Route 66 & Newberry Springs
Newberry Springs is a community uniquely influenced by the history of Route 66 with many stories of the past still visible today.
Early travelers on Route 66 (and previously, the National Old Trails Road) found that Newberry Springs had a reliable and plentiful supply of water, a commodity very valuable in the desert. For those traveling westbound from Arizona, Newberry Springs was reached after crossing a vast stretch of the Mojave Desert with scarce water. Before the days of hotels and cafés, many travelers stayed a few days in Newberry Springs to recuperate after enduring the desert crossing.
As more people began using Route 66 to immigrate west during the Great Depression of the 1930s, businesses popped up that serviced these people. Later, in the 1960s when modern-day I-40 was built, many of those businesses dried up, leaving the remains of the old buildings.
In Newberry Springs today, one can still discover, learn and see what the travelers along Route 66 left behind many decades ago. Learn how you can go see what still remains:
Mojave Trails National Monument
Designated in 2016, Mojave Trails National Monument is located inside the vast Mojave Desert, in San Bernardino County, California. Mojave Trails is a fairly new national monument, which was created along with two other nearby national monuments, Sand to Snow and Castle Mountains. It’s eastern boundary is just east of Newberry Springs.
Movies Filmed Around Newberry Springs
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Newberry Springs Driving Tour
You are about to embark on a tour of a very unique community in the heart of the Mojave Desert, known as Newberry Springs. What makes this community special are the many sights and attractions found nowhere else.
Newberry Springs History
This article provides a detailed explanation of the history of Newberry Springs, starting in the 1920s, along with accounts of what it was like living in this desert community from the 1940s until present.
Route 66 Barstow to Ludlow
The most remote and barren stretch of Route 66 passes through California’s Mojave Desert between Barstow and the Colorado River, and the touring route described here covers the eastern half of it, between the towns of Barstow and Ludlow, and passing through the historic towns of Daggett and Newberry Springs. Driving this very remote part of […]
Route 66 Ludlow to Needles
This stretch of Route 66 is part of the once-dreaded Barstow to Needles portion of the road that was so intimidating to those traveling back in the 20s and 30s. Most people had never seen a desert before and the lack of civilization out here was a genuine worry. Similar to the segment covered in […]