California’s deserts offer more than just endless sand and cacti. These hidden gems scattered across the Mojave, Sonoran, and Great Basin deserts serve up everything from natural hot springs and quirky art installations to Hollywood history and world-class golf courses.
Each town has its personality, whether it’s the Bohemian vibe of an artist colony or the nostalgic charm of a Route 66 stopover. From the Instagram-famous Joshua trees to genuine ghost towns where the Old West still feels alive, these desert communities prove that some of California’s most fascinating destinations lie far from the crowded coastline.
Here is a list of 20 California desert towns that deserve a spot on your travel bucket list.
Joshua Tree
This desert town sits at the gateway to one of California’s most beloved national parks and attracts rock climbers, stargazers, and artists in equal measure. The quirky community embraces its unique side with attractions like the World-Famous Crochet Museum and the Noah Purifoy Outdoor Desert Art Museum.
You’ll find excellent local eateries and unique galleries tucked between the iconic Joshua trees that give the town its name.
Palm Springs
Long known as Hollywood’s desert playground, Palm Springs combines mid-century modern architecture with luxury resorts and world-class spas. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway whisks visitors 8,500 feet up Mount San Jacinto for breathtaking views of the Coachella Valley below.
Golf courses, art galleries, and a vibrant nightlife scene make this the perfect desert getaway for those who like their wilderness with a side of sophistication.
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Borrego Springs
Surrounded by Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, this charming town offers some of the darkest night skies in Southern California for incredible stargazing. It also provides easy access to desert wildflower blooms, hiking trails, and the fascinating Galleta Meadows Sculptures scattered throughout the landscape.
The town maintains a peaceful, unhurried pace that makes it feel like a true desert oasis.
Tecopa
This tiny community near Death Valley has transformed from a forgotten mining town into a hot springs destination with surprising culinary flair. Despite being a very small town of only 120 residents as of the 2020 decennial census, Tecopa remains one of Southern California’s most beloved hidden gems because of its natural beauty and relaxed way of life.
The natural mineral springs provide the perfect way to unwind after exploring nearby attractions like China Ranch Date Farm.
Baker
Known as the gateway to Death Valley, Baker proudly displays the world’s tallest thermometer at 134 feet, commemorating the highest temperature ever recorded in the United States. The 134-foot-tall thermometer honors the record-setting 134°F temperature recorded in nearby Death Valley in 1913.
Don’t miss the alien-themed Alien Fresh Jerky store, because nothing says ‘desert road trip’ quite like extraterrestrial beef jerky.
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Yucca Valley
This artsy enclave sits at 3,300 feet elevation in the high desert and serves as a gateway to the quieter Black Rock area of Joshua Tree National Park. Art enthusiasts can see the two geoglyphs on the Black Mesa that Andrew Rogers created, or stroll the Old Town Yucca Valley to visit some unique art galleries and antique shops.
The town’s creative spirit thrives in its numerous galleries, studios, and the annual Grubstake Days festival.
Desert Hot Springs
This tranquil spa town sits atop natural aquifers that feed mineral-rich hot springs directly into hotel pools and spa facilities throughout the area. The healing waters have drawn visitors since the early 1900s, making it a perfect retreat for those seeking relaxation and rejuvenation.
Desert Hot Springs offers a more laid-back alternative to Palm Springs, just 20 minutes away.
Palm Desert
This upscale resort community in the Coachella Valley combines luxury shopping along El Paseo with easy access to hiking trails and golf courses. The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens showcases desert wildlife and plants across 1,000 acres of authentic desert habitat.
Palm Desert strikes the perfect balance between sophisticated amenities and the natural beauty of the desert.
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La Quinta
Renowned as one of America’s premier golf destinations, La Quinta boasts stunning mountain views and luxury resorts that cater to discerning travelers. The Robb Report credits La Quinta as the leading golf destination in the nation.
The charming Old Town area features art galleries, boutique shops, and restaurants, while the surrounding desert offers excellent hiking opportunities.
Indian Wells
This exclusive desert community epitomizes luxury with its world-class resorts, championship golf courses, and the famous Indian Wells Tennis Garden. The town hosts prestigious tennis tournaments that attract international players and fans to the desert each spring.
Indian Wells provides an ultra-premium desert experience for those seeking the finest accommodations and amenities.
