route 66 & beyond travel industry planner 2014 · 87 miles – driving time 1 hour, 36 minutes...

Route 66 & Beyond – Travel Industry Planner 2014

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Welcome To Route 66 & Beyond

On behalf of the County of San Bernardino and our hospitality associates, we

would like to welocme you to California and our communities. The information

in this intinerary planner will help you endure your clients viist to our region is

enjoyable. We strive to provide your company with accurate information.

The maps and directions are intented to help you create itineraries and tour

spiels for your clients and guides. They are not meant to replace

comprehensive nor to scale.

California anchors the west end of historic Route 66, and the County of

San Bernardino greets travelers as they, leaving Arizona cross the

welcome oasis of the green banked Colorado River. The largest county

in the contiguous United States, here you’ll find the longest

uninterrupted stretch of the Mother Road - 250 miles - and many of

California’s most cherished Route 66 icons. By the way, the time

changes in California to Pacific Time.


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Nestled along the Colorado River, just across the Arizona border, an

hour and 45 minutes from Las Vegas and just 11 miles southeast of

Needles is a true California oasis – Pirate Cove Resort & Marina located

at Moabi Regional Park.

Part of the County’s regional park system, this family destination

located on an original section of Route 66, offers pristine white sandy

beaches, luxurious river front cabins, a 250 slip marina, a restaurant,

bar, grocery market and souvenir shop. The resort also features 112

riverfront RV camping sites and 34 non-riverfront sites.

Operated by a California family, Pirate Cove Resort & Marina is a

perfect location to rest for a day or two, enjoy nature hikes, cruise the

Colorado River to the Topock Gorge, zip-line across the river, and enjoy

Needles Route 66 history before heading west to the Santa Monica Pier.

Guests are welcome to just stop by for lunch or dinner without

reservations at the resort. If you are interested in staying at the resort,

reserve through your travel agent or contact the resort at

www.PirateCoveResort.com.


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Activities at Pirate Cove Resort & Marina include:

Credit: PCRM

Waterfront Dining - Relax under the shade of umbrellas, palm trees, beachside palapas and rustic pirate timber wood at The Pirate Beach Bar & Restaurant. Live music, cool misters, and hand carved furniture set the scene for California “island” fun.

Daily River Cruises: Enjoy a river cruise to the Topock Gorge—a “mini” grand canyon. You do not have to be a guest of the resort to enjoy this beautiful and relaxing cruise.

Relax under palapa and enjoy the California sun.


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Credit: Wet Monkey

Speed Boats, Jetskis, Pontoons, Wave Runners, Kayaks and Ski Boats are all available for rent at the Resort through Wet Monkey Rentals.

Outdoor fun! Zipline across the Colorado Walk along the Colorado River, Nature Trails, See original signage and sections of Route 66 or try nearby off-road adventures River

.


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Needles to Amboy (including the Mojave Desert Preserve)

Historic Route 66 winds its way west from Needles, across the stark

sweeping beauty of the Mojave Desert.

Needles, California, founded in 1883, it was originally a stop on the

Santa Fe Railroad where it crossed from California into Arizona at the

eastern edge of the Mojave Desert; El Garces Harvey House was built in

1908 to replace the original railway station. In 1916, the Trails Arch

Bridge brought the National Old Trails Road across the Colorado River;

this span became part of U.S. Route 66 in 1926.


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Westbound (from AZ or Pirate Cove) you will drive under the I-40 at the

US 95 junction and follow Broadway into Needles. At the “Y”

intersection with Front Street, stay to your LEFT on Broadway through

downtown. Past J Street, curve with Broadway across the RR tracks,

then turn LEFT on Needles Highway. Pass under the I-40, turn curve

RIGHT and cross I-40. At the “Y” intersection, bear LEFT with National

Old Trails Highway, to River Road Cutoff. Turn LEFT, and then join I-40

westbound.


