time I stepped out of all that saltwater, my feet were so soft. It was truly a natural exfoliation for the feet. Be respectful and leave your pets at home as they are only allowed on designated dirt roads. Most of all LEAVE NO TRACE and Happy Adventuring.

    Photos
    Badwater Basin - Once in a lifetime, kinda thing  sitting  at 282 feet below sea level

    Once in a lifetime, kinda thing sitting at 282 feet below sea level

    Badwater Basin - Family of 3

    Family of 3

    Badwater Basin

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    Mount Langley

    Mount Langley

    4.8(9 reviews)
    55.7 km

    Completed on 8.20.22 We stayed the night at Cottonwood Lakes trailhead campgrounds which sits at…read more10034 elevation, to acclimate ourselves to the altitude. Damn! This trail is GORGEOUS and offers amazing views of lakes, medows, and of course Mount Langley! Started at 5am and was back at the trail head by 6pm, spent 45 mins at the summit and 30 mins swimming at CW lake #4. Yes, it's a long, strenuous hike. 22 miles out and back, with an elevation gain of 4000ft+...If the altitude doesn't get you exhausted, the ascent will. I started to feel symptoms of AMS around 9000ft and then again at 13000ft, take your time, hydrate, and eat. Took the new army pass up, pretty and well maintained trail, as you pass "High Lake" you'll see what's to come... New army pass is almost vertical climb up to a flase summit. You have about another 1500ft of climbing to do, to reach the summit. Desecended down the "Army Pass", this trail is a bit sketchy and nerve-wracking, if you're afraid of heights. It's totally manageable and doable, just try to focus on the trail... I carried 5l of water and lots of healthy and not so healthy snacks. Also GU gels and Tylenol will help you on this hike. There's plenty of water source in the area, so you don't necessarily have to hike with a full pack, just bring water filtering system...you'll be alright. Weather was perfect for this hike...bugs were present, but wasn't too bad. I would definitely hike this trail again! Good luck, do research, and believe what you read. It's really important to listen to your body! Happy Trails!!

    This is an often overlooked mountain that is overshadowed by its sister, Mount Whitney. However,…read morethis 14er is nothing to sneeze at. The beauty of this hike is that it is good training for Whitney and it does not require a permit for day hiking, which is what we did. Depending on the trail that you choose, the total mileage can range from 20-24 miles. New Army Pass is better maintained but will add 2 miles each way. We chose to go up New Army and down Old Army for 22 miles. The first 6-7 miles are pretty easy overall, with about 1,000 feet elevation gain. However, keep in mind that the trail starts at 10,000 feet, so acclimation is always recommended. Once you start the switchbacks on New Army Pass, the ascent becomes more difficult. I personally feel that the views on this hike are more picturesque than most along the Whitney trail. What makes this hike really difficult is the last 1-1.5 miles, in which you will gain just short of 2,000 feet elevation. The climb is very steep in loose sand/scree combined with boulder climbing. It reminded me a lot of Iron Mountain in SoCal but with boulders. Follow the rock cairns closely to lead you to the summit of 14,042 feet.

    Photos
    Mount Langley
    Mount Langley
    Mount Langley - My 2nd 14,042 foot Mt Langley summit

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    My 2nd 14,042 foot Mt Langley summit

    Lemon House

    Lemon House

    4.7(3 reviews)
    39.4 km

    I absolutely loved this space!!! Funky and cozy!!! We were traveling back from Palm Springs to Reno…read moreand called to see if the Lemon House was available! Lucky for us it was!!! The outside featured a stunning view of the mountains and the inside was like a nest! I slept soundly!!!

    Cartago, Calif. I…read moredon't know anything about Spongebob except that it's a cartoon after my time. Google had this tourist attraction in Central California on the Eastern Frontier as Sponge Bob's home. The structure is just an area on the side of the road with a bunch of structures and gimmicky things. It's an ideal spot to stretch your legs and take a quick breather before continuing your travel adventures. The house itself appears to be for rent but if you peek inside the windows that doesn't seem to be the case. There's a motel or lodging type structures on the same lot so it can be a gimmick for the children to goof around in since there is nothing around. Access/Roads: Along HWY 395. This highway is paved throughout. Parking: Plenty in a small dirt lot. Costs: Free Nearby Attractions: Many many many things and places. Death Valley NP (Stovepipe Wells) is appx 80 miles East. Mount Whitney Access Point is 30 miles North. Manzanar Internment Camp is appx 30 miles North & I recommend every East Asian (American) to visit Manzanar and related internment camps. Uniroyal Gal (statue) is appx 38 miles South. The Eastern Portions of Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Yosemite can be accessed from this region. Additionally, the western portion of Mono Lake & Mammoth can be accessed. Distance: Los Angeles is 200 miles South. Reno is 300 miles North. Las Vegas is 250 miles East. Bakersfield is 150 miles West. Travel safely my friends. @cigarcpa

    Photos
    Lemon House - Interior

    Interior

    Lemon House
    Lemon House

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    Town Of Darwin - landmarks - Updated May 2026

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