An RV Road Trip along California''s Highway 395

Along the eastern-most edge of California lies the “loneliest highway in America,” Highway 395. This off-the-beaten path highway runs parallel to the Sierra Nevada Mountains and features a variety of natural, scenic places in settings that are quieter and less crowded than much of the rest of the state. Here, travelers can find an array of unique lakes, many interesting desert structures, abandoned towns, some of the oldest trees in the world, the tallest peak in the contiguous US, and so much more. With plenty of places for boondocking, beautiful scenery, quirky towns, and unique food and culture, Highway 395 makes an excellent destination for a California RV camping road trip. So climb aboard and join us as we explore this 250-mile stretch of scenic highway in eastern California.

1. Trona Pinnacles

Our journey begins at the beautiful Trona Pinnacles, just north of the small town of Ridgecrest. Before you begin, be sure to stock up on groceries, gas, and anything else you may need in Ridgecrest. This is the last town you will find for quite awhile with most modern amenities. The pinnacles are located at the end of a five-mile-long stretch of washboarded road. Here, you can camp for up to fourteen days, but you must drive very slowly and carefully if you are bringing your RV. Some RVers with larger rigs may feel more comfortable leaving their RV at another nearby camping destination and driving their smaller truck or tow vehicle to the pinnacles.The pinnacles resemble a series of differently-shaped rock structures, jutting out of the desert earth, and the entire landscape almost looks like something from another planet. For this reason, this site has made an appearance in quite a few famous movies, including Star Trek V, Dinosaur, Lost in Space, and Planet of the Apes. At the pinnacles themselves, visitors can hike or drive through and around the pinnacles, taking in their unique beauty and interesting scenery.

2. Fossil Falls

After leaving Trona Pinnacles, you should head north to Fossil Falls, where you can also camp for up to fourteen days. Fossil Falls camping area is essentially a dried up prehistoric lakebed filled with bright red and black sand and covered in desert plants. You can camp in the lake beds, and these are easily accessible by RV.If you plan to camp by Fossil Falls, be sure to take a hike down to the falls themselves. The hike starts out flat but eventually leads to a large chasm in the ground, which is filled with old lava flows. The dried basalt is a shiny black color, and it makes for quite a scene. Hikers can climb into the chasm for more exploration or enjoy it from the ground level. It’s truly a unique sight to behold and is almost never crowded or busy.