{"id":2424,"date":"2014-09-20T21:44:14","date_gmt":"2014-09-20T21:44:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/walking-around-the-mojave-narrows-copy\/"},"modified":"2024-07-28T00:12:07","modified_gmt":"2024-07-28T00:12:07","slug":"amboy-crater","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/amboy-crater\/","title":{"rendered":"Amboy Crater"},"content":{"rendered":"<!--themify_builder_content-->\n<div id=\"themify_builder_content-2424\" data-postid=\"2424\" class=\"themify_builder_content themify_builder_content-2424 themify_builder tf_clear\">\n                    <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row tb_w3q6880 tb_first tf_w\">\n                        <div class=\"row_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_2 tf_box tf_rel\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col3-2 tb_c1gl881 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_wsvc882    wow\" data-tf-animation=\"zoomIn\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n    <h3 class=\"module-title\">A Visit to Amboy Crater:<\/h3>    <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p><strong>Combine this hike into the center of a volcanic cinder cone, along with a road trip over a desolate stretch of old Route 66 and you\u2019ll enjoy a full day of desert exploring.<\/strong> If you like being far away from populated areas (like us), then this remote region of the Mojave Desert is for you. It offers some of the most spacious and unobstructed viewscapes of the open desert terrain.<\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                    <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col3-1 tb_ca7m883 last\">\n                    <!-- module image -->\n<div  class=\"module module-image tb_gz2y883 image-top rounded drop-shadow  tf_mw wow\" data-tf-animation=\"fadeInRightBig\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div class=\"image-wrap tf_rel tf_mw\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Amboy1-300x254.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"254\" class=\"wp-post-image wp-image-2429\" title=\"Amboy1\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Amboy1-300x254.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Amboy1.jpg 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>    \n        <\/div>\n    <!-- \/image-wrap -->\n    \n        <\/div>\n<!-- \/module image -->        <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row tb_hm6r880 tf_w\">\n                        <div class=\"row_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tf_box tf_rel\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col-full tb_7el6884 first\">\n                    <!-- module callout -->\n<div  class=\"module ui module-callout tb_e1tc528 button-bottom-center red  rounded embossed shadow wow\" data-tf-animation=\"fadeInLeft\" data-tf-animation_delay=\"1\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n    \n    <div class=\"callout-inner\">\n    <div class=\"callout-content tf_left\">\n        <h3 class=\"callout-heading\"><\/h3>\n        <div class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n            <strong>Click image<\/strong> to watch Virtual Video Tour and see viewer comments.\nThen come back to get the rest of the story.        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <!-- \/callout-content -->\n        <\/div>\n    <!-- \/callout-content -->\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module callout -->\n<!-- module image -->\n<div  class=\"module module-image tb_a2hm249 image-top bordered  tf_mw wow\" data-tf-animation=\"lightSpeedIn\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div class=\"image-wrap tf_rel tf_mw\">\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=GTWoRg3mXuM\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">\n                   <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"978\" height=\"550\" src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/AmboyYouTube2.jpg\" class=\"wp-post-image wp-image-7218\" title=\"AmboyYouTube2\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/AmboyYouTube2.jpg 978w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/AmboyYouTube2-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/AmboyYouTube2-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 978px) 100vw, 978px\" \/>        <\/a>\n    \n        <\/div>\n    <!-- \/image-wrap -->\n    \n        <\/div>\n<!-- \/module image --><!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_d29q884   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <h3>Trip Specs<\/h3>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row tb_3gat880 tf_w\">\n                        <div class=\"row_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_2 tf_box tf_rel\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col4-2 tb_qs6h884 first\">\n                    <!-- module callout -->\n<div  class=\"module ui module-callout tb_k2fi945  yellow  rounded shadow wow\" data-tf-animation=\"fadeInUp\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n    \n    <div class=\"callout-inner\">\n    <div class=\"callout-content tf_left\">\n        <h3 class=\"callout-heading\">Length<\/h3>\n        <div class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n            3.0 miles (4.8 km) round trip        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <!-- \/callout-content -->\n        <\/div>\n    <!-- \/callout-content -->\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module callout -->\n<!-- module callout -->\n<div  class=\"module ui module-callout tb_mgdy885  yellow  rounded shadow wow\" data-tf-animation=\"fadeInUp\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n    \n    <div class=\"callout-inner\">\n    <div class=\"callout-content tf_left\">\n        <h3 class=\"callout-heading\">Attractions<\/h3>\n        <div class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n            <ul>\n<li>Lava (bassalt) flows<\/li>\n<li>Walk inside volcanic cinder cone<\/li>\n<li>Unique desert scenery<\/li>\n<\/ul>        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <!-- \/callout-content -->\n        <\/div>\n    <!-- \/callout-content -->\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module callout -->\n        <\/div>\n                    <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col4-2 tb_fid6885 last\">\n                    <!-- module callout -->\n<div  class=\"module ui module-callout tb_g9v5885  yellow  rounded shadow wow\" data-tf-animation=\"fadeInUp\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n    \n    <div class=\"callout-inner\">\n    <div class=\"callout-content tf_left\">\n        <h3 class=\"callout-heading\">Difficulty<\/h3>\n        <div class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n            <ul>\n<li>Easy to follow trail<\/li>\n<li>Deep sand in some places<\/li>\n<li>Sharp rocky surfaces, even on trail<\/li>\n<li>Because of black rocks, very hot when sunny<\/li>\n<\/ul>        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <!