Founded as a railroad line intersection, the city
is now at the center of a newer set of crossroads: I-15 and I-40, which
form the borders of the ruggedly beautiful and mountainous 1.4
million-acre Mojave National Preserve.
The California Desert Information Center (831 Barstow Rd. 619-256-8313) provides a fine introduction to the southern California deserts. At the Rainbow Basin Natl. Natural Landmark (8 miles N via Calif. 58 to Irwin Rd., then N to Fossil Bed Rd. Last 3 miles unpaved. 619-256-8313), a 4-mile loop road gives a good overview of the colorful geology. Hiking and horseback riding.
BIG BEAR LAKE
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| This is a vacation and outdoor sports spot for the flatlanders of Southern California, offering skiing, hiking, boating, and woodsy resorts.
LAKE ARROWHEAD |
| Residents of Lake Arrowhead take their zoning laws seriously, and this vigilance has helped them to preserve much of the original character of their mountain town. The best vantage point to see the shoreline is aboard the Arrowhead Queen, a 60-passenger paddlewheeler that plies the lake.
NEEDLES |
| The road descends down the eastern slopes of the Dead Mountains into town, named for the jagged peaks to the southeast. Here, the Colorado River forms the Calif.-Ariz. border, creating an oasis of cottonwood, palm, and tamarisk trees. Moabi Regional Park (Off Park Moabi Rd. 765-326-3831. Adm. fee) offers camping and water sports.
ONTARIO |
| Ontario, a former agricultural center, now serves as a bedroom community for the metropolis of Los Angeles and is also the site of the LA area's second international airport.
RANCHO CUCAMONGA |
| Nestled in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains and the Cucamonga Wilderness Area, Rancho Cucamonga straddles historic Route 66.
REDLANDS |
| Some of the grand Victorian houses that grew up among the orange groves here in the 1880s are restored and visible today, though not open to the public. The San Bernadino County Museum (2024 Orange Tree Lane, off Calif. St. exit. 909-307-2669. Closed Mon.; adm. fee) contains history, anthropology, and natural history exhibits, including a collection of land and sea bird eggs.
SAN BERNARDINO |
| This large and low-key city was settled by Mormans in the 1850s. The center of a thriving, rapidly expanding metropolitan area that includes Riverside and Ontario, it is the gateway to a number of scenic areas including the San Bernardino National Forest, Lake Arrowhead, Big Bear Lake, and the breathtaking Rim of the World Drive.
TWENTYNINE PALMS |
| The high desert town of Twentynine Palms surrounds the main entrance to Joshua Tree National Park, an arid wonderland of desert geology and diverse plant life, as well as an international draw for rock climbers.
VICTORVILLE |
| The high desert community of Victorville lies north of the San Bernardino Mountains and has grown into a large bedroom community of the Inland Empire as well as other areas of the Los Angeles Basin to the south.
Housed in a Western-style fort, the Roy Rogers/Dale Evans Museum (0.25 mile W on Civic Dr. to Roy Rogers Dr. 760-243-4547) contains personal and professional memorabilia from their long career in movies, television, and music. Adm. fee. For
more info on Great Drives
in this area, go to: Los Angeles to Mountains |
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