There’s a Dead Volcano Just Off Route 66 You Can Walk Around In

Amboy Crater, California

Amboy Crater stands out in the Mojave for two reasons: it’s one of the youngest volcanoes in the United States, and it’s one of the most perfect examples of a volcanic cinder cone anywhere.

There’s a hiking trail that takes you across lava fields and up to a rim where you can see the desert for miles. And since it’s along Route 66, you should definitely add it to your road trip stops.

It Got Its Name From An Old Railroad Town

The crater got its name from the nearby ghost town of Amboy. When Route 66 was still the main east-west highway, Amboy was an important rest stop where tired travelers would visit Roy’s Motel and Café.

Railroad founder Lewis Kingman named his stops alphabetically: Amboy, Bristol, Cadiz, Danby, and so on. Amboy started as a mining settlement before becoming a railroad town with about 65 people at its peak in the 1940s.

Business boomed for a few decades after Route 66 opened in 1926. Everything changed when Interstate 40 opened in the 1980s, bypassing Amboy completely and cutting off its traffic.

The Crater Forms A Perfect Circle

Standing 250 feet tall with a diameter of 1,500 feet, the crater forms an almost perfect circle in the desert. Its western rim has a noticeable gap where lava once flowed out.

The dark cone stands out against the tan desert floor, making it visible for miles around. Scientists consider Amboy Crater a perfect example of a cinder cone volcano because of its well-preserved shape.

You can actually walk inside the crater to see its unique interior. The formation lets you examine volcanic structures up close without any special equipment.

The Volcano Was Built By Four Different Eruptions

Scientists think the crater formed during several eruptions, with the most recent activity happening about 10,000 years ago. Evidence shows at least four separate eruptions built the cone we see today.

Each eruption followed a similar pattern: magma rose through a vent and sprayed into the air as fragments. These fragments cooled before landing as cinders around the opening. Eventually, pressure forced molten lava through the western wall, creating the breach that’s still visible.

The eruptions were moderate rather than catastrophic, gradually building up the cone over time.

The Lava Field Covers over 70 Square Kilometers

Around the crater lies a huge lava field covering about 70 square kilometers. This dark blanket of hardened rock flowed outward when the volcano was active.

The black-on-tan contrast creates a dramatic landscape that looks especially good in photos at sunrise and sunset. Despite thousands of years of desert wind and occasional powerful rainstorms, the lava field remains mostly intact.

Walking across this field reveals different lava textures—some areas show smooth, ropy patterns while others have jagged, blocky formations. Hardy desert plants have slowly grown in cracks in the rock, adding touches of green to the otherwise black terrain.

Route 66 Made The Crater A Tourist Hotspot

Before Interstate 40 opened, travelers on Route 66 often stopped to climb Amboy Crater. The famous “Mother Road” brought many tourists who wanted to experience this natural wonder.

Old guidebooks featured the crater as a recommended stop on cross-country trips. Local businesses thrived on this tourism, with Roy’s Motel and Café becoming especially popular among Route 66 travelers.

Vintage postcards often showed the crater alongside other Route 66 attractions. When the interstate opened further north, traffic dropped almost overnight, leaving Amboy and its volcano much quieter than during their busy days.

You Can Find More Volcanoes Along The Highway

Amboy Crater is part of a collection of volcanic features scattered along historic Route 66. These formations show the fiery geological history of the American Southwest.

If you take short detours, you’ll find Sunset Crater near Flagstaff, Arizona, which last erupted around 1085 AD. Further along in New Mexico, Route 66 passes near Mount Taylor, a massive dormant volcano with a different formation history than Amboy.

During the mid-20th century, roadside stands along Route 66 made money from this volcanic corridor by selling travelers rocks and souvenirs.

The Western Cone Trail Takes You To The Top

The Bureau of Land Management recommends taking the Western Cone Trail when you visit Amboy Crater. This 1.5-mile path offers the safest approach to the volcano’s rim.

Starting at the Butte Lake parking area, the round-trip hike to the base is 2.4 miles, while the full round trip to the summit covers 4 miles. The hike takes about 3 hours with an elevation change of 846 feet, reaching a summit elevation of 6,907 feet.

Trail markers and signs help you understand the area’s geology and ecology. The trail was designed to minimize environmental impact and reduce erosion on the fragile volcanic cone.

Watch Out For Rattlesnakes

Rattlesnakes live around Amboy Crater, especially during warmer months. You should stay alert and watch where you step, particularly when climbing on rocks. If you hear loud explosions and feel the ground shake while hiking, don’t panic—it’s not an eruption.

Amboy Crater is near the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, where they often hold training exercises. Bring a hat, sunscreen, sturdy shoes, and plenty of water.

Summer temperatures regularly exceed 110°F, so early morning is the only reasonable time for a visit between May and September.

Mars Stand-In for Movies

The strange landscape around Amboy Crater has attracted filmmakers looking for alien-like settings. Its barren terrain looks like a lunar or Martian surface without needing expensive sets.

It appears in scenes from the 1959 film “Journey to the Center of the Earth” and the 1986 movie “The Hitcher.” Commercial photographers and music video directors regularly use the location because of its unique look. The nearby town of Amboy, especially Roy’s Motel and Café, has appeared in even more productions.

The Ghost Town Still Has Roy’s Motel And Cafe

After exploring the crater, you can check out what remains of Amboy town. The most recognizable landmark is Roy’s Motel and Café with its classic mid-century sign and distinctive architecture. Roy’s operates on a limited basis, offering basic refreshments and souvenirs to tourists.

The former school building, post office, and church stand as reminders of busier times. Current owner Kyle Okura, son of Albert Okura who founded the Juan Pollo restaurant chain, maintains the town as a historic site rather than redeveloping it. The town cemetery contains graves dating back to the late 1800s, showing the lives of early desert settlers.

Driving Directions From Interstate 40

From Needles, CA, take I-40 west for about 65 miles until you reach Kelbaker Road. Exit south onto Kelbaker Road and continue for about 10 miles until you reach National Trails Highway.

Turn left onto National Trails Highway and drive around 8 miles to Crater Road. Turn left onto Crater Road, and the entrance kiosk will be on your left.

There are two paved parking lots with space for 17 vehicles, and you’re more likely to get a cell phone signal here than anywhere else at the site.