-- \/callout-content -->\n        <\/div>\n    <!-- \/callout-content -->\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module callout -->\n<!-- module callout -->\n<div  class=\"module ui module-callout tb_cnsh885  yellow  rounded shadow wow\" data-tf-animation=\"fadeInUp\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n    \n    <div class=\"callout-inner\">\n    <div class=\"callout-content tf_left\">\n        <h3 class=\"callout-heading\">Elevation Gain<\/h3>\n        <div class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n            300 feet (91 m) to top of crater        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <!-- \/callout-content -->\n        <\/div>\n    <!-- \/callout-content -->\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module callout -->\n        <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row tb_hdw2880 tf_w\">\n                        <div class=\"row_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tf_box tf_rel\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col-full tb_v92k886 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_crui886   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p>Our hike takes you into the center crater of this erupted cinder cone and then up to the rim for a fantastic, 360\u00b0 view of the surrounding desert and ancient lava flows. The hike is not difficult but be aware that the entire length of it is on top of black lava rock that can get very hot on a sunny day. For your comfort, try to take this hike on a cool or overcast day.<\/p>\n<h3>Getting There<\/h3>\n<p>As you travel this remote section of Route 66 between Ludlow and Needles, Amboy Crater is easy to spot from far away. It is located near the town of Amboy, which has its own interesting little story. Restrooms and picnic benches are located at the crater hike trailhead.<\/p>\n<p>From Barstow, go east on I-40 and exit at Ludlow. Turn right (south), towards the railroad tracks, and go a very short distance. Then turn left onto Route 66. Set your trip odometer to zero and go southeast for 26.5 miles. You\u2019ll start seeing the crater when you\u2019re about 13 miles from Ludlow. At 26 miles, you\u2019ll see a big sign on your right marking Amboy Crater. Turn right to reach the trailhead.<\/p>\n<p>From the north or east, exit I-40 at Kelbaker Road and turn left (south, downhill). Set your odometer to zero and in 11.5 miles, you\u2019ll reach Route 66. Turn right (west). You\u2019ll soon see the crater in the distance and pass through the small town of Amboy. At 19 miles, you\u2019ll see the entrance on the left.<\/p>\n<div class=\"g g-11\"><div class=\"g-single a-17\"><a title=\"BackRoadsWest.com\" href=\"https:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/brw\/tour-planning\/\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-2382 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Ad-800x500-TripPlan2.gif\" width=\"800\" height=\"500\" \/><\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<h3>About Amboy Crater<\/h3>\n<p>Amboy Crater is a typical cinder cone and geologists estimate that the crater erupted sometime between 2,000 and 10,000 years ago. The basic difference between a volcano and a cinder cone is that cinder cones form hills and volcanoes form mountains. Typically, cinder cones erupt only once and then never again but volcanoes erupt over and over again like Mt. Saint Helens or Mt. Vesuvius in Italy.<\/p>\n<p>Cinder cones are common in the Mojave Desert but Amboy Crater is special because, unlike most of the others, it has never been mined. It is not made of the small cinder material that gets used for landscaping or road beds and it doesn&#8217;t have any special minerals like the heavily mined Pisgah Crater located 36 miles to the west. Most of the 30 or so cinder cones in the Mojave National Preserve, located roughly 50 miles due north of Amboy, have all been mined, which has spoiled the natural look of them forever. Amboy has been left untouched by man and that\u2019s one of the reasons why it was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1973.<\/p>\n<p>More&#8230;<\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text --><!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_8kbk886   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <h3>Pictures<\/h3><p>Below are some pictures of what you will see here.<\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text --><div  class=\"module themify_builder_slider_wrap tf_clearfix module-slider tb_ke3b886  slider-caption-overlay  \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div class=\"themify_builder_slider tf_carousel tf_swiper-container tf_rel tf_overflow\" data-lazy=\"1\"        data-visible=\"1\"\n        data-tab-visible=\"\"\n        data-mob-visible=\"\"\n        data-scroll=\"1\"\n                            data-auto=\"4000\"\n            data-controller=\"0\"\n                data-pause_hover=\"1\"\n        data-speed=\"normal\"\n        data-wrapvar=\"1\"\n        data-slider_nav=\"1\"\n        data-pager=\"1\"\n        data-effect=\"scroll\"\n        data-height=\"variable\"\n        data-css_url=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/pinboard\/themify\/themify-builder\/css\/modules\/sliders\/carousel,http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/pinboard\/themify\/themify-builder\/css\/modules\/sliders\/slider\"\n                    >\n        <div class=\"tf_swiper-wrapper tf_lazy tf_rel tf_w tf_h tf_textc\">\n                         <div class=\"tf_swiper-slide\">            <div class=\"slide-inner-wrap\">\n                                    <div class=\"tf_rel tf_lazy slide-image\">\n                                                                            <img src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%27http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%27%20width='800'%20height='450'%20viewBox=%270%200%20800%20450%27%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" loading=\"lazy\" data-lazy=\"1\" data-tf-not-load=\"1\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(to right,#6aa9d4 25%,#66a8cb 25% 50%,#63a1c6 50% 75%,#5c97b9 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#808ba7 25%,#7d95b1 25% 50%,#4f5561 50% 75%,#3c4556 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#7a726f 25%,#1b1c21 25% 50%,#8d7e53 50% 75%,#928962 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#7f6a59 25%,#6b6157 25% 50%,#96846c 50% 75%,#5d4b35 75%)\" decoding=\"async\" data-tf-src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr5-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"tf_svg_lazy wp-post-image wp-image-2434\" title=\"AmboySldr5\" alt=\"AmboySldr5\" data-tf-srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr5.