A Road to Adventure : For Those Willing to Get Off the Beaten Path, Interstate 15 Is a Good Guide to Desert Pleasures

Drivers regularly zip right through the Interstate 15 corridor between Barstow and the state line, giving little thought to what pleasures might be found just off the highway. They may stop for fuel or fast food, but usually they just enjoy the 65 m.p.h. speed limit, ignoring exit signs for Zzyzx, Calico and Yermo. Those road signs are probably overshadowed anyway by the glitzy Las Vegas billboards advertising hotels, casinos and coming celebrity appearances.

“The desert has a way of arousing strong emotions in its beholders, either of fright or of delight,” wrote Lawrence Clark Powell. It’s the fear of unknown places, coupled with the tendency to focus on the destination, not the journey, that keeps many from discovering desert delights. But one person’s interminable stretch of interstate is another’s road to adventure.

Within just a few miles north or south of Interstate 15, between Barstow and the California/Nevada line, the traveler who ventures off the beaten path has an amazing array of activities to explore. It takes only a short hop off the highway to hike the Grand Canyon of the Mojave; drive through colorful, fossil-laden sedimentary rocks; tour an important archeological site; take a college class; visit a museum, a ghost town or a desert information center; eat at a ‘50s diner or Greek restaurant; stay at a lovely bed-and-breakfast, complete with an outdoor hot tub.

Interstate 15 forms the northern boundary of the East Mojave National Scenic Area, the proposed site of Mojave National Park. The view of far distant mountains is just a tantalizing example of the national-park-quality land that lies to the south. Exploring desert pleasures along the interstate is a convenient way to get acquainted with the territory.

(A) California Desert Information Center, 831 Barstow Road, Barstow (Central Barstow exit off I-15; one block north); (619) 256-8617. Hours 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday; 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays.

It’s been said that the world passes through Barstow but nobody stops. No doubt that claim would be hotly denied by the staff that manages the California Desert Information Center, a cooperative effort between the Bureau of Land Management and the Barstow Chamber of Commerce. The center receives about 100 visitors a day who find an excellent source of information here, and a logical first stop on a desert tour. Maps, brochures, information about camping, lodging and desert attractions and a selection of guidebooks are available. Interpretive displays, a touch table, tours of the facility and the awesome Old Woman Meteorite, the second-largest meteorite to fall on North America, are among the attractions.

(B) Mojave River Valley Museum, corner of Barstow Road and Virginia Way, Barstow (two blocks southwest of the California Desert Information Center). Hours: 11 a.m.-4 p.m., daily except Tuesday and Wednesday.

Founded by local citizens in 1964 and incorporated as a nonprofit organization in 1973, this eclectic museum is dedicated to preserving and interpreting the heritage of the Mojave River Valley. Permanent exhibits include archeological artifacts from the nearby Calico Early Man Site (see F); locally found gemstones and minerals, including agates, jaspers and turquoise; photographs of city pioneers. Currently on special display are Saudi Arabian petroglyphs donated by a visiting student, and antique quilts handcrafted by local women. A small collection of publications and local crafts is available for purchase.

(C) Rainbow Basin National Natural Landmark (10 miles north of Barstow. From California 58 in Barstow, take Fort Irwin Road north 5 1/2 miles to Fossil Bed Road, follow signs about 3 miles to the Landmark; follow signed 3-mile-long scenic drive).

The designation as a National Natural Landmark is a tip-off, but nothing can prepare you for the spectacular geologic formations or the exquisite colorations of Rainbow Basin.

About 15 million years ago, grasslands filled Rainbow Basin, which was populated by saber-toothed tigers, mastodons, camels, three-toed horses and even rhinoceroses. Their fossil remains are encased in the sedimentary rock that once formed a lake bed. As a result of intense geologic activity over the millennia, what once was at the bottom of the lake is now a series of folded, faulted, colorful hills. The subtle colorations, the greens and browns, are due to the differing oxidation rates of iron. The whites in the hills are called zeolites, indicative of a mixture of volcanic ash combined with alkaline waters.

These towering hills, exquisitely formed and appearing to be hand-painted, can easily be appreciated during a 3-mile, one-way loop drive. Camping facilities at nearby Owl Canyon allow for longer stays.

(D) Calico Ghost Town (about 7 1/2 miles east of Barstow off I-15 at the Ghost Town Road Exit; follow signs 3 miles north to the park. Parking $3; hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Calico, a one-time boom town that produced between $13 million and $20 million from its silver mines, went bust just after the turn of the century. The town has been restored, and today it’s a regional park operated by San Bernardino County.

