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 Reporter |
Summary: Amboy crater is a moderate hike off of route 66. The crater is actually an ancient cinder cone near the Mojave national preserve. The Crater area has been used to test the Mars rovers (see blm website http://www.ca.blm.gov/needles/amboy.html ). The crater starts though the lava fields. Just passed the lava field is a moderately flat area to the base. From the base, hike to the west side up a moderate slope. on the west side, follow the hike trail near the base. At the breach, hike up the steep incline into the crater. Once inside, you can hike straight to the caldera, or follow one of the steep trails up to the rim. You can hike on the rim from one side of the breach to the other. The northeast side of the rim is very narrow and steep on both sides so be careful. Also, good hiking boots are recommended as the lava can be sharp. This hike is best attempted in the Fall and Winter as Summer temperatures can get over 100 degrees. Trailhead: From Barstow, take I40 West, exit Ludlow Rd. Turn right on Ludlow and an immediate left onto National Trails Highway (Route 66). Take route 66 to Amboy crater. (28 miles east of Ludlow, 2 miles west of Amboy). Turn right at the Amboy Crater sign and follow the dirt road to the end. The trailhead is on the west side of the parking lot. The trail is poorly maintained and at time non-existent. Head south toward the crater. At the base, hike to the west side where the trail is much easier to see. Enter though the breach and enjoy! The Trail on the northwest side (not the breach) is too steep to be attempted and is closed for hiking. (Lat:34.33 Lon:-115.46) Trail Guides for Amboy Crater: Best Seasons: Fall, Winter, User Groups: Hikers, Ranger Contact: Bureau of land management 760-326-7000 Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by David Muro, who has posted 7 other hikes on this site Trail Reviews Page 2 of 3 Submit your own review 
Reviewed by Jack on 9/18/2007 Good break from driving on the I40. Hike is short, 30 min each direction. Started just before sun came up and the early morning sun was still cool. Recommend late fall through early sping to avoid high desert heat.
Reviewed by Chris and Kim on 3/10/2007 Found the hike very nice in late Feb. The trail head was easy to find the hike to the Crater was easy going up was not hard just take your time. The Crater was amazing and the overlook on top was great.The ancient Lava Flows and cracks where interesting and held a bueaty of there own . **Triva** Did you know that The **Film JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH** was filmed around the Crater. Bring water and snacks. ..... Watch out for the green space monkeys......just kidding. 
Reviewed by Brian on 1/31/2007 My buddy Dave and I headed out to the crater after first seeing the "Hole in the Wall" cliffs in Mojave. We arrived at 3:30 PM and wondered if the sunlight would hold out since we did not have any flashlights. The trail out there is at times confusing, and the slope heading up on the right has loose lava rocks where Dave slipped and cut his hand, but the view at the top of the rim is fantastic! The steam vent on the western lip shows mineral deposits that look fairly recent in nature. We made it back to the car by 5:10 PM with plenty of daylight still. A fantastic hike for all who have enough strength and stability to make it to the rim!
Reviewed by Jennifer on 10/3/2006 We hiked this trail about 4 years ago and I never saw a sign that said don't hike up the side.....lol. My husband, my 8 yr old daughter and 4 yr old daugter and myself all hiked up. The girls were fine till they got to the top then needed a bit of assistance from dad. I almost had a heart attack becauce when I got about 10 ft from the top, the wind started blowing really hard and I though I was going to be thrown off......haha. We wrote our names in the bottom of the crater using rocks. Any body see it???.....?? Great hike and will go again when we get back out there. 
Reviewed by Scott on 6/26/2006 Last July ( 2005 ) I nearly died on this hike. That is no exaggeration. I had water, but had been drinking sodas or gatorades all morning and maybe a little too much alcohol the previous day. I wasn't nearly hydrated enough. To make a long story short, by the time I got back to the car, I could have gone maybe another 200 yards before I would have collapsed. Please make sure you bring water and are aware of your condition. July is NOT the best month to hike this trail. 
Reviewed by Matt Sullivan on 6/5/2006 I stumbled across this in late May 2006 while cruising Route 66. I'm not in great shape, but have no problem walking several miles at a time. I started in late morning, alone. The heat became stifling and I wasn't sure I was going to make it back. Seriously, this was dangerous. Total hiking time was about 1.25 hours. The hike itself was uninteresting; I just wanted to see the crater.
Reviewed by AG on 5/30/2006 Hike Amboy Crater Feb. 14th with my wife, cuz I wanted to take her some place hot to celebrate. Started with teaching her to read a compass, setting her way point, orienteering, etc. Going up is easy without a compass, although the trail is poorly defined. Coming down and out she was in charge and had to get us back without the trail. Our car was not visable until we were within a hundred feet. Amboy is a 10 year old's dream hike, cuz the kids can run up and down all day, while the grandparents can navigate it with walking stick. We arrived as a couple was leaving and had the park to ourselves until we came back to the parking lot when a couple was arriving. Great hike, take a few hours to hike the differrent domes. AG
Reviewed by yung on 3/27/2006 hey man its for real a good trip all you should go there once Notice: Traveling in the backcountry can be hazardous. You are responsible for informing yourself about these hazards and taking necessary precautions. Information on this web site comes from volunteer reporters and may contain errors or omissions. A current guidebook and proper equipment are essential for safe enjoyment of the hikes posted on this site. Keys: California Hiking, California Trails, California Hikes, San Bernardino County Hiking, San Bernardino County Trails, San Bernardino County Hikes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||