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr5-300x169.jpg 300w\" data-tf-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-tf-not-load data-no-script src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr5-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"wp-post-image wp-image-2434\" title=\"AmboySldr5\" alt=\"AmboySldr5\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr5.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr5-300x169.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/noscript>                                            <\/div>\n                \n                                    <div class=\"slide-content tb_text_wrap\">\n                        \n                                                    <div>Approaching Amboy Crater from the west on Route 66<\/div>\n                                            <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>                     <div class=\"tf_swiper-slide\" style=\"content-visibility:hidden\">            <div class=\"slide-inner-wrap\">\n                                    <div class=\"tf_rel tf_lazy slide-image\">\n                                                                            <img src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%27http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%27%20width='800'%20height='450'%20viewBox=%270%200%20800%20450%27%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" loading=\"lazy\" data-lazy=\"1\" data-tf-not-load=\"1\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(to right,#528dc5 25%,#528dc7 25% 50%,#508dc6 50% 75%,#4e8bc4 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#5172b5 25%,#3f445a 25% 50%,#555152 50% 75%,#736b69 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#dfcbb3 25%,#acaba7 25% 50%,#babab2 50% 75%,#a48f74 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#887d77 25%,#d5cdc0 25% 50%,#c9c6c1 50% 75%,#d0cec2 75%)\" decoding=\"async\" data-tf-src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr1-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"tf_svg_lazy wp-post-image wp-image-2430\" title=\"AmboySldr1\" alt=\"AmboySldr1\" data-tf-srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr1.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr1-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr1-192x108.jpg 192w\" data-tf-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-tf-not-load data-no-script src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr1-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"wp-post-image wp-image-2430\" title=\"AmboySldr1\" alt=\"AmboySldr1\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr1.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr1-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr1-192x108.jpg 192w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/noscript>                                            <\/div>\n                \n                                    <div class=\"slide-content tb_text_wrap\">\n                        \n                                                    <div>Driving to the Amboy Crater trailhead<\/div>\n                                            <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>                     <div class=\"tf_swiper-slide\" style=\"content-visibility:hidden\">            <div class=\"slide-inner-wrap\">\n                                    <div class=\"tf_rel tf_lazy slide-image\">\n                                                                            <img src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%27http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%27%20width='800'%20height='450'%20viewBox=%270%200%20800%20450%27%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" loading=\"lazy\" data-lazy=\"1\" data-tf-not-load=\"1\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(to right,#3c9de2 25%,#35a2f7 25% 50%,#33a4f4 50% 75%,#393534 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#664d37 25%,#4b4642 25% 50%,#493d2f 50% 75%,#272b2a 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#695949 25%,#af957a 25% 50%,#a08862 50% 75%,#af9572 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#a79071 25%,#b6935b 25% 50%,#160500 50% 75%,#a68a5b 75%)\" decoding=\"async\" data-tf-src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr2-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"tf_svg_lazy wp-post-image wp-image-2431\" title=\"AmboySldr2\" alt=\"AmboySldr2\" data-tf-srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr2.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr2-300x168.jpg 300w\" data-tf-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-tf-not-load data-no-script src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr2-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"wp-post-image wp-image-2431\" title=\"AmboySldr2\" alt=\"AmboySldr2\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr2.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr2-300x168.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/noscript>                                            <\/div>\n                \n                                    <div class=\"slide-content tb_text_wrap\">\n                        \n                                                    <div>The breach on the south side of the crater<\/div>\n                                            <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>                     <div class=\"tf_swiper-slide\" style=\"content-visibility:hidden\">            <div class=\"slide-inner-wrap\">\n                                    <div class=\"tf_rel tf_lazy slide-image\">\n                                                                            <img src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%27http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%27%20width='800'%20height='450'%20viewBox=%270%200%20800%20450%27%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" loading=\"lazy\" data-lazy=\"1\" data-tf-not-load=\"1\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(to right,#070000 25%,#7ae5eb 25% 50%,#aeffff 50% 75%,#3b464c 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#262626 25%,#63605b 25% 50%,#00050c 50% 75%,#7c8582 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#111107 25%,#717370 25% 50%,#333c43 50% 75%,#a3aeb4 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#0e0600 25%,#3b3b3b 25% 50%,#8b9a9f 50% 75%,#010002 75%)\" decoding=\"async\" data-tf-src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr3-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"tf_svg_lazy wp-post-image wp-image-2432\" title=\"AmboySldr3\" alt=\"AmboySldr3\" data-tf-srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr3.