Hiking Amboy Crater Off Route 66

Amboy Crater is a 250 feet tall volcanic cinder cone that you can’t help but notice as you’re driving through what seems like the middle of nowhere. Hiking the Amboy Crater is a cool geologic experience and makes for a nice but quick scenic adventure. Amboy Crater is a designated national natural landmark. It’s located just off of Route 66, about halfway between Barstow and Needles near the small town of Amboy.

The desert is full of unique experiences and hiking the Amboy Crater is worth the effort. The trail leads up into the cinder cone, which is 1,500 feet in diameter, and then climbs up to the rim where the views are vast all around. Chances are you’ve got plenty of driving to do if you’re out here so take this as an opportunity to get out, stretch your legs and get familiar with Amboy Crater!

Quick Info:

Cost: Free

Distance: 3 miles roundtrip

Difficulty: Easy-Moderate

Directions: From Twentynine Palms, head east on the CA-62. Turn left onto Godwin Road. After 2 miles, turn right onto Amboy Road. Continue for about 40 miles before turning left onto National Trail Highway. Then, in one mile, turn left onto Crater Road and continue to the Amboy Crater Parking Area.

Our Experience Hiking Amboy Crater

We headed out from Joshua Tree to go check out some landmarks in the Mojave National Preserve. As we were approaching the small town of Amboy, we couldn’t help but notice the black cinder cone standing out in the distance. We were excited to have the opportunity to hike the Amboy Crater. There is a paved parking area with picnic tables and vault toilets as well as a short boardwalk to a neat lookout.

From the parking lot we headed off on the sandy and rocky cinder trail towards the crater. Almost immediately we noticed the warning signs. Luckily we were hiking to the Amboy Crater in December so the temperature was perfect. This hike would be extremely hot in the summer and there is no shade or water available. And there have been instances of unfortunate hikers not making it back. So be smart and only hike if you’re prepared for the adventure ahead.

The trail was mostly flat as it passed through the lava field as we hiked closer to Amboy Crater. Once near the base of the cinder cone, the trail started to climb.

Before we knew it we were inside of the cinder cone! Pretty neat. And the lava rocks were super cool too.

From here there were several trails that climbed quickly and steeply to the rim of Amboy Crater.

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So after checking out the cool lava rocks inside of Amboy Crater, we chose a path and headed up to the top of the rim.

Once we got to the top we were able to see for miles in every direction! The desert below was so vast. Being up on the rim was pretty awesome, a steep drop on either side and a great view taunting you to take your eyes off of the trail.

We walked along the rocky rim trail and took in the views of the cinder cone itself, the sprawling desert below and the mountains in the distance.

Thanks for Reading!

Hiking Amboy Crater was a neat experience. It was cool to get inside of the cider cone, check out the lava rocks and climb to the rim for some great vast views! We love exploring new areas and experiencing new things. If you’d like to check out some of our other adventures, check out the articles below:

• Awesome Hiking in Pinnacles National Park
• Exploring Obsidian Dome
• Hiking and Camping at Fossil Falls
• Viewing Vegas from Gass Peak

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