Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace
Pioneertown was built in 1946 as a film set for TV and movie westerns (Gene Autry, Cisco Kid, Annie Oakley, Judge Roy Bean, Range Rider, and Buffalo Bill Jr.). Original Hollywood investors in the town included Roy Rogers, who also built the Pioneertown Bowl, Sons of the Pioneers (after whom the town was named), movie villain Dick Curtis, actor Bud Abbott, Russell Hayden, who played Lucky in Hopalong Cassidy, Hollywood gossip columnist Louella Parsons, and Philip N. Krasne, the man who saved Pioneertown. Today, Old West re-enactments occur on Mane Street every weekend April to October, Saturday and Sunday 2:30 p.m.
The movie set cantina became The Cantina biker bar in 1972, then Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace in 1982, with its mesquite BBQ, legendary bar, live music, dancing, and rustic ambiance. Purchased from Harriet Allen in 2003 by two New Yorkers (Robin Celia and Linda Krantz) who wanted to return it to its glory days, Pappy’s has become an indie rock favorite and hosts songwriters and bands Thursdays through Sundays, open mic nights on Mondays, and annual music festivals. You never know what famous traveling musician may show up on stage! Robert Plant, Jim Lauderdale, Leon Russell, Eric Burdon, Sean Lennon, Lorde, even Sir Paul McCartney have graced the stage at Pappy & Harriet’s. Check the website for music lineup. Open Thursday-Sunday 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. for lunch and dinner, Monday open at 5 p.m. for dinner (closed Tuesday-Wednesday). Located 30 minutes from Twentynine Palms, four miles north of 29 Palms Hwy. in Yucca Valley, turn on Pioneertown Road.
Pappy & Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace
53688 Pioneertown Road
(P.O. Box 595)
Pioneertown, CA 92268
(760) 365-5956
www.pappyandharriets.com
www.visitcalifornia.com
Gubler Orchids & Orchid Festival
Orchids in the desert? Yes, at Gubler’s Orchids in Landers, about 40 minutes from Twentynine Palms, north on Hwy. 247 off 29 Palms Highway in Yucca Valley. The annual “Orchid Festival” is held there on the first weekend of October, an event filled with family fun, wine and cheese, live music, classes and tours. Admission free! The Gubler family has loved and grown orchids for three generations. Originally in Switzerland, Gubler Orchids was opened in 1918 by Heir Gubler. His second son, Hans, moved to California to chase the American dream and in 1954 started Gubler Orchids (US). Now it is Hans’ son, Chris, who continues the legacy, along with his sister, Heidi. Gubler’s Orchids has over 155,000 square feet of greenhouses in production, shipping orchids throughout the U.S. and Canada, and is one of the top quality orchid growers in the world. Free tours are offered at the Landers facility. Non-slip, closed toed shoes are required (no sandals). For groups over 10, please call ahead. Open 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (closed Sunday and major holidays).