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr3-300x169.jpg 300w\" data-tf-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-tf-not-load data-no-script src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr3-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"wp-post-image wp-image-2432\" title=\"AmboySldr3\" alt=\"AmboySldr3\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr3.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr3-300x169.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/noscript>                                            <\/div>\n                \n                                    <div class=\"slide-content tb_text_wrap\">\n                        \n                                                    <div>Hiking into the crater<\/div>\n                                            <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>                     <div class=\"tf_swiper-slide\" style=\"content-visibility:hidden\">            <div class=\"slide-inner-wrap\">\n                                    <div class=\"tf_rel tf_lazy slide-image\">\n                                                                            <img src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%27http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%27%20width='800'%20height='450'%20viewBox=%270%200%20800%20450%27%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" loading=\"lazy\" data-lazy=\"1\" data-tf-not-load=\"1\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(to right,#c2d6d7 25%,#aac2c2 25% 50%,#79a8b2 50% 75%,#2998b4 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#77796e 25%,#7f7f81 25% 50%,#393c41 50% 75%,#40483d 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#4f6f6c 25%,#4d6160 25% 50%,#7b8f90 50% 75%,#2a4d47 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#f7f9f8 25%,#f7f7f7 25% 50%,#fffafc 50% 75%,#a5b2b8 75%)\" decoding=\"async\" data-tf-src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr4-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"tf_svg_lazy wp-post-image wp-image-2433\" title=\"AmboySldr4\" alt=\"AmboySldr4\" data-tf-srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr4.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr4-300x169.jpg 300w\" data-tf-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-tf-not-load data-no-script src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr4-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"wp-post-image wp-image-2433\" title=\"AmboySldr4\" alt=\"AmboySldr4\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr4.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr4-300x169.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/noscript>                                            <\/div>\n                \n                                    <div class=\"slide-content tb_text_wrap\">\n                        \n                                                    <div>Posing inside the crater<\/div>\n                                            <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>            <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row tb_a1br880 tf_w\">\n                        <div class=\"row_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_2 tf_box tf_rel\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col4-2 tb_0syn886 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_gtf6655   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p><a 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\/><\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<h2>The Hike<\/h2>\n<p>The roundtrip distance of the hike is 3 miles. The trail is easy to follow and is over flat terrain until you get to the backside of the crater. The main trail will take you into the center of the crater via a large breach (not visible from the parking area) on the west side of the cinder cone which is where all the lava once spewed out. Once inside, other trails lead up to the rim of the crater where you\u2019ll get a commanding view of the desert landscape and see the lava flows that this cinder cone once produced.<\/p>\n<p>As mentioned above, this entire hike is on top of an old lava flow so try to take it on a cool or overcast day. The intense black color of the lava absorbs the heat of the sun and, on a hot day, can make your hike more strenuous. If you do hike on a warm day, be sure to take plenty of water and use the two shaded rest areas along the way to take a short break before continuing on.<\/p>\n<p>Once you are done taking in the views from the rim, retrace your steps back down into the crater, out through the breach and back to the parking area. We strongly recommend that you DO NOT try taking a &#8220;short cut&#8221; down the side of the crater. It is very steep and those small lava rocks act a lot like marbles when you try to walk on them. Once you fall down and start sliding, it is likely that you won\u2019t stop until you reach the bottom.<\/p>\n<div class=\"g g-11\"><div class=\"g-single a-26\"><a class=\"gofollow\" data-track=\"MjYsMTEsNjA=\" title=\"Snap Shots West\" href=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/ssw\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-2382 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Ad-800x500-bw2.gif\" width=\"800\" height=\"500\" \/><\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<h2>Amboy<\/h2>\n<p>The small town of Amboy is just a short distance east of Amboy Crater. You may wish to take the extra 15 or more minutes to check out this little desert hamlet. It was founded as a mining town in 1858 and is one of California&#8217;s oldest towns. Amboy once boasted a hefty population of about 700.<\/p>\n<p>When Route 66 was built in the 1920&#8217;s, Amboy became a stopover point for weary travelers crossing this large span of desert and grew into one of the classic small towns along the historic route.<\/p>\n<p>Over the past few decades, Amboy has been wholly owned by private parties. It was once sold by one of its owners using eBay on the Internet. As of 2014, it is owned by the owner of a Southern California fast food chain of restaurants, who ironically also owns the very first McDonalds built, which is now a museum.<\/p>\n<h2>And Finally<\/h2>\n<p>We hope you enjoy your visit to this well-preserved example of a cinder cone. It has many of the same features you\u2019d see at some of Hawaii\u2019s famous volcanoes but on a mini scale and without boarding an airplane!