Eastern Sierra

trhull · Dec 31, 2009

taking a second trip to Death Valley, and wonder if including a stop at Needles, CA and old route 66 through Essex and Amboy to Barstow is worth a look. I like to shoot commercial and natural landscapes, including ghost towns

SchwinnParamount · Dec 31, 2009

Go for it. My personal favorite spots in the area are Bodie (old ghost town) and Lone Pine. Both are a ways north of Death Valley though. If you can do it, go to Bodie.

chrism · Jan 1, 2010

SchwinnParamount said:
Go for it. My personal favorite spots in the area are Bodie (old ghost town) and Lone Pine. Both are a ways north of Death Valley though. If you can do it, go to Bodie.

I agree about Bodie. Incredible place. US 395 through the Eastern Sierras is just a great drive though.

ntenny · Jan 1, 2010

Bodie is well north of Route 66, though. There's some neat stuff off the interstate around Amboy----old train cars and run-down not-quite-ghost-town areas---but the area immediately around Barstow is, um, not the most photogenic landscape on earth.

-NT

paul_c5x4 · Jan 1, 2010

Oatman can be good fun if you don't mind being mugged by the wild mules and can avoid the tour busses.

Sirius Glass · Jan 1, 2010

Bodie, Devils Postpile in the afternoon when the sun is on it, and the Bristlecone pines in the Inyo National Forest [only 5,000 years old]

Steve

LizzBartlett · Jan 2, 2010

You don't mention when you are taking this trip. If it is during winter, then Bodie and the Bristlecones are probably out. Both of these locations are not easily accessed in winter.

Rt66 through the desert from Needles west is pretty neat. Amboy is worth the trip, I think, but further west is not. You might consider going north from Amboy up into the Mojave National Preserve and check out the Kelso Depot. It is beautifully restored and there is a nice museum. I don't know if they have the restored soda fountain up and running yet but it is really beautiful. From the Kelso Depot you can head north to Baker and from there it's a couple of hours up to Tecopa and Shoshone where there are hot springs that you can soak in. Both towns are just outside of Death Valley.

Cheers
Lizz

trhull · Jan 5, 2010

Thanks for the input. Going 2 Feb so Bodie doesn't seem doable. Lizz thanks for the Mojave thought.

LizzBartlett · Jan 7, 2010

I have been to the Kelso Depot twice now and continue to be impressed. If you are going to Death Valley and like "ghost towns" check out Goldpoint which is north of Beatty,NV. I'd recommend staying in Beatty which is also right near Rhyolite, another ghost town. There are some nice photo ops there. Just outside of Rhyolite there is a graveyard, but watch out for snakes. From Beatty you can drive through Titus Canyon and there is a ghost town about halfway called Leadfield. It's a spectacular drive over some breathtaking passes and then through a classic canyon. Great photos along the way including some pictographs.

Have fun no mater what
Lizz

Greg Campbell · Jan 7, 2010

Once in DV, you may want to check out Skidoo. It's a few miles off the Wildrose road, south of Stovepipe. The elevation isn't too extreme, so the road should hopefully be open and in decent shape. There's not much left of the town, but there are several neat rock mills still standing.

The Eastern California Museum in Independence has a large collection of wildly photogenic old farm equipment, cars, mining equipment, etc. From there, continue west on Onion Valley Road as far as conditions will allow. It's a very pretty drive.

Don't forget Ballarat in southern Panamint Valley. Not far away is the city of Trona, which I find strangely appealing. It's got the industrial mining town look (because that's exactly what it is!)

Eastern Sierra

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