Southern California Desert Day Trips

Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest Day Trip From Bishop. Located in the White Mountains within the borders of the Inyo National Forest. Bristlecone Pine Forest is about an hour's drive uphill from Bishop, California. At an elevation that ranges between 10,000 and 11,000 feet, the forest boasts … [Read more...]

Twentynine Palms is situated at the Northern entrance of Joshua National Park. Many travelers pass through town without giving this sleepy desert oasis a second thought. Most of the town's revenue is from the nearby 29 palms marine base and tourists heading to Joshua Park for a day. Twentynine … [Read more...]

An oasis hidden in a desert valley, the China Ranch Date Farm, is definitely off the beaten path and is worth a side trip on your next journey across the Mojave Desert. As you wander down into this little palm-lined haven situated somewhere between Death Valley and the Dumont Dunes, you will … [Read more...]

Dublin Gulch is not your everyday ghost town. Most of the town is underground. In the early 1900s miners and railroad workers carved out living quarters in the cliffs near the town of Shoshone California. The cave dwellings served two purposes. To escape the searing summer heat and as insulation … [Read more...]

California is rich in history. It is one thing to read about history in a book but it is far more enriching to see locations and experience the history in person. The Manzanar National Historic Site is a location worthy of your time if you are hungry for mid-century history in … [Read more...]

Antelope Valley Indian Museum displays an amazing collection of Native American artifacts. The museum is located in the Mojave Desert about 25 miles from the town of Lancaster. This wonderful little gem is only open on weekends from 9 am to 4 pm. Admission is only $3 per person, kids 12 and under … [Read more...]

Joshua Tree National Park day trip best things to do and see while visiting this amazing desert park. Joshua Tree National Park sits on the border of Riverside and San Bernardino counties and covers nearly 800,000 acres Of that land area, over half has been officially designated as a wilderness … [Read more...]

Saline Valley Hot Springs may be a little rough to get to but well worth the effort for those that love to dip in hot mineral water pools. Saline Valley Hot Springs is "managed" by a group of people, all volunteers, who have constructed and maintained the hot springs for many years. In 1994 … [Read more...]

Oasis Date Gardens are a 175-acre date ranch dedicated to growing Organically Certified Medjool Dates. Located along the old road to the Imperial Valley the date ranch was established in 1912. While guests are not allowed to roam around the palm groves they can visit the company store. Customers … [Read more...]

Cabot's Pueblo Museum is one of Southern California's most unique buildings. It all started with one man’s dream. He was an extraordinary individual who worked hard and traveled to many places. He wanted the desert to be a wonderful place to live, not only for his family but for everyone. To … [Read more...]

Wildrose Charcoal Kilns would probably be one of the most visited attractions in Death Valley if they were not in such a remote location. The charcoal kilns were built in 1877  to provide a reliable source of charcoal to mining operations at Lookout City in the Argus Mountain Range. Due to the … [Read more...]

Day Trip to Noah Purifoy Joshua Tree Outdoor Museum Noah Purifoy Outdoor Museum, way out there in the middle of nowhere along a dusty desert road is an unusual collection of artwork. Artist Noah Purifoy (1917-2004) moved to the desert to escape because Los Angeles was just too expensive to … [Read more...]

Death Valley National Park is the hottest, driest, lowest place in the nation. The best time to visit is winter or spring when the temperature is not too extreme. People from all over the world come to see this desert valley. Some tourist visit in the summer just for bragging rights about … [Read more...]

Randsburg located just off Highway 395 in the part of eastern Kern County known as the Rand Area. Travelers will be transported back in time to the early gold mining days of California when they visit the Living Ghost Town of Randsburg at an elevation of 3,500 feet, Randsburg was at one time home … [Read more...]