The town features several Western-style shops, restaurants and attractions, including a mine tour, playhouse, railroad and museum. Some of the original 19th-Century buildings are still standing: the saloon, town office, country store and general store.

Calico hosts a number of regularly scheduled events, including the annual Fine Arts Festival held today and Sunday. Western artists will display their paintings and sculptures; art auctions and performances of country and bluegrass music also are slated to be part of the weekend’s festivities.

Campground facilities are located in a nearby canyon; for reservations, call (619) 254-2122.

(E) Peggy Sue’s Nifty ‘50s Diner (Ghost Town Road exit off I-15, left at Yermo Road, located at 35654 Yermo Road, Yermo). Hours: 5:30 a.m.-9 p.m., Monday-Thursday; 5:30 a.m.-10 p.m., Fridays; 6 a.m.-9 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays.

A diner, circa 1950, located in the middle of the desert across the street from a tank parking lot at the Marine Corps Logistics Center? Waitresses wearing turquoise uniforms, handing out pink menus? A jukebox blaring Elvis tunes while you try to complete a 1950s trivia quiz? If the whole thing seems a bit surreal, it’s just part of the fun.

Peggy Sue’s Nifty ‘50s Diner opened just over a year ago; it’s the latest incarnation of a diner that was built in 1954. The building was known for years as the Dutch Maid, later as the Calico Cookhouse. Peggy Sue’s motto is “We didn’t make a ‘50s diner; we are a ‘50s diner.”

One look at the menu confirms it. Culinary delights range from a Buddy Holly bacon cheeseburger to Marilyn Monroe cheesecake and Ozzie and Harriet apple pie. The walls are adorned with memorabilia, including photographs of Elvis Presley, John Wayne and Marilyn Monroe. Representing a time warp of sorts, there’s an unexpected vintage photograph of then-husband-and-wife actors Ronald Reagan and Jane Wyman. Flashing Christmas lights, a well-appointed jukebox and photographs of the real-life Peggy Sue posing with celebrity impersonators complete the experience.

Oh, yes, there’s food too. It’s home-style, and it’s good. Specialties of the house include biscuits and gravy, chicken-fried steaks cooked to order, chili and meat loaf.

(F) Calico Early Man Archaeological Site (15 miles northeast of Barstow via I-15. From the Minneola Road exit, follow the signs north 2 1/2 miles along graded dirt roads to the site.) Hours: open for tours Wednesdays 1:30 and 3:30 p.m.; Thursday-Sunday 9:30 and 11:30 a.m., 1:30 and 3:30 p.m.; closed Mondays and Tuesdays. For group tours, write Friends of Calico Early Man Site, P.O. Box 535, Yermo, Calif. 92398.

Prehistoric stone tools found at the Calico Early Man Archeological Site include scrapers, hand picks, choppers and the like, which some scholars estimate to be about 200,000 years old, maybe older. Louis S. B. Leakey, known primarily for his work in Olduvai Gorge in East Africa, directed the excavation of this site from 1963 until his death in 1972. The site is the only place in North America where the famed archeologist/paleontologist chose to work; the National Geographic Society funded the project.

A visit to this site is an introduction to the tedious, methodical work of archeologists. Working with hand tools no bigger than toothbrushes and awls, archeologists have recovered some 11,400 artifacts, moved uncounted tons of earth, kept meticulous records and dug some 26 feet into the earth, three inches at a time. The tour of the excavation site is guaranteed to raise incomprehensible questions about the origins of human life and the passage of an unfathomably long period of time. It’s an experience that is simultaneously disturbing, inspiring and quite profound.

(G) Afton Canyon (Afton turnoff from I-15, about 33 miles east of Baker; take 3-mile dirt and gravel road that’s washboard in places, park at Afton Campground).

A surprisingly lovely place to hike, Afton Canyon features a steep-walled gorge cut by the once-raging Mojave River. From your base at the campground, you may opt for a short walk along the river or a full day’s journey into the canyon that’s been termed the Grand Canyon of the Mojave. Riparian vegetation, including cottonwoods, provide cool shade in some places, but be sure to carry water with you and wear a hat and proper hiking shoes. Take it easy.

Railroad aficionados will delight in the number of freight trains that pass through the canyon. The sight of a mighty Union Pacific locomotive powering across gleaming trestles is one you’re not likely to forget soon.

The Bureau of Land Management operates the campground; fees are $4 per day.