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While in Needles be sure to stop by these popular Route 66 stops:

Credit: Route66World

The historic neon sign of the 66 Motel, is one of the most popular photo stops in Needles. It was restored and relit in June 2012, by Ed Klein of Route 66 World. Klein and Route 66 supporters helped raised the funds to restore the sign. The hotel located at Desnok and Broadway is currently an apartment and does not accept overnight guests.

Credit: CaRte66pf

As you enter Needles you will see the famous "Welcome to Needles Covered Wagon.” It was formerly used as a sign for the El Rancho Hotel in Needles. Most of Route 66 through Needles is called Broadway Street. Across the street from the Needles welcome wagon is the Palms Motel, a 1920s vintage auto court. It is well preserved although it no longer hosts Route 66 travelers.

need better image

El Garces opened in 1908, halted operations as a Harvey House in 1949, and entirely in 1988. Friends of El Garces persuaded the city to buy the property in 1999, and it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002. El Garces sits next to an older downtown alignment of Route 66. The building was recently renovated and reopened May 3, 2014 as a railroad depot. Plans are in development to add Amtrak station, businesses and a Route 66 museum.

After exploring Needles, we suggest two options to reach Amboy.

Option 1: Take a “delightful detour” to the Mojave Desert Preserve then

on to Amboy.

Option 2: Route 66 directly to Amboy via National Trails Highway/I-40


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Option One – Needles to Amboy 87 miles – Driving Time 1 hour, 36 minutes

Follow I-40 from Needles. Take the next exit (To Las Vegas) and follow US 95

north. Just before the railroad crossing turn LEFT onto Goffs. Curve around

with Goffs Road and head to Fenner. Pass under I-40, and continue to the stop

sign at National Trails Highway. Turn RIGHT through Essex and Danby to the

Cadiz Summit. Descend through the pass and go through Chambless and the

Kelbaker Road Junction, then continue on through to Amboy.


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Landmarks and Photo Opportunities:

Credit: MojaveNP

Goffs sits on the edge of the Mojave Desert National Preserve and is home to the Goffs Museum, featuring a meticulously restored schoolhouse by the Mojave Desert Heritage & Cultural Association in 1998-99. Originally built in 1914, it now houses the largest collection of Mojave Desert historical artifacts.

Credit: CaRte66pf Credit: Military Training BLM

Ten miles down the road from Goffs on the old pre-1931 alignment of Route 66 the old road rejoins the National Old Trails Highway at Essex. Essex has an interesting connection to WWII. It was here in the Mojave Desert that General George Patton trained troops for war in Northern Africa. There was a public well (now dry) which provided free drinks of water to travelers traversing the Mojave Desert along Route 66.

Now a ghost town, Chambless, used to have a gas station, a cafe and several cabins. These buildings are still intact behind a tall wired fence. This one time oasis in the desert was a popular spot for the long ago travelers of the Mother Road, as it was one of the few places with trees, and the gas station/market once sported a wide covered porch to shade the weary travelers. The Road Runner's Retreat Restaurant and Gas Station once


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Credit: K. Weiser 2004

offered a respite during the long hot drive across the Mojave.

Option 2: Needles to Amboy through the Mojave Desert Preserve Take the I-40 WEST to Kelbaker Road. Exit and turn LEFT to Kelbaker road. Turn RIGHT, continue to Mojave Desert Preserve. Depart for Route 66 – turn left onto Kelbaker Road. Pass under the I-40 and continue to Route 66 and turn RIGHT (West).


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MOJAVE NATIONAL PRESERVE is vast. At 1.6 million acres, it is the third largest unit of the National Park System in the contiguous United States.

The Preserve, features the Cinder Cones Natural Landmark, Kelso Dunes, Kelso Depot Museum & Visitors Center (GREAT bookstore) and the Granite Mountains.

THE KELSO SAND DUNE complex has some of the

highest dunes (600 feet, 160 meters) in the

region. Few realize that these magnificent

dunes only form a small part of a larger sand

system that includes the Devil's Playground.