Twentynine Palms
Home to the largest Marine Corps base in the world, this town of 15,000 residents serves as the northern gateway to Joshua Tree National Park. Veterans will feel right at home at the Twentynine Palms Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center, the largest in the U.S., with tens of thousands of military personnel.
The Oasis of Murals project has transformed many building walls into colorful artistic displays that celebrate the area’s desert heritage.
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Ridgecrest
Originally called ‘Crumville’ before residents wisely chose a more appealing name, Ridgecrest sits in the shadow of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Ridgecrest doesn’t sit on the crest of a ridge, but there are a few in view, especially in the El Paso Mountains to the south.
The residents must have been looking for a reason to rename their town: it started out being called “Crumville.” The town serves as a gateway to the Eastern Sierra, providing access to excellent hiking, rock climbing, and off-road adventures.
Lone Pine
Nestled below Mount Whitney, North America’s highest peak, this small town has served as the backdrop for countless Hollywood westerns and adventure films. The Alabama Hills provide a dramatic landscape of rounded granite boulders that have doubled for everything from the Wild West to alien planets on screen.
Lone Pine offers spectacular mountain and desert views along with rich Hollywood history.
Bishop
This high desert town, situated at an elevation of 4,150 feet, serves as the perfect base camp for exploring the Eastern Sierra Nevada mountains. Bishop combines small-town charm with easy access to fishing, hiking, and some of California’s most spectacular alpine scenery.
The town’s location makes it an ideal stopping point for travelers heading to Mammoth Lakes or Death Valley.
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Barstow
A classic Route 66 town, Barstow celebrates its railroad heritage with museums, vintage diners, and roadside attractions that harken back to America’s golden age of automotive travel. It’s home to the Mother Road Museum, a 50s-themed diner, an indoor/outdoor railroad museum, and the Liberty Sculpture Park, among its other attractions.
The town’s central location makes it a natural stopping point for cross-country travelers and desert explorers.
Needles
Named for the sharp mountain peaks visible across the Colorado River, this historic town sits on the eastern edge of the Mojave Desert along Route 66. Needles took its name from a low range of sharply pointed mountains across the Colorado River.
The Colorado River provides water recreation opportunities like boating and fishing, offering a refreshing contrast to the surrounding desert landscape.
Pioneertown
Built in the 1940s as a living movie set by Hollywood investors, this unique community still functions as both a working town and film location. Over 200 movies and TV shows have been filmed in the town since its heyday in the 1940s and 1950s, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, particularly westerns.
About 400 people call this Wild West film set home, creating an authentic frontier atmosphere without the tourist-trap feeling.
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Slab City
Known as ‘the last free place in America,’ this off-grid community near the Salton Sea attracts artists, retirees, and free spirits seeking an alternative lifestyle. It’s an off-grid community of artists, nomads, and alternative thinkers, and has been called by some “the last free place in America.”
Visitors can explore Salvation Mountain, a colorful folk art installation, and East Jesus, a sprawling outdoor art gallery created from recycled materials.
Randsburg
This authentic living ghost town maintains its Old West character with original buildings from the 1890s gold rush still in use today. Randsburg, with one main street, is a perfect example of a living ghost town. In 1895, three prospectors discovered gold at the base of Rand Mountain here, and the mine, named the Yellow Aster, turned the town into a boom area with more than 4,000 inhabitants.
The tiny Randsburg Desert Museum and original post office offer glimpses into the area’s rich mining heritage.
Calico
This restored silver mining town from the 1880s provides family-friendly Wild West entertainment complete with staged gunfights and train rides. Calico is an old Western mining town that has been around since 1881 and was abandoned in the mid-1890s after silver lost its value. However, it was later resurrected in 1950 by Walter Knott, of Knott’s Berry Farm fame. Visitors can explore original mine shafts, browse period shops, and experience what life was like during California’s silver boom.
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Where Desert Dreams Take Root
These 20 desert towns represent far more than mere stops along dusty highways. They embody California’s pioneering spirit, where Spanish missionaries, gold miners, railroad workers, and Hollywood dreamers all left their mark on the landscape. Each community continues to evolve while preserving the rugged independence that originally drew people to these remote places.
Whether you’re seeking natural hot springs, artistic inspiration, or simply a break from urban chaos, California’s desert towns offer experiences you won’t find anywhere else. The desert rewards those willing to venture beyond the obvious with stories, landscapes, and communities that feel authentically, unmistakably Californian.
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