The Trona Pinnacles
The Trona Pinnacles are one of my favorite places, as is Fossil Falls. It is one of the most unique geological features in the California Desert. There are more than 500 tufa spires, some as high as 140 feet, rising from the bed of the Searles Dry Lake basin. The pinnacles range in size and shape from short and wide to tall and thin, and are made primarily of calcium carbonate (tufa). The Trona Pinnacles have been featured in many commercials, films, and still-photo shoots (such as Planet of the Apes, episodes of ER, and Star Trek). The Pinnacles are approximately a 20 minute drive from Ridgecrest.

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Fossil Falls
The area was fed by the rains and snows of the last Ice Age. The Owens River once flowed from Owens Valley down through a narrow valley between the Coso and Sierra Nevada Mountain ranges. Several times during the last 100,000 years, the discharge from the Owens river has been great enough to form a vast interconnected system of lakes in what are now the arid basins of the Mojave Desert. The rugged and primitive features of Fossil Falls are the product of volcanic activity. As recently as 20,000 years ago, lava from the local volcanic eruptions poured into the Owens River channel. The force of the Owens eroding acted upon this volcanic rock, creating the polished and sculptured features that now can be seen at Fossil Falls. Fossil falls is approximately a 45 minute drive from Ridgecrest.

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Death Valley
Death Valley is recorded as the lowest elevation in North America. It is located southeast of the Sierra Nevada range in the Mojave Desert. Surprisingly, the highest point in the contiguous United States, Mount Whitney (listed below) is just 76 miles west of Death Valley. Temperatures in Death Valley can range from up to 130 degrees F in the summer, to below freezing at night in the winter. Death Valley has many different areas to see (the Sand Dunes, Scotty's Castle, etc.) and is anywhere from an hour and a half drive to three hours depending on what you want to see.

Little Petroglyph Canyon located in the Coso Mountains of eastern California, on the China Lake Navy Base. It is part of one of the largest concentrations of rock art in North America, and it stands as a permanent testimony of the artistry, symbolism and religious beliefs of our Native American forebears. During the historical period, the Coso region was occupied by peoples speaking one of three different Numic languages: Shoshone, Southern Paiute, and Northern Paiute. The Coso Shoshone were the primary occupants of the Coso Mountains but the Southern Paiute-speaking Kawaiisu lived along its southern edge and the Northern Paiute occupied Owens Valley, immediately to the north. This area can only be seen by people who have an official tour guide. We may be able to arrange a visit if enough people are interested.

Kernville and the Kern River

Kernville is a little over an hour from Ridgecrest and is a great area for outdoor activity. In the winter, the area has great sledding and skiing nearby. In the summer, fun activities include: white water rafting and going jet skiing at Lake Isabella.

Jawbone Canyon & Dove Springs
I have heard some people are interested in bringing out some dirt bikes to the area. The following two areas are a couple of popular areas to ride, though there is riding around Ridgecrest as well. These two areas are within twenty minutes of Ridgecrest.

From cross-country play to advanced technical routes, the Jawbone OHV Area offers over 7,000 acres of open-use public land where you can ride anywhere your skill and machine will take you.  Jawbone is also a great starting point to begin to explore the hundreds of miles of trail riding opportunities available in this region and outside of the OHV Open Area

From cross-country play in the sandy bowl to steep hill climbs, the Dove Springs OHV area offers over 5,000 acres of open-use public land for you to enjoy. The Dove Springs bowl is also a great starting point to begin to explore the hundreds of miles of trail riding opportunities available in this region.