Huge amounts of sand were needed to create

these sand sculptures, but where did it come

from—and as it’s not being replenished - what

made the sand stop accumulating?

SALT MINING – Just south of Amboy, a small

railroad town founded in 1858 by salt miners,

the salt still mined today, looks like snow or ice

covering the desert landscape. The salt ponds

the color of the Caribbean, sparkle the desert

sunlight.


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AMBOY - Roy's Motel and Café was the only gasoline, food and lodging stop for miles around that part of the eastern Mojave and was well known for both its "retro-future" architecture added to one of the original buildings and even more famous sign, a 1959 addition. In February 2005, Albert Okura, owner of the Juan Pollo restaurant chain, offered $425,000 in cash to the Burris family, Amboy’s owner, and promised to preserve the town and reopen Roy's. On April 28, 2008, Roy's reopened. The renovations and repairs cost $100,000. Albert Okura also has plans to open a café and mini-mart at the same location.

You'll probably want to take a few pictures of the iconic Route 66 shields, painted on the road. The best and safest location in the County is in Amboy. Traffic is minimal allowing you to get some terrific pictures of you and your companions. As you head further West, traffic patterns are intense and do not allow for easy photography. Use caution wherever you opt to take your shield pictures.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy%27s_Motel_and_Caf%C3%A9


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Credit: BLM

About two miles west of Roy’s Café is the Amboy Crater and Lava Field. An extinct North American cinder cone type of volcano that rises above a 70-square-kilometer lava field. The crater is accessible via a 3 ½ mile trail from the parking area. Remember to take plenty of water with you during the summer months can reached 120 degrees!


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AMBOY TO NEWBERRY SPRINGS -

Depart Amboy on National Trails Highway (Historic Route 66). Turn

LEFT onto Main Street. Turn RIGHT


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These are the options I presented our appts at IPW – I need to figure

out how to incorporate them and not repeat directions… let’s talk.

LAS VEGAS TO ROUTE 66

Today, you leave Las Vegas. May we suggest a deviation from the

mundane freeway route before reaching California’s Route 66? The

Mojave National Preserve captures a diverse landscape of sand dunes,

volcanic cinder cones, Joshua tree forests, wildflowers in bloom from

March through April, canyons, mountains and mesas along with

abandoned mines, homesteads, military outposts and the Kelso Depot,

now a museum and small diner. You will not be able to experience it all

in a single visit. Here are a few suggestions:


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Overview of Options 1 & 2

Option 1:

From Las Vegas, pass State Line and cross into California. About 23

miles later, take the second Mojave National Preserve exit (exit

272/Cima Rd) toward Searchlight & turn left. Continue on this road

(Cima Rd) for about 18 miles where you will pass through the Shadow

Valley, home to one of the largest and densest Joshua tree forests in

the world. Cima Dome rises 1,500 feet to the west, west of the

Teutonia Peak Trailhead but best seen from a distance. At the stop

sign, turn right on Kelso Cima Rd toward Kelso. Arrive at Cima Store. If

open, this is a great spot for snacks and drinks. If closed, this historic


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site is worth a stop just for a quick view. Continue on Kelso Cima Rd for

about 19 miles along the Providence Mountains to the east. Arrive at

Kelso Depot.

Option 2:

From Las Vegas, pass State Line and cross into California. About 49

miles later, take the third Mojave National Preserve exit (exit 248/Baker

Rd in Baker) toward Kelso Depot & turn left. Continue on this road

(Kelbaker Rd) for about 19 miles along numerous cinder cones to the

north which erupted about 7.6 million years ago and were designated as

Cinder Cone National Natural Landmark in 1973. Entrance toward the

Lava Tube is to your left on Aiken Mine Rd. This is a dirt road and a high

clearance vehicle is recommended. Please check ahead for accessibility.