<\/p>\n<p>Keep in mind that you can easily incorporate a trip to Amboy Crater and Route 66 with a visit to the Mojave National Preserve. The park&#8217;s visitor center, located at Kelso Depot, is located only 40 miles from Amboy.<\/p>\n<h2>Trip Map<\/h2>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text --><!-- module maps pro -->\n<div  id=\"tb_mfrg888\" class=\"module module-maps-pro tb_mfrg888  tf_lazy\" data-map-provider=\"google\" data-zoom=\"13\" data-type=\"HYBRID\" data-address=\"34.545048, -115.790626\" data-scrollwheel=\"1\" data-draggable=\"enable\" data-disable_map_ui=\"\" data-polyline=\"\" data-geodesic=\"\" data-polylineStroke=\"2\" data-polylineColor=\"\" data-trigger=\"\" data-cluster=\"\" data-mapid=\"\" data-legacymarkers=\"\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"maps-pro-canvas-container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"maps-pro-canvas\" style=\"width:100%;height:400px\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<template>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div data-address=\"34.547818, -115.791067\" data-image=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/icon-hiker.png\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tSecond shaded resting area along trail\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div data-address=\"34.557054, -115.781059\" data-image=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/icon-jeep.png\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tParking area picnic area and the start of the hike\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div data-address=\"34.544753, -115.790338\" data-image=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/icon-hiker.png\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tEnd of the trail &#8211; the center of the crater\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/template>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n<!-- \/module maps pro -->\n        <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row tb_n0rk880 tf_w\">\n                        <div class=\"row_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_2 tf_box tf_rel\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col4-2 tb_zmb1888 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_fqkb888   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <h3>Support Us<\/h3><p>Help us fill up our tank with gas for our next trip by donating $5 and we&#8217;ll bring you back more quality virtual tours of our trips!<\/p><p>Your credit card payment is safe and easy using PayPal. 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center;\"><em>See all our comprehensive virtual tour guides at<\/em>:<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a title=\"BackRoadsWest\" href=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/brw\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-2382 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/BRWlogo-300x40.jpg\" alt=\"BRWlogo\" width=\"300\" height=\"40\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/BRWlogo-300x40.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/BRWlogo.jpg 438w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text --><!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_kbta139   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<!-- Short-wide --><br \/>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:inline-block;width:728px;height:90px\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7400034802659664\" data-ad-slot=\"1662640655\"><\/ins><br \/>\n<script>\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/p>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text --><!-- module callout -->\n<div  class=\"module ui module-callout tb_193h890 button-bottom red  rounded gradient shadow wow\" data-tf-animation=\"rubberBand\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n    \n    <div class=\"callout-inner\">\n    <div class=\"callout-content tf_left\">\n        <h3 class=\"callout-heading\">More Trips<\/h3>\n        <div class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n            Perhaps you would like to go on other trips near this area?        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <!-- \/callout-content -->\n                    <div class=\"callout-button tf_right tf_textr\">\n            <a href=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/category\/mojave-desert\/\" class=\"ui builder_button rounded gradient shadow yellow\">\n                <span class=\"tb_callout_text\">More trips in the Mojave Desert<\/span>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n    <!-- \/callout-content -->\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module callout -->\n<!-- module callout -->\n<div  class=\"module ui module-callout tb_apsv890 button-bottom red  rounded gradient shadow wow\" data-tf-animation=\"shake\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n    \n    <div class=\"callout-inner\">\n    <div class=\"callout-content tf_left\">\n        <h3 class=\"callout-heading\">And More Trips<\/h3>\n        <div class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n            Or, perhaps you would like to see more trips along Route 66?        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <!-- \/callout-content -->\n                    <div class=\"callout-button tf_right tf_textr\">\n            <a href=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/category\/route-66\/\" class=\"ui builder_button rounded gradient shadow yellow\">\n                <span class=\"tb_callout_text\">Read More<\/span>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n    <!-- \/callout-content -->\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module callout -->\n        <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n<!--\/themify_builder_content-->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Combine this hike into the center of a volcanic cinder cone, along with a road trip over a desolate stretch of old Route 66 and you\u2019ll enjoy a full day of desert exploring. If you like being far away from populated areas (like us), then this remote region of the Mojave Desert is for you. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4344,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,24,8,9,10,16,17,19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2424","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-california","category-geology","category-hike","category-joshua-tree","category-mojave-desert","category-route-66","category-season-fall","category-season-spring","has-post-title","has-post-date","has-post-category","has-post-tag","has-post-comment","has-post-author",""],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO 4.9.9 - aioseo.com -->\n\t<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Amboy Crater, along a desolate stretch of old Route 66, is one of the best-preserved volcanic cinder cones found in the Mojave Desert.