Great place to stop while driving on historic 66 east if Barstow. Some covered picnic areas and nice restrooms. There is a hiking trail to the top of the volcano but you'll want to hike it in cooler months. Last time we stopped there it was 106°!
We passed the Amboy Crater during the summer and made a mission of hiking it during the winter. You can dry to hike it during the summer, just let authorities know where to drop off the body! It gets to 120 degrees! Winter was perfect and it was a fantastic hike. The rim has a few places that are knifes edge so be careful, but it really is worth it. You should be in hiking shape. not for a casual tourist.
It's a volcano. I thought it was an impact crater before I arrived. ??♂️
The trail switchbacks up the west face of it. It's not that difficult of a hike, but the rocks are sharp and move a lot, so good shoes are helpful. Took me 2 hours to the top and back to the car. And I stopped to take a lot of photos.
Amboy Crater is basically a giant volcanic pothole that someone forgot to clean up, and it’s awesome. You park, you walk, you sweat a bit, and suddenly you’re strolling across an ancient lava field like you’re auditioning for Mad Max: Hiking Edition.
The walk is simple and surprisingly fun. Lava rocks everywhere. Cool textures. Zero shade. Your sunscreen will cry. But the crater itself? Pretty sweet. A quick climb, nice views, very “I survived the desert and all I got was this photo.”
Do it. Just bring water unless you enjoy becoming a human raisin.
We hiked the Crater on a beautiful February day in 2017. Trail was well marked and the crater was very cool. Thought about all the early travelers that probably had never seen a volcanic crater as the passed by on route 66.
It’s a bit of a drive off the highway. I stopped to look for pretty rocks and stretch my legs. I followed the trail into the crater on a very windy, cold winter day. I recommend going when it’s not windy! I had to crawl down the steep path in fear I would blow off the mountain! The whole trail up to and around the crater took 1 hour walking quickly. It was cool to be in a volcanic crater for a minute, but not a place I would ever return to or recommend someone to go out of their way to see. I didn’t find any pretty rocks either ?.
The drive from Hesperia was at least 4 hours. The hike under 102 heat was difficult. Make sure you are hydrated and are wearing the right hiking shoes. It’s beautiful and it’s well worth coming and visiting. The gradual uphill hike is not hard to do but under the summer sun please don’t do this alone. The crater looks amazing and it’s perfect for pictures at its center. Walk the rim and you will have so many views of the area. The bathrooms were clean and I had no problem finding parking. The drive back was cool too as you have some places to take additional pictures. Highly recommend!
Late afternoon hike in late December - perfect conditions. Trail, parking and toilets are very well maintained. And for free access, the area is very clean. A must do if traveling through Amboy. Hike from parking lot to base of volcano is about 1 mile, but must make the short hike/climb up to rim for great views.
What an awesome hike/walk. It’s mostly flat until you get to the base of the crater. Take shoes with good grip. It’s about 1.3 mile each way. Be aware of the heat. Take plenty of water. Like 2-3 rest stops. Otherwise no shade.
Free parking. Restrooms on site. Picnic tables.
Very cool spot to hike in between 29 Palms and Vegas/Death Valley either on the way out or back. Take plenty of water and wear good shoes! The trail looks short and easy but the crater is a lot further than it appears and the heat is intense. There is a semi-shaded bench near the crater on the trail. It is free to stop and there is a vault toilet here, plenty of parking.
The Amboy Crater located in Barstow on old Historic Route 66 in one of the many gems on that journey. Tons of Lava Tubes and just so much to explore. It's not really that bad of a hike at all. Not something you wanna do in the summer time as the heat can be very unsafe around all that black lava field. Be sure to bring water and snacks. Very easy in and out loop. I really highly recommend everyone to go check it out. Check out my Instagram for more on this location @manbehindalens follow my Google maps for more to come.
Fun hike. Much improved trailed on the way up into the crater. You no longer have to scramble up the side of the crater on sharp lava rock. Definitely be sure you bring enough water no matter the time of year. Also be sure to leave no trace.
I love the Amboy Crater! This is a great stop if one is traveling between Las Vegas and Joshua Tree. You can walk up inside a volcano and around it's rim. The trail is rocky and longer than it seems at first. I saw signs recommending the use of poles...but they are not necessary. There is a circular maze at the bottom inside the crater that is kind of neat. This area is very remote and this makes it amazing for viewing the stars at night.
Make sure you go off the hot season. This hike is amazing below 90 degrees. It has good signs along the way telling about local flora, fauna, and history. Strangely each sign also has an arrow that points the direction to Amboy Crater, which is about a mile away and rises dramatically 250 feet above the desert floor. But, just in case your eyes are bad enough to miss that HUGE, see it for miles and miles around, national landmark, but are also somehow good enough to read small signs each saying "<-- Amboy Crater" these signs got you covered.
The walk around and through the crater is very scenic, though some of the trails up to the rim are a bit steep with loose rock, with some care it all works out.
First time here, and I enjoyed my hike. You can hike up to the crater and go inside. I recommend going early in the morning because it can get hot quick since it's in the middle of nowhere and in desert. Bring plenty of water.
Had an enjoyable hike in pleasant weather up to the top of this ancient volcanic crater in late December. Much of the rest of the year it is too unbearably hot. Views of the prehistoric landscape and the tiny town of Amboy off in the distance.
Way more beautiful than expected. Nice dark skies for astronomy. There is an area mostly for RV use, but some flat, smoothish ground where a tent can be set up.
A nice hike for cooler weather! The crater is really cool and has great views I recommend hiking to the top of you're able to. There are bathrooms and covered picnic areas at the main entrance. Bring water especially if you are hiking!
It’s just 50mins drive north from Joshua Tree National Park. Definitely recommend it! I drove by on a nearby road a couple of times and always wondered what this “black” hill is. The hike wasn’t really bad but I guess because we went late afternoon in May. Definitely bring enough water and cover (the sun can be cruel in the wrong months). Overall, the entire hike can be managed within 3 hours in a relatively slow pace.
This place is pretty cool... It's a volcano in the middle of the California desert! The location is easy to find, although it's pretty far out there. The parking lot is ample, and the picnic areas are fine. The only negative was that on one trip, there was no toilet paper in the restroom. Fortunately we had brought our own. Be prepared.
The hike to the volcano is easy, but obviously it's super hot in the summer, so plan to go any other time. The trail is fairly well marked, and it only gets bad when you begin the ascent on the cone. But it's not too bad, and it's a relatively short distance that you actually have to climb, so just keep going, and you'll make it. It's definitely worth climbing up to the rim.
Hike is surprisingly easy, just make sure you bring water especially during summer. Also, typo on the warning sign, should be "You're about 1/3 the way there" no your
A must do. Plan a trip, fill up with gas, bring food and water. You are away from everything. The sky is beautiful at night. Once you are up there you can see how far the lava flowed
We had a busy day of traveling and Hiking got there a little late a little before sunset the Trail is pretty flat up to the volcano gets a little rocky at times watch your step once you get to the base of the volcano it does get quite steep to get to the top and pretty loose rocks. Once up to the top and inside the volcano it's pretty cool you know how many people can say you've been inside an extinct volcano. Whould I want to hurry up and and do the hike again probably not too many other places to visit but definitely want to put on your bucket list.
Three mile round trip hike to crater and back from parking area. Restrooms located at parking lot. There are two covered benches along the trail. Trail is well marked and has sand and rocks. Easy hike for beginners
