Places To Go

The roads listed below are generally accessible to all vehicles (click here or call 760-252-6100 for current road conditions). Click on each image or the link to learn more about what to see and do.

 

Cinder Cones volcanoes can be seen in Kelbaker Road, between Kelso and Baker.

NPS Photo

Kelbaker Road
A paved road connecting I-15 at Baker, Calif., with I-40, 29 miles east of Fenner, Calif. Features include Cinder Cones volcanoes, Kelso Depot Visitor Center, Kelso Dunes, and the Granite Mountains.
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Road signs at Zzyzx reflect its colorful past and the optimism of those that came before.

Rob Fulton

Zzyzx Road
A 4-mile long road 6 miles west of Baker, Calif. on I-15 leads to Zzyzx.
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Joshua trees are still abundant in some areas along Cima Road.

NPS Photo

Cima Road
A paved road heading south of I-15 to Cima, connecting to Kelso Depot (35 miles south of I-15) via the Kelso-Cima Road. Cima Road passes through a forest of Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia jaegeriana), many of which were burned in the August 2020 Dome Fire.
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Banshee Canyon at Hole-in-the-Wall.

NPS Photo

Black Canyon, Essex & Cedar Canyon Roads
Essex Road is paved and leads from I-40 to Providence Mountains State Recreation Area (home of Mitchell Caverns), while Black Canyon Road leads from Essex Road to Hole-in-the-Wall. Beyond Hole-in-the-Wall, Black Canyon is a graded dirt road that is generally maintained to be passable for any type of car. Cedar Canyon Road, connecting Black Canyon to Kelso-Cima Road, is also a graded dirt road, generally maintained for all vehicles.
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The Ivanpah Mountains at Sunset.

NPS Photo

Nipton, Ivanpah, & Lanfair Roads
Nipton is a paved road leading from I-15 to the desert town of Nipton (which is currently for sale). Ivanpah Road heads south from Nipton Road, turns into Lanfair Road, and ends at Route 66, connecting to I-95 or I-40. Ivanpah and Lanfair Roads are paved at the north and south ends; the middle 15 miles are bumpy, rocky dirt road. Check road conditions before attempting to cross in a standard passanger vehicle.
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