\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"max-image-preview:large\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Cliff Bandringa\"\/>\n\t<meta name=\"keywords\" content=\"amboy,amboy crater,route 66,cinder cone,hike,lava,lava flow\" \/>\n\t<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/amboy-crater\/\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"generator\" content=\"All in One SEO (AIOSEO) 4.9.9\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"BackRoadsWest Trips Blog | A new kind of travel guide for the 21st Century\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A Visit to Amboy Crater | BackRoadsWest Trips Blog\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Amboy Crater, along a desolate stretch of old Route 66, is one of the best-preserved volcanic cinder cones found in the Mojave Desert.\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/amboy-crater\/\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2014-09-20T21:44:14+00:00\" 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03:39:21","updated":"2026-05-13 18:32:30","seo_analyzer_scan_date":null},"aioseo_breadcrumb":"<div class=\"aioseo-breadcrumbs\"><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\" title=\"Home\">Home<\/a>\n\t\t<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb-separator\">&raquo;<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/category\/california\/\" title=\"California\">California<\/a>\n\t\t<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb-separator\">&raquo;<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb\">\n\t\t\tAmboy Crater\n\t\t<\/span><\/div>","aioseo_breadcrumb_json":[{"label":"Home","link":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog"},{"label":"California","link":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/category\/california\/"},{"label":"Amboy Crater","link":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/amboy-crater\/"}],"builder_content":"<h3>A Visit to Amboy Crater:<\/h3> <p><strong>Combine this hike into the center of a volcanic cinder cone, along with a road trip over a desolate stretch of old Route 66 and you\u2019ll enjoy a full day of desert exploring.<\/strong> If you like being far away from populated areas (like us), then this remote region of the Mojave Desert is for you. It offers some of the most spacious and unobstructed viewscapes of the open desert terrain.<\/p>\n<img src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Amboy1-300x254.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"254\" title=\"Amboy1\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Amboy1-300x254.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Amboy1.jpg 350w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>\n<h3><\/h3> <strong>Click image<\/strong> to watch Virtual Video Tour and see viewer comments. Then come back to get the rest of the story.\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=GTWoRg3mXuM\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> <img src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/AmboyYouTube2.jpg\" title=\"AmboyYouTube2\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/AmboyYouTube2.jpg 978w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/AmboyYouTube2-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/AmboyYouTube2-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 978px) 100vw, 978px\" \/> <\/a>\n<h3>Trip Specs<\/h3>\n<h3>Length<\/h3> 3.0 miles (4.8 km) round trip\n<h3>Attractions<\/h3> <ul> <li>Lava (bassalt) flows<\/li> <li>Walk inside volcanic cinder cone<\/li> <li>Unique desert scenery<\/li> <\/ul>\n<h3>Difficulty<\/h3> <ul> <li>Easy to follow trail<\/li> <li>Deep sand in some places<\/li> <li>Sharp rocky surfaces, even on trail<\/li> <li>Because of black rocks, very hot when sunny<\/li> <\/ul>\n<h3>Elevation Gain<\/h3> 300 feet (91 m) to top of crater\n<p>Our hike takes you into the center crater of this erupted cinder cone and then up to the rim for a fantastic, 360\u00b0 view of the surrounding desert and ancient lava flows. The hike is not difficult but be aware that the entire length of it is on top of black lava rock that can get very hot on a sunny day. For your comfort, try to take this hike on a cool or overcast day.<\/p> <h3>Getting There<\/h3> <p>As you travel this remote section of Route 66 between Ludlow and Needles, Amboy Crater is easy to spot from far away. It is located near the town of Amboy, which has its own interesting little story. Restrooms and picnic benches are located at the crater hike trailhead.<\/p> <p>From Barstow, go east on I-40 and exit at Ludlow. Turn right (south), towards the railroad tracks, and go a very short distance. Then turn left onto Route 66. Set your trip odometer to zero and go southeast for 26.5 miles. You\u2019ll start seeing the crater when you\u2019re about 13 miles from Ludlow. At 26 miles, you\u2019ll see a big sign on your right marking Amboy Crater. Turn right to reach the trailhead.<\/p> <p>From the north or east, exit I-40 at Kelbaker Road and turn left (south, downhill). Set your odometer to zero and in 11.5 miles, you\u2019ll reach Route 66. Turn right (west). You\u2019ll soon see the crater in the distance and pass through the small town of Amboy. At 19 miles, you\u2019ll see the entrance on the left.<\/p> <p>[adrotate group=\"11\"]<\/p> <h3>About Amboy Crater<\/h3> <p>Amboy Crater is a typical cinder cone and geologists estimate that the crater erupted sometime between 2,000 and 10,000 years ago. The basic difference between a volcano and a cinder cone is that cinder cones form hills and volcanoes form mountains. Typically, cinder cones erupt only once and then never again but volcanoes erupt over and over again like Mt. Saint Helens or Mt. Vesuvius in Italy.<\/p> <p>Cinder cones are common in the Mojave Desert but Amboy Crater is special because, unlike most of the others, it has never been mined. It is not made of the small cinder material that gets used for landscaping or road beds and it doesn't have any special minerals like the heavily mined Pisgah Crater located 36 miles to the west. Most of the 30 or so cinder cones in the Mojave National Preserve, located roughly 50 miles due north of Amboy, have all been mined, which has spoiled the natural look of them forever. Amboy has been left untouched by man and that\u2019s one of the reasons why it was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1973.<\/p> <p>More...<\/p>\n<h3>Pictures<\/h3><p>Below are some pictures of what you will see here.