(H) California Desert Studies Center (off I-15 at Zzyzx Road, south on unpaved, graded Zzyzx Road for 4 miles to the center).

The California Desert Studies Center is a field station of California State University, established in 1976 under a management agreement with the Bureau of Land Management. The self-contained, energy-efficient facilities include classrooms, science labs, a complete kitchen and dormitory space that will house up to 80 individuals.

Originally conceived as a research facility for use by university faculty and students, the center has evolved into an educational retreat for those interested in all facets of the desert.

The facility is housed in the buildings that remain from the one-time Zzyzx Mineral Springs and Health Resort; new construction is designed to complement the simply designed structures originally built in the ‘40s. Street signs, including the Boulevard of Dreams, still remain.

Reservations for using the facilities are essential. The public can most easily participate in the center’s activities by signing up for a class through the Office of Extended Education, Cal State San Bernardino, San Bernardino, Calif. 92407; (714) 887-7527. Among upcoming classes are: Tracking and Observing Animals in Nature (Nov. 11-13); Archeology of the Mojave Desert (Jan. 20-22); Landscape Painting (Mar. 10-12), and Earthen Art (May 7-9).

Desert-oriented school and community groups can make reservations for accommodations through the Biology Department, Cal State Fullerton, Fullerton, Calif. 92634; (714) 773-2428.

The Bureau of Land Management offers regular two-hour tours of the Soda Springs facilities Saturdays and Sundays at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. Tours include information about natural history, human habitation, flora and fauna, the fascinating health resort era and geology. Admission: $2 per person, 12 and younger free, or $5 for family. For group reservations call the Bureau, (619) 256-3591.

(I) Mad Greek (Off I-15 at Baker Boulevard exit); hours: Sunday through Thursday 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays 10 a.m.-midnight. Telephone (619) 733-4354.

You’re a little cranky because you’ve been on the road too long; you’re hot, tired and hungry, but you can’t face the prospect of ordering, much less consuming, another meal of cheeseburgers, fries and a Coke. But you still want to eat quickly, cheaply and well.

Stop at the Mad Greek in Baker and get yourself a souvlaki, a Greek salad, a gyro sandwich and maybe some zucchini sticks or fried mushrooms. Wash it all down with a Spartan beer and pause for a while to listen to the Greek music; observe the prints on the walls, the tiled counters. The combination of the tasty food and the pleasant surroundings make the Mad Greek a refreshing change from the endless burger joints and taco stands along the road.

(J) Nipton Station (I-15 to Nipton Road, 10 miles to the town of Nipton).

Nipton is the kind of desert town you sometimes read about or see profiled in a short human-interest spot on television. Indeed, a segment of Charles Kuralt’s “On the Road” was filmed here a couple of years ago.

It’s the kind of place where you can chow down at the Hard Rock Cafe and Saloon, listen to classic country tunes by George Jones and Buck Owens, shoot pool while you quaff a couple of cold ones served in Mason jar-style mugs. At the Trading Post, you can purchase provisions and maps for a desert trek, examine silver and turquoise jewelry or even rent a video.

For the total Nipton experience, you can stay at the Hotel Nipton, where silent film star Clara Bow was a frequent guest. The bed and breakfast, newly renovated in a comfortable, Southwest style, features a touch of luxury: a hot tub that allows you to soak under the stars. The railroad runs right past Nipton, and somehow the rumble of the midnight freight train is a comfortable, nostalgic sound.

The town’s motto is “Where the past is present,” but the place seems poised on the brink of the future. It’s been designated a Desert Information Center for the East Mojave National Scenic Area. Despite local opposition to the Desert Protection Act, Nipton obviously stands to prosper, if not boom, with the passage of the bill, especially if it becomes a part of the proposed Mojave National Park. Because of its location at the northeast border of the proposed park, Nipton virtually will be guaranteed a steady stream of desert travelers from points beyond.

Witness the blazing sunset over the New York Mountains, and the pearl-pink glow of first light the next morning and a certain sense of local pride among the residents, and you’ll be convinced that there’s something special going on in Nipton. Information: Nipton Station, HCR 1, P.O. Box 357, Nipton, Calif. 92364; (619) 856-2335.

Mojave Desert A- California Desert Information Center

B- Mojave River Valley Museum

C- Rainbow Basin National Natural Landmark

D- Calico Ghost Town

E- Peggy Sue’s Nifty ‘50s Diner afton canyon

F- Calico Early Man Archaeological Site

G- Afton Canyon

H- California Desert Studies Center

I- The Mad Greek

J- Nipton Station