The Easy Route to Trona Pinnacles

Trail Overview

The main (occasionally) graded route to get to Trona Pinnacles. This hard-packed washboard road takes you across the desert and across the shortest operating railroad in America. Be sure to stop and check for trains as there are no mechanical signs. It's a beautiful drive-in with lots of informational kiosks about the area. 2 bars LTE Use caution in Summer; there may be incredibly high temperatures.

Photos of The Easy Route to Trona Pinnacles

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Difficulty

Easy washboard road with plenty of room for oncoming traffic.

History

Via BLM website:The Trona Pinnacles are unique geological features in the California Desert Conservation Area. The unusual landscape consists of more than 500 tufa spires, some as high as 140 feet, rising from the bed of the Searles Dry Lake basin. The pinnacles vary in size and shape from short and squat to tall and thin and are composed primarily of calcium carbonate (tufa). The Trona Pinnacles have been featured in many commercials, films, and still-photo shoots.The Trona Pinnacles were designated a National Natural Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior in 1968 to preserve one of North America's most outstanding examples of tufa tower formation.CampingDispersed camping is allowed for a period not to exceed 14 days within a 28 consecutive day period. The 28 day period begins when a camper initially occupies a specific location on public lands. The 14-day limit may be reached either through a number of separate visits or through 14 days of continuous overnight occupation during the 28 day period. After the 14th day of occupation, the camper must move outside of a 25-mile radius of the previous location until the 29th day since the initial occupation.There is no potable water or developed facilities other than a single vault toilet on site.Pack out all trash. There are no trash services. In the desert environment, even natural items like orange peels take years to decompose.Travel on existing roads and trails. Vegetation in this climate can take decades to recover when crushed by off-road driving or parking.Camp in campgrounds if available. Using campgrounds reduces the number of vehicles so that the great views are not blocked.Have a great time. The Trona Pinnacles are a great place to explore natural wonders and experience your public lands.Geology and HistoryRising from the bottom of what was once an ancient lakebed, the Trona Pinnacles represent one of the most unique geologic landscapes in the California Desert. Over 500 of these tufa (or calcium carbonate spires) are spread out over a 14 square mile area across the Searles Lake basin. These features range in size from small-coral-like boulders to several that top out at over 140 feet tall.The Pinnacles were formed between 10,000 and 100,000 years ago when Searles Lake formed a link in a chain of interconnected lakes flowing from the Owens Valley to Death Valley. At one point during the Pleistocene, the area was under 640 feet of water.

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