<\/p>\n<img src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%27http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%27%20width='800'%20height='450'%20viewBox=%270%200%20800%20450%27%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" loading=\"lazy\" data-lazy=\"1\" data-tf-not-load=\"1\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(to right,#6aa9d4 25%,#66a8cb 25% 50%,#63a1c6 50% 75%,#5c97b9 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#808ba7 25%,#7d95b1 25% 50%,#4f5561 50% 75%,#3c4556 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#7a726f 25%,#1b1c21 25% 50%,#8d7e53 50% 75%,#928962 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#7f6a59 25%,#6b6157 25% 50%,#96846c 50% 75%,#5d4b35 75%)\" decoding=\"async\" data-tf-src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr5-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" title=\"AmboySldr5\" alt=\"AmboySldr5\" data-tf-srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr5.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr5-300x169.jpg 300w\" data-tf-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><noscript><img data-tf-not-load data-no-script src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr5-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" title=\"AmboySldr5\" alt=\"AmboySldr5\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr5.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr5-300x169.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/noscript> Approaching Amboy Crater from the west on Route 66 <img src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%27http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%27%20width='800'%20height='450'%20viewBox=%270%200%20800%20450%27%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" loading=\"lazy\" data-lazy=\"1\" data-tf-not-load=\"1\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(to right,#528dc5 25%,#528dc7 25% 50%,#508dc6 50% 75%,#4e8bc4 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#5172b5 25%,#3f445a 25% 50%,#555152 50% 75%,#736b69 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#dfcbb3 25%,#acaba7 25% 50%,#babab2 50% 75%,#a48f74 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#887d77 25%,#d5cdc0 25% 50%,#c9c6c1 50% 75%,#d0cec2 75%)\" decoding=\"async\" data-tf-src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr1-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" title=\"AmboySldr1\" alt=\"AmboySldr1\" data-tf-srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr1.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr1-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr1-192x108.jpg 192w\" data-tf-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><noscript><img data-tf-not-load data-no-script src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr1-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" title=\"AmboySldr1\" alt=\"AmboySldr1\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr1.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr1-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr1-192x108.jpg 192w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/noscript> Driving to the Amboy Crater trailhead <img src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%27http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%27%20width='800'%20height='450'%20viewBox=%270%200%20800%20450%27%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" loading=\"lazy\" data-lazy=\"1\" data-tf-not-load=\"1\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(to right,#3c9de2 25%,#35a2f7 25% 50%,#33a4f4 50% 75%,#393534 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#664d37 25%,#4b4642 25% 50%,#493d2f 50% 75%,#272b2a 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#695949 25%,#af957a 25% 50%,#a08862 50% 75%,#af9572 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#a79071 25%,#b6935b 25% 50%,#160500 50% 75%,#a68a5b 75%)\" decoding=\"async\" data-tf-src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr2-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" title=\"AmboySldr2\" alt=\"AmboySldr2\" data-tf-srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr2.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr2-300x168.jpg 300w\" data-tf-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><noscript><img data-tf-not-load data-no-script src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr2-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" title=\"AmboySldr2\" alt=\"AmboySldr2\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr2.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr2-300x168.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/noscript> The breach on the south side of the crater <img src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%27http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%27%20width='800'%20height='450'%20viewBox=%270%200%20800%20450%27%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" loading=\"lazy\" data-lazy=\"1\" data-tf-not-load=\"1\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(to right,#070000 25%,#7ae5eb 25% 50%,#aeffff 50% 75%,#3b464c 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#262626 25%,#63605b 25% 50%,#00050c 50% 75%,#7c8582 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#111107 25%,#717370 25% 50%,#333c43 50% 75%,#a3aeb4 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#0e0600 25%,#3b3b3b 25% 50%,#8b9a9f 50% 75%,#010002 75%)\" decoding=\"async\" data-tf-src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr3-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" title=\"AmboySldr3\" alt=\"AmboySldr3\" data-tf-srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr3.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr3-300x169.jpg 300w\" data-tf-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><noscript><img data-tf-not-load data-no-script src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr3-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" title=\"AmboySldr3\" alt=\"AmboySldr3\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr3.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr3-300x169.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/noscript> Hiking into the crater <img src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%27http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%27%20width='800'%20height='450'%20viewBox=%270%200%20800%20450%27%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" loading=\"lazy\" data-lazy=\"1\" data-tf-not-load=\"1\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(to right,#c2d6d7 25%,#aac2c2 25% 50%,#79a8b2 50% 75%,#2998b4 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#77796e 25%,#7f7f81 25% 50%,#393c41 50% 75%,#40483d 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#4f6f6c 25%,#4d6160 25% 50%,#7b8f90 50% 75%,#2a4d47 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#f7f9f8 25%,#f7f7f7 25% 50%,#fffafc 50% 75%,#a5b2b8 75%)\" decoding=\"async\" data-tf-src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr4-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" title=\"AmboySldr4\" alt=\"AmboySldr4\" data-tf-srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr4.