See all Things to do in Ridgecrest
Beam Me Up, Scotty
300 S Richmond RdRidgecrest, CA 93555-4436 Phone: (760) 384-5400About
A surreal Mojave Desert geological formation is popular with filmmakers. For a place in the middle of nowhere, the Trona Pinnacles sure get a lot of attention. Formed underwater when the area was part of a chain of desert lakes, the calcium carbonate tufa spires, some as tall as 140 feet, were formed between 10,000 and 100,000 years ago. Designated a National Natural Landmark in 1968, the pinnacles have an otherworldly quality that has led to their role in a number of movies, especially science fiction. And so the Trona Pinnacles have appeared as backdrops in movies ranging from Star Trek V to Planet of the Apes. Check on conditions before heading out because you'll have to drive a 5-mile dirt road. And it's best to visit in cooler months because summer temperatures can easily reach 115 degrees.
