Trona Pinnacles: Visit an Otherworldly Hidden Gem in California
Photo by depositphotos.com
The spiky spires of the Trona Pinnacles in the Mojave Desert in California have often served as a stand-in for otherworldly locales such as Mars in popular films and TV series. Nearby Joshua Tree National Park and Death Valley National Park tend to attract large crowds, but if you’re searching for a desolate desert landscape that will leave you feeling as though you have momentarily traveled to another planet, a trip to the Trona Pinnacles is an absolute must.
Located at the end of a 5-mile dirt road off of State Highway 178, the Trona Pinnacles rise from the bed of the Searles Dry Lake Basin. Searles Lake covered a sizable portion of the Mojave Desert over 100,000 years ago. In addition to surreal rock formations that look like petrified castles, the Searles Dry Lake Basin is a mining hotspot for minerals such as opals, borax, and selenite. In October when the Mojave Desert’s searing temperatures begin to drop, visitors are welcome to join a gem-o-rama where rockhounds descend on the Searles Dry Lake Basin to hunt for precious gems. It is important to note that the Trona Pinnacles are considered a California Desert National Conservation Area, so the area around the rock formations is not included in the gem-o-rama.
The best time to visit the Trona Pinnacles is in the spring (March-May), or the fall (September-November). In the summer months (June-August), temperatures can get dangerously hot—especially from 10 am-5 pm. Always be sure to pack copious amounts of food and water when exploring the Mojave Desert. The most breathtaking views of the towers, tombstones, and ridges of the Trona Pinnacles are at sunrise and sunset, when the rocks are illuminated by swiftly changing light.
Photo by depositphotos.com
The Trona Pinnacles feature a short trail that winds around the rock formations. Even though the trail is less than a mile, visitors can spend hours exploring the unique terrain. The Trona Pinnacles are a selfie hotspot thanks to serving as the backdrop for films such as Planet of the Apes and TV series like Battlestar Galactica and the vintage hit Lost in Space. You can easily stage a photoshoot set on the moon or Mars posing amid a desert landscape that is truly not of this world.
Photo by depositphotos.com
The Mojave Desert has exploded in popularity in recent years, but there are still a few lesser-traveled yet impressive spots like the Trona Pinnacles which offer travelers a bit of desert solitude.
UnusualPlaces Field Notes
- Location
- Trona Pinnacles, California, USA (named BLM attraction reference point within the wider tufa-spire landscape)
- Coordinates
- 35.6169937, -117.3721969
- Access
- Approach via BLM dirt road RM143 from SR 178; the final 5-mile dirt road is usually passable by 2WD but may close after heavy winter rain. There is no potable water and only one vault toilet. Stay on existing roads and trails and pack out all trash.
- Admission
- The current BLM visitor page does not publish an entrance ticket or visitor fee. Dispersed camping is allowed up to 14 days in any 28-day period; camping conditions and rules are separate from a day visit.
- Time needed
- The BLM publishes no standard visit length or marked visitor loop. More than 500 tufa spires are spread across roughly 14 square miles, so time depends on how much of the landscape you explore; the final approach includes about 5 miles of dirt road.
- Best season
- The BLM does not name a preferred season. Its 5-mile dirt access road may close during winter after heavy rain, so check road conditions before setting out. This is an access caveat, not a claim that another season is best.
- Opening hours
- No daily operating hours are published for this outdoor BLM site. The access road may close after heavy winter rain; check with BLM/current road conditions before driving in.
- Location checked
- 2026-09-30
- Facts checked
- 2026-09-30
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