As an official gateway community to Mojave Trails National Monument, the City of Twentynine Palms is thrilled to share the news that the iconic Amboy Crater Trail has been added to the National Trails System!
On October 22, 2020 U.S. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt announced 30 new national recreation trails in 25 states, adding more than 1,275 miles to the National Trails System. The National Trails Act helps promote and provide the preservation of public access, travel, and public enjoyment of our Nations Trails resources. The purpose of this Act is to provide the means for attaining these objectives and identifying and recognizing the valuable contributions form volunteers and through partnerships.
National Recreation Trails are existing land-based and water-based trails that provide close to home recreation opportunities on Federal, State and local lands. National Recreation Trail designation promotes some of our country’s highest-caliber trails with the intention of providing recreation access to rural and urban communities, economic development through tourism, and healthy recreation opportunities.
Recognized for its visual and geological significance, Amboy Crater was established as a National Natural Landmark in 1973 and is now part of Mojave Trails National Monument which was designated in 2016.
Considered one of Mojave Trails National Monument’s most famous geological wonders, Amboy Crater has long been an iconic tourist destination in California’s Mojave Desert region, offering visitors an incredible opportunity to see and explore one of the youngest volcanic fields in the U.S. Formed of ash and cinder, Amboy Crater sits at 984-feet tall, and 1,500-feet in diameter, and sits in stunning contrast to the vast desert wilderness it’s surrounded by. Visitors who hike the 1.5-mile trail up and into this stunningly symmetrical volcanic cinder cone are rewarded with breathtaking views of the Mojave Desert. More recently, Amboy Crater has become a hotspot for astronomy enthusiasts and astrophotographers who consider it one of the best and darkest places in southern California to observe the night sky!
Read the full press release from the Department of the Interior: https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/trump-administration-adds-1275-miles-national-trail-system
Learn more about visiting Amboy Crater: www.blm.gov/visit/amboy-crater
Book your accommodations in 29 Palms: www.visit29.org/lodging/
