Day Trip Itineraries
Spending a few days in Newberry Springs? This page will help you plan day trips depending on your interests and abilities. Some day trips involve hiking, others require a high-clearance 4WD vehicle.
The following itineraries are based off the direction you choose to travel from Newberry Springs. Going northeast on I-15 towards Vegas? Maybe west on I-40 to Barstow? Or how about a nostalgic drive on Route 66 through the remote expanse of the Mojave Desert? Whatever way you feel like going, we’ve got you covered with trip recommendations.
Travel Direction
Northeast on I-15
From Newberry Springs, go north on Harvard Road, then enter I-15 northbound towards Las Vegas. In 15 miles, the Afton Road exit will lead to these attractions:
Continuing on I-15 northbound from Afton Road, in 17 miles, Zzyzx Road is reached. This is the beginning of the Mojave National Preserve. The Desert Studies Center at Zzyzx is reached at the end of Zzyzx Road that offers examples of remote desert habitat and hiking.
Continuing on I-15 from Zzyzx Road, the town of Baker is reached in 6.5 miles. Exiting on Kelbaker Road (Death Valley exit) and turning right will lead into the heart of the Mojave National Preserve. Learn more about what to see in the Mojave National Preserve article.
Continuing on Kelbaker Road will lead to the preserve’s Visitor Center in Kelso. Continuing south on this road will end up at I-40, where turning right (west) will lead back to Newberry Springs.
If you follow this rough route, it will take most of the day (over 8 hours). Make sure your vehicle is full of fuel and bring plenty of food and supplies to last the whole day as there is no services along this route except in Baker.
Map
East on Route 66
Heading east from Newberry Springs following Route 66, attractions include:
- Route 66 Barstow to Ludlow
- Pisgah Crater
- Route 66 Ludlow to Needles
- Amboy Crater
- Mojave National Preserve
Use the above links to learn more about these places and how to travel to them from Newberry Springs, mainly using historic Route 66. You can also jump on and off I-40 to speed up some sections, but after Ludlow, there are no Route 66 exits until Kelbaker Road.
You can also extend your trip past Amboy, but since 2020, portions of Route 66 have been closed due to damaged bridges. Detour using I-40 and Kelbaker Road. East of Amboy is Mitchell Caverns State Park and Hole-in-the-Wall, both inside the Mojave National Preserve. Visiting all of these places, from Pisgah Crater to Hole-in-the-Wall, would most likely require two days of exploring.
The only town that offers supplies and fuel is Ludlow. Before leaving Newberry Springs, make sure you have enough fuel and supplies to last an entire day of exploring.
Map
West on I-40 to Barstow
From Newberry Springs, attractions:
- Route 66 Barstow to Ludlow
- Daggett
- Calico Mountains
- Sunrise Canyon Hike
- Route 66 thru Downtown Barstow (video)
- Harvey House Barstow
- Route 66 from Barstow to Helendale
- Black Mountains and Inscription Canyon Petroglyphs
Heading west from Newberry Springs to Barstow offers many attractions. Peruse through the links above to learn about the various places to visit. The map below plots these various places.