Ridgecrest Things to Do

If you want to see some extraordinary, check out Fossil Falls on your way up the Highway 395! It is a amazing site and great hike.

Sturdy shoes are recommended due to its uneven surface. NOTE: PLEASE SUPERVISE YOUNG CHILDREN IN THIS AREA AS THE TRAIL LEADS TO THE TOP OF A SHEER CLIFF.

~~Fed by the rains and snows of the last Ice Age, the Owens River once flowed from Owens lake down through this 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 produce of volcanic activity. As recent as 20,000 years ago, lava from the local volcanic eruptions poured into the Owens River channel. The erosional forces of the Owens River acted upon this volcanic rock, forming the polished and sculptured features that now can be seen at Fossil Falls.~~

You've seen them in any sci-fi movie when they touch down onto a foreign planet. The Trona Pinnacles are some of the most unique geological features in the California Desert Conservation Area. The unusual landscape consists of more than 500 tufa spires, some as high as 140 feet, rising from the bed of the Searles Dry Lake basin. The pinnacles vary in size and shape from short and squat to tall and thin, and are composed primarily of calcium carbonate (tufa). The Trona Pinnacles have been featured in many commercials, films, and still-photo shoots.

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This building serves many functions as well as being a Visitor Center too. They have two huge racks filled with all sorts of free literature. They had loads of magazines filled with some wonderful travel information. It sure did give me and the family ideas where we are going to venture out next.

Open 10am-5pm every day
Closed on major holidays

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This was a very eventual day for us. It was wonderful to finally take the time to stop by this center and absorbed everything thing it could offer, which was A LOT! It was so educational and the exhibits are done so professionally. The exhibits include baskets, artifacts from Native people, remnants of extinct Pleistocene gaints, exhibits on the local history such as Randsburg, Johannesburg, and Red Mountain. The illusion of the sabre tooth tiger was awesome! They have a childrens hands on display, which is essential. So there is so much to see here within the confines of this wonderful building. So make some time and bring the kids. You could learn a lot!

Open 10am-5pm every day
Closed on major holidays

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Located just outside behind the The Maturango Museum is a area reserved of local fiona, artwork, and artifacts that at one time used by many pioneers. You'd think a wagon train just wondered by and dumped their old personal items off...lol! Their are some old mining equipment, farm equipment, old time applicances, and so much more just scattered about so our youth can learn from them. Many of the items act as yard art too among the desert landscape. If only they could tell us their tales. You can pick up a least inside the Musuem that tells you by numbers which type of species the plants are. Hopefully you'll get to see much of it bloomed before it goes dorment. The metal art of petroglyphs were my favorite.

At the time, they had the Jerry O. Bradley Exhibit "Forms From Within!" They displayed his craft very tastefully. They feature new exhibits of fine art every two months. They have meets and greets with the artist and sometimes have monthly lectures by many archaelolgists, anthropologists, explorers, etc. They even have concerts, workshops, seminars, and many other type of special events.

in town there is nothing to do, except go to the dinky theatre over and over. I don't even think I want to go to the bars here in this town (the 1 or 2 that there are) The most exciting thing to do is go out to eat, watch or rent a movie, or even better LEAVE TOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!

The largest (yes largest!) concentration of ancient Indain rock carvings (petroglyphs) are here local to Ridgcrest. Check with the local museum - www.maturango.org
also check my website for area points of interest: www.bickelcamp.org