Visit Zzyzx: An Abandoned Resort with a Quirky Name in California
Every motorist who has driven past the exit for Zzyzx Road on Interstate 15 in California’s Mojave Desert en route to Las Vegas has wondered about the road’s quirky name. Zzyzx Road—which is pronounced “zi-zex”—leads to a small lake fed by a natural spring, which was once home to a health resort run by an evangelical preacher named Curtis Howe Springer. He believed that his line of herbal medicine had the power to help everyone live their best life.
In 1944, Curtis Howe Springer—who was living in Los Angeles—read about a natural spring named Soda Springs in the Mojave Desert that was rumored to have healing properties. Springer went on an expedition to locate Soda Springs. He was so impressed by what he found that he immediately filed for a mining claim so that he could construct a wellness resort where he could entice travelers to bathe in the curative waters of Soda Springs.
Photo by depositphotos.com
Springer chose the unusual name of Zzyzx Mineral Springs and Health Resort for his wellness oasis because having a listing with two z’s in the name ensured that his resort was “the last word” in wellness. Zzyzx Mineral Springs and Health Resort—which offered overnight accommodations, a dining room that served fruits and vegetables grown on-site, and a lecture hall where visitors could hear Springer’s passionate sermons—thrived until 1974, when the Bureau of Land Management seized Springer’s property because his mining claim did not grant him the power to build a resort.
Photo by Flickr
Though Zzyzx Mineral Springs and Health Resort had plenty of fans in its heyday, Curtis Howe Springer had quite a few vocal detractors. Naysayers claimed that Springer’s health tonics—such as Hollywood Pep Cocktail—were mostly made of common Epsom salt and had virtually no curative properties.
Springer also claimed that Soda Springs was a natural hot spring. Springer had secretly installed a series of pipes to heat up the naturally chilly water so that he could hype the springs’ curative properties and entice guests to stay longer and spend more money.
Photo by Flickr
In 1976, California State University took over the health resort formerly known as Zzyzx and converted the area into a Desert Studies Center. The remnants of several structures—such as Zzyzx resort’s old pool house—are still visible. Visitors can view the ruins of the Zzyzx Mineral Springs and Health Resort from the shores of placid Lake Tuendae—which is adjacent to the Desert Studies Center. Lake Tuendae, located in the Mojave National Preserve, is surrounded by a short trail and a scenic picnic area that is an excellent spot for birdwatching.
Though the remnants of Zzyzx Mineral Springs and Health Resort are located on land that belongs to California State University, the shores of Lake Tuendae still offer an up-close view of one of California‘s most notorious failed wellness spas. Having the chance to see the reflection of a row of palm trees shimmering in the placid waters of Lake Tuendae in the bone-dry Mojave Desert is certainly worth clicking your turn signal when you spot the sign for Zzyzx Road.
Address:
Zzyzx Road
San Bernardino, California
United States
View on Google Maps.
UnusualPlaces Field Notes
- Location
- Lake Tuendae nature trail and NPS visitor parking area, Zzyzx Road, Mojave National Preserve, California, USA
- Coordinates
- 35.1432, -116.104
- Access
- Public access at Zzyzx is limited to the Lake Tuendae nature trail, adjacent visitor parking and picnic area. The California State University Desert Studies Center buildings, grounds and pool-house ruins are occupied/private; do not cross the posted boundary or treat Zzyzx as an abandoned ghost town. The NPS trailhead is at the Zzyzx parking area, about 5 miles south of I-15 on Zzyzx Road. Check NPS road alerts before the remote desert drive.
- Admission
- No entrance pass is required for Mojave National Preserve, and the NPS lists the Lake Tuendae nature trail as a public visitor area. This does not permit entry to the CSU Desert Studies Center campus or buildings, which are private/restricted.
- Time needed
- The NPS describes an easy 0.25-mile loop around Lake Tuendae but publishes no standard time. Allow time for the wayside exhibits and picnic area; do not enter campus buildings or the pool-house ruins.
- Best season
- The NPS publishes no single best season for this short, exposed desert walk. Cooler months are generally more comfortable; the NPS warns that summer heat can be dangerous and advises early-morning hiking, plenty of water and checking current road/weather alerts. Winter snow can also affect higher-elevation roads.
- Opening hours
- NPS identifies Lake Tuendae, its adjacent visitor parking and picnic area as public-use areas but does not post separate trail hours. The preserve says outdoor areas are open year-round, 24 hours a day, subject to alerts or temporary hazards; do not enter the neighboring CSU campus or occupied buildings.
- Location checked
- 2026-10-08
- Facts checked
- 2026-10-11
Map marks the area, not a visitor entrance.
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