117. California Road Trip from Los Angeles to the Mojave Desert

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Calaroga Shark Media. Welcome to a
special episode of Travelers Back, where we'll

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be hitting the road for an unforgettable
journey from the bright lights of Los Angeles

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to the rugged beauty of the Mojave
Desert. This iconic road trip offers a

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chance to escape the city and discover
some of Southern California's most stunning and surreal

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landscapes, all just a few hours
drive from the metropolis. Our adventure begins

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in the heart of Los Angeles,
where we'll fuel up on coffee and snacks

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before heading east on Interstate Ten.
As we leave the city behind, the

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landscape begins to change, with towering
mountains and vast expanses of desert stretching out

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before us. Our first stop is
the town of Cabazon, home to the

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famous Cabazon Dinosaurs. These massive concrete
sculptures, which include a one hundred and

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fifty foot Longntosaurus and a sixty five
foot tall t Rex, have been a

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roadside attraction since the nineteen sixties and
have appeared in numerous movies and TV shows.

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Visitors can climb inside the t rex
for a unique photo opportunity, or

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browse the on site gift shop for
Dino themed souvenirs from Kabazan. Will continue

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east on it until we reach the
town of Joshua Tree Gateway to the incredible

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Joshua Tree National Park. This vast
and otherworldly park is named for its distinctive

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Joshua trees, which are actually a
type of yucca plant that can grow up

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to forty feet tall. The park
is also home to a variety of other

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desert flora and fauna, including cacti, wildflowers, and animals like bighorn sheep

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and desert tortoises. There are plenty
of ways to explore Joshua Tree National Park,

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from scenic drives to hiking trails to
rock climbing routes. One of the

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most popular hikes is the short but
steep climb to the top of Ryan Mountain,

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which offers panoramic views of the surrounding
desert landscape. Another must sea spot

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is the Choya Cactus Garden, a
surreal landscape of densely packed Choya cacti that

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glow in the sunlight. We cover
Joshua Tree and Detail in episode number one

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twelve. After a day of exploring
Joshua Tree, we'll continue our journey north

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to the town of Barstow, where
we'll spend the night. Barstow is a

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classic desert town with a rich history
tied to the old Route sixty six,

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which once ran through the heart of
town. Today, visitors can explore the

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town's many vintage shops, restaurants,
and museums, including the Route sixty six

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Mother Road Museum, which chronicles the
history of this iconic highway. Barstow is

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a fascinating desert town with a rich
history and plenty of quirky attractions. Located

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about halfway between Los Angeles and Las
Vegas, Barstow has long been a popular

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stopover point for travelers, truckers,
and Route sixty six enthusiasts. One of

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the town's most iconic landmarks is the
Harvey House, a historic railroad depot and

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hotel that dates back to nineteen eleven. The Harvey House was once part of

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a chain of hotels and restaurants that
serve travelers on the Atchison, Topeka and

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Santa Fe Railway, and was known
for its elegant architecture and top notched service.

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Today, the building houses the Barstow
Route sixty six Mother Road Museum,

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which showcases the history of the famous
highway through vintage photographs, artifacts, and

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interactive exhibits. Another must see attraction
in Barstow is the Desert Discovery Center,

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a museum and educational facility that explores
the unique ecology and geology of the Mojave

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Desert. The center features hands on
exhibits, live animal displays, and a

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cactus garden that showcases the diverse plant
life of the region. For a taste

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of Barstow's quirky side, be sure
to check out the Barstow Station, a

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massive shopping complex housed in a series
of interconnected railcars. Here you can browse

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vinted shops, grab a bite to
eat at one of the many restaurants,

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or even take a spin on the
on site carousel. From Barstow, will

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head north on Highway two hundred and
forty seven toward the town of Baker,

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home to the world's tallest thermometer.
This one hundred thirty four foot tall novelty

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structure was built in nineteen ninety one
and can display temperatures up to one hundred

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thirty four degrees fahrenheit In honor of
the hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth,

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which happened in nearby Death Valley in
nineteen thirteen. Just beyond Baker lies the

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vast expanse of the Mojave National Preserve, a wilderness area that offers some of

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the most stunning and diverse desert landscapes
in the country. From the towering dunes

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of the Kelso Dunes to the ancient
lava flows of the Cinder Cones, there's

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no shortage of natural wonders to explore
here. One of the most popular attractions

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in the Mojave National Preserve is the
Kelso Depot, a beautifully restored nineteen twenties

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railroad station that now serves as the
preserve's visitor center. Here you can learn

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about the area's history and ecology,
pick up maps and guide book, and

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even enjoy a meal in the depot's
vintage lunch counter. As you head north

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into the Mojave National Preserve, the
landscape becomes even more rugged and surreal.

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The preserve is a vast expanse of
desert wilderness, with towering sand dunes,

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ancient lava flows, and Joshua tree
forests that stretch out as far as the

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eye can see. One of the
most surreal sits in the Mojave National Preserve

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is The Cinder Cones National Natural Landmark, a series of ancient volcanic cones that

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rise up from the desert floor like
something out of a science fiction movie.

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The cones are made up of black
and red cinders that were formed during volcanic

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eruptions thousands of years ago and are
a stark contrast to the surrounding landscape of

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sand and scrub. Another must see
spot in the preserve is the Hole in

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the Wall, a narrow slot canyon
that's been carved out of the rock by

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centuries of erosion. The canyon is
a popular spot for hiking and exploring,

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with towering walls of red and white
rock that seem to glow in the sunlight.

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As you make your way back to
Barstow and eventually to Los Angeles,

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you'll have a new found appreciation for
the rugged, beauty and incredible diversity of

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the Mojave Desert. From quirky roadside
attractions to stunning natural wonders, this road

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trip offers a chance to discover a
side of southern California that many people never

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see. So take your time,
soak up the scenery and enjoy the journey.

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You never know what amazing sights and
experiences might be waiting around the next

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bend in the road. As we
make our way back to Los Angeles,

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we'll have a new found appreciation for
the rugged, beauty and fascinating history of

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the Mojave Desert. From quirky roadside
attractions to stunning natural wonders, this road

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trip offers a chance to discover a
side of Southern California that many visitors never

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see. So fill up the tank, queue up your favorite road trip playlist,

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and get ready for an adventure you'll
never forget. The screen to distinc