If your rental car agreement allows you to drive on such a road,

continue on this road for about 6 miles then bear left at fork in the road

and continue for a ¼ mile to a circular parking area. Park your car, walk

uphill on a very rough roadway, about 300 yards, to a rock cairn (may

not be visible) or metal post marking a beaten path toward a cinder

cone to the east (right). This trail leads to the lava tube entrance. Please

note: the lava tube is not maintained by the National Park Service. Enter

at your own risk. After the visit, return to Kelbaker Rd and turn left.

Continue on this road for about 16 miles along the Kelso Mountains.

Arrive at Kelso Depot. (see images and additional information on page )


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The renovated Kelso Depot is now the primary Mojave Preserve Visitor

Center. It houses exhibits, a theatre featuring a 12-minute orientation

film, an art collection by local artists, a restaurant and restrooms.

Hours of operation: 9am – 5 pm, Friday – Tuesday, closed Wednesday

and Thursday. Tel: 760-252-6108, 760-252-6100, 760-252-6104.

The Joshua tree forest along Cima Road is the largest in the world.

A lava tube is accessible via a 5-mile drive from Kelbaker Road. Climbing through a collapsed hole in the tube’s roof, visitors have a rare opportunity to view this river of rock from the lava’s perspective.


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Kelso to Mojave National Preserve South Exit

Before reaching the California Route 66, proceed toward Kelbaker Rd

and head south. Continue for about 8 miles. An unmarked dirt road on

the right leads to the Kelso Dunes. The round-trip is about 10 miles.

Continue on Kelbaker Rd for another 15 miles. You will catch sight of

the Granite Mountains to your left, a jumble of boulders one on top of

each other. Exit the preserve cross under Interstate 40 and head south

on Kelbaker Rd for about 12 miles to join the Route 66.

An imposing jumble, the Granite Mountains marks the south entrance to the preserve, 50 miles southeast of Baker on Kelbaker Rd.


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Mojave National Preserve South Exit to Amboy Crater

At stop sign, turn right onto National Trails Hwy (Route 66) for about 6

miles. Arrive at Amboy. Settled in 1858 and established in 1883,

Amboy was first a railroad town then boomed in 1926 after the opening

of Route 66. Roy’s Motel & Café opened in 1938 then closed in the late

90s and happily re-opened in 2008. After the visit, continue on National

Trails Hwy (Route 66), cross over the rail road tracks & continue for

about 1 mile. Watch for the Route 66 sign on the road. The entrance to

Amboy Crater is to your left. The last eruption was as recently as 500

years ago. Take the 1 mile drive to the parking area then walk the short

shaded platform providing a scenic view of the crater as well as

geological markers. If time permits, walk the 3-mile round-trip to the

cinder cone (allow a minimum of 3 hours hiking time).


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Amboy Crater to Ludlow

Depart Amboy and continue on Route 66 for about 26 miles along the

railroad tracks then along the freeway to Ludlow. The abandoned

Ludlow Café and service station are located on the right. Turn right at

stop sign on Crucero Rd cross under the freeway, pass entrance to

freeway then turn left just before end of road onto Route 66 (National

Trails Hwy).


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Ludlow to Newberry Springs

Continue on Route 66 for about 8 miles. Bear left and cross over the

freeway. Continue on Route 66 for 24 miles to Newberry Springs. The

abandoned Withing Brothers (yellow sign) is on the right and Bagdad

Café a little further where the movie was made. Be sure to try one of

their popular milkshakes.


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Icons, Cafes and Interesting Stops

Daggett


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Newberry Springs to Barstow

In Newberry Springs, cross under the freeway and continue on Route 66

for another 14 miles through Daggett. After the Route 66 marker, bear

left then take Interstate 40 west for 2 miles to Barstow and bypass the

Marine Corps Logistics Base.

route 66 & beyond travel industry planner 2014 · 87 miles – driving time 1 hour, 36 minutes...

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