Amboy Crater
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Amboy Crater is nestled half way between Barstow and Needles, just off historic Route 66. It is located near, but not within, Mojave National Preserve. A visit to Amboy Crater will definitely take you back in time. Ten thousand years ago, this cinder cone volcano erupted, transforming the surrounding landscape. There is a 3-mile round trip trail leading up and into the crater. The view from the top is startling.
From the parking lot, the trail starts out wide, before narrowing down to a single track. The trail crosses the desert floor, which in the spring time is covered with wild flowers, and swings around the right side of the crater. On the far side, the trail enters through an opening in the rim and climbs across the center to the top. The views from the rim of this 250-foot tall crater show a landscape transformed by volcanic ash.
Looking out from the rim
Amboy Crater is an easy stop for travelers along Interstate 40 and a great detour for those headed from Southern California to Mojave National Preserve. Amboy Crater is on BLM land so there is no entrance fee.
To get to the trailhead: From Barstow, take the 40 freeway west to exit 50. Turn right on Crucero Road and make an immediate left onto Route 66. Take route 66 for 26 miles to the crater.
Use the map below to create your own directions:
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Nearby Trails
 | Fountain Peak This 5-mile off trail trek summits a peak with commanding views over the Providence Mountains. |
 | Hole-in-the-Wall Rings Trail This 1.5-mile loop takes visitors through a landscape of pocketed rocks. Ringbolts allow fun passage through narrow canyons. |
 | Silver Peak This 8.5-mile hike summits a 6.365-foot peak in the Granite Mountains. |
 | Kelso Dunes This 3-mile round trip hike climbs 470 feet to the highest point in this 45 square mile dune field. |
 | Lava Tube This short 0.6-mile hike drops below the surface into an old lava tube. |
 | Petroglyphs near Seventeen Mile Point This quarter-mile path visits ancient engravings in the volcanic rock at the western rim of the cinder fields just off Kelbaker Road. |
 | Teutonia Peak The 4-mile round trip hike crosses a Joshua tree forest to summit a short peak with a great view of Cima Dome. |
 | New York Peak This 7 to 9-mile round trip hike summits the highest point of the New York Range in the northeast corner of the preserve. |
 | Hikes in the California Desert Explore more trails in Death Valley National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, and Mojave National Preserve. |
Similar Trails
 | Ubehebe Crater in Death Valley This 0 – 2 mile hike visits a large crater in the north end of Death Valley. A parking lot along the rim provides a great view of the crater, and there are also three trails to choose from. |
Camping
 | Mojave National Preserve There are a few campgrounds and endless roadside camping within the preserve. |
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