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr4-300x169.jpg 300w\" data-tf-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><noscript><img data-tf-not-load data-no-script src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr4-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" title=\"AmboySldr4\" alt=\"AmboySldr4\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr4.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AmboySldr4-300x169.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/noscript> Posing inside the crater\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gaiagps.com\/discounts\/?fp_ref=backroadswest\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"outline:none;border:none;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/d2gdx5nv84sdx2.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/ipoz1to3\/marketing_asset\/banner\/248\/gaia_gps_300x300.png\" alt=\"gaiagps\" border=\"0\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><br \/> <br \/> <ins style=\"display:block\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7400034802659664\" data-ad-slot=\"8100341909\" data-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins><br \/> <\/p>\n<p>[adrotate group=\"5\"]<\/p> <h2>The Hike<\/h2> <p>The roundtrip distance of the hike is 3 miles. The trail is easy to follow and is over flat terrain until you get to the backside of the crater. The main trail will take you into the center of the crater via a large breach (not visible from the parking area) on the west side of the cinder cone which is where all the lava once spewed out. Once inside, other trails lead up to the rim of the crater where you\u2019ll get a commanding view of the desert landscape and see the lava flows that this cinder cone once produced.<\/p> <p>As mentioned above, this entire hike is on top of an old lava flow so try to take it on a cool or overcast day. The intense black color of the lava absorbs the heat of the sun and, on a hot day, can make your hike more strenuous. If you do hike on a warm day, be sure to take plenty of water and use the two shaded rest areas along the way to take a short break before continuing on.<\/p> <p>Once you are done taking in the views from the rim, retrace your steps back down into the crater, out through the breach and back to the parking area. We strongly recommend that you DO NOT try taking a \"short cut\" down the side of the crater. It is very steep and those small lava rocks act a lot like marbles when you try to walk on them. Once you fall down and start sliding, it is likely that you won\u2019t stop until you reach the bottom.<\/p> <p>[adrotate group=\"11\"]<\/p> <h2>Amboy<\/h2> <p>The small town of Amboy is just a short distance east of Amboy Crater. You may wish to take the extra 15 or more minutes to check out this little desert hamlet. It was founded as a mining town in 1858 and is one of California's oldest towns. Amboy once boasted a hefty population of about 700.<\/p> <p>When Route 66 was built in the 1920's, Amboy became a stopover point for weary travelers crossing this large span of desert and grew into one of the classic small towns along the historic route.<\/p> <p>Over the past few decades, Amboy has been wholly owned by private parties. It was once sold by one of its owners using eBay on the Internet. As of 2014, it is owned by the owner of a Southern California fast food chain of restaurants, who ironically also owns the very first McDonalds built, which is now a museum.<\/p> <h2>And Finally<\/h2> <p>We hope you enjoy your visit to this well-preserved example of a cinder cone. It has many of the same features you\u2019d see at some of Hawaii\u2019s famous volcanoes but on a mini scale and without boarding an airplane!<\/p> <p>Keep in mind that you can easily incorporate a trip to Amboy Crater and Route 66 with a visit to the Mojave National Preserve. The park's visitor center, located at Kelso Depot, is located only 40 miles from Amboy.<\/p> <h2>Trip Map<\/h2>\n<template> Second shaded resting area along trail Parking area picnic area and the start of the hike End of the trail - the center of the crater <\/template>\n<h3>Support Us<\/h3><p>Help us fill up our tank with gas for our next trip by donating $5 and we'll bring you back more quality virtual tours of our trips!<\/p><p>Your credit card payment is safe and easy using PayPal. Click the [Donate] button to get started:<\/p><p>[paypal-donation]<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\">Subscribe<\/h3> <p>[mc4wp_form]<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>See all our comprehensive virtual tour guides at<\/em>:<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a title=\"BackRoadsWest\" href=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/brw\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/BRWlogo-300x40.jpg\" alt=\"BRWlogo\" width=\"300\" height=\"40\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/BRWlogo-300x40.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/BRWlogo.jpg 438w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><br \/> <br \/> <ins style=\"display:inline-block;width:728px;height:90px\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7400034802659664\" data-ad-slot=\"1662640655\"><\/ins><br \/> <\/p>\n<h3>More Trips<\/h3> Perhaps you would like to go on other trips near this area? <a href=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/category\/mojave-desert\/\"> More trips in the Mojave Desert <\/a>\n<h3>And More Trips<\/h3> Or, perhaps you would like to see more trips along Route 66? <a href=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/category\/route-66\/\"> Read More <\/a>","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2424","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2424"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2424\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7224,"href":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2424\/revisions\/7224"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4344"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2424"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2424"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2424"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}