Gubler Orchids
Landers, CA 92285
(760) 364-2282
www.gublers.com
Mitchell Caverns
Mitchell Caverns are limestone caves with unique geological formations—stalactites, stalagmites and other oddly shaped formations—from top to bottom. The caverns are located in the Providence Mountains State Recreation Area (within Mojave National Preserve) and are the only limestone caverns in the California park system. The visitor center is located in the historic home of Jack and Ida Mitchell, who ran a resort at the caverns for 20 years. Elevation at Mitchell Caverns is 4,300 ft. and temperatures inside the caves stay cool at a constant 65 degrees. Mitchell Caverns was closed for repairs from 2011 to 2017. Guided tours are by reservation only and are offered at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and holiday Mondays; summer tours (June-August) are at 10 a.m. The tour entails a 1.5 mile hike to/from Mitchell Caverns and a 1-hour guided tour of the cave. Admission: $10 adults, $5 per child (16 and below), $5 senior, credit card or exact cash only. Providence Mountain SRA is open year-round: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday-Sunday and Holiday Mondays. Closed: Tuesday-Thursday, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. Park admission $10/vehicle, $5/vehicle for seniors. Tour reservations: Monday only, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Mitchell Caverns, Providence Mountains SRA
38200 Essex Road (P.O. Box 1)
Essex, CA 92332
(760) 928-2586
www.parks.ca.gov
Integratron
George Van Tassel (1910-1978), creator of the Integratron, was a legendary figure, an aeronautical engineer and test pilot who worked for Lockheed, Douglas Aircraft, and alongside Howard Hughes at Hughes Aviation. He also was a leader in the UFO movement who held annual “Spacecraft Conventions” at Giant Rock for 25 years. Van Tassel claimed that the structure of the Integratron is based on the design of Moses’ Tabernacle, the writings of engineer/physicist Nikola Tesla, and telepathic directions from extraterrestrials. He spent 18 years constructing the spectacular wood dome building, which provides a deeply resonant, multi-wave sound chamber. The site is available by appointment for public and private “Sound Baths.” Groups can rent the Integratron for seminars, recording, retreats, and private events. The Integratron is a 38’ high, 55’ diameter non-metallic dome that can host up to 35 people. The first floor contains a photo and reference library, surrounding a comfortable living room. The second floor is the Sound Chamber. There are windows in every direction with sweeping views of the Giant Rock vortex. Mats, blankets and pillows are available for meditation, yoga or resting. The Integratron is located approximately 30 miles northwest of Twentynine Palms.
The Integratron
2477 Belfield Blvd. (P.O. Box 3461)
Landers, CA 92285
(760) 361-3126
www.integratron.com
Amboy Crater National Natural Monument
The picturesque Amboy Crater National Natural Landmark is located off of Historic Route 66 National Trails Hwy., a 45-minute drive northeast of Twentynine Palms via Amboy Road, in the new Mojave Trails National Monument. The volcanic cinder cone rises 250 feet above the Mojave Desert floor. A moderate 1.5 mile hiking trail leads up to the top for a majestic 360-degree view. The 1/2-day walk to the top and back requires good sturdy footware and adequate water. The Amboy Crater site is accessed by a paved road and offers shade ramadas, picnic tables, vault toilets, an ADA ramada overlook for viewing, interpretive kiosk, and a hiking trail to the rim. Be sure to bring water and observe the rules of the desert. Designated a National Natural Landmark in 1973, Amboy Crater was recognized for its visual and geological significance. Amboy Crater is relatively young (it last erupted approximately 10,000 years ago), and it is an excellent example of a very symmetrical volcanic cinder cone. The inside of the 250-foot-high crater contains two lava dams behind which has formed small lava lakes. These are now flat in general appearance, covered with light colored clay, creating the impression of miniature “dry lakes.” There is a breach on the west side of the crater where basaltic lava poured out over a vast area. Beyond the crater lies 24 square miles of lava flow containing such features as lava lakes, collapsed lava tubes and sinks, spatter cones and massive flows of basalt. See website for map and directions.
www.blm.gov
Sheephole Valley Wilderness
The Sheephole Valley Wilderness now contains a total of 187,516 acres, consisting of the Sheephole Valley and the surrounding 4,600-foot Sheephole Mountains and 3,700-foot Calumet Mountains ranges. The valley floor at approximately 1,800 feet elevation contains dry lake beds, sand dune formations, and a high desert creosote and scrub habitat, plus a variety of wildlife typical of the Mojave Desert. The United States Congress designated the Sheephole Valley Wilderness in 1994. All of this wilderness is located in California, is managed by the Bureau of Land Management, and in 2016 was included in the Mojave Trails National Monument. The Sheephole Valley Wilderness is bordered by the Joshua Tree Wilderness and Joshua Tree National Park to the south and is approximately 25 miles east of Twentynine Palms on Highway 62, an easy 15 to 20 minute drive. During the early spring, in good years (after sufficient winter rain), the valley is often the site of vast displays of wildflowers, including desert lupine, sand verbena, dune evening primrose, and the rare desert lily.
Bureau of Land Management, Needles Field Office
(760) 326-7000
www.blm.gov
www.wilderness.net
