Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: road (9) drive (7)
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  • 5/5 Isobel L. 4 years ago on Google
    A trip to Rainbow Basin will make you feel like you're on a different planet. It's a unique drive on a one-way unpaved road through some of the most striking geological formations I've ever seen. As other Yelpers have said, the photos don't do justice to the subtle variations in color that you'll see. Visiting in spring, lots of wildflowers and the Joshua trees were in bloom as well. Tips: Make sure your car is in good condition and take water. I made the drive in just a regular car with no 4-wheel drive and I was fine but check road conditions first. It's free! Don't forget to charge your phone and take your real camera.
    9 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Josue Medina V. 1 year ago on Google
    Nice place very sunny. No amenities whatsoever. So must bring food/water. Any vehicle with some ground clearance can make it no need for 4wd or 4x4. Just stick to the main road no trailers or motor homes due to some tight turns. Best time for pictures is sunrise/sunset and night.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 PH 7 (. 3 years ago on Google
    Rainbow Basin is a geological formation in the Calico Peaks range, located approximately 8 miles north of Barstow in the Mojave Desert in San Bernardino County, California. No restroom. Bring your water and camera!!!
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Dennis G. 1 year ago on Google
    Went here the past two weekends to camp and map the basin with my UCLA geology class. Amazing place to learn to map, as there are many examples of synforms, faults, and the geologic rule of V’s present in the basin. Good parking and hiking available, though no restrooms or amenities nearby. Make sure to bring lots of water!
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Sean S. 1 year ago on Google
    A perfect little detour off the main highway to experience some pretty neat geological formations. We were the only people there and the silence was possibly the best part. The "off road" trail to drive through was very easy to navigate. There were a couple detours off the main road for the more off road worthy vehicles but my stock GMC terrain had no issues going through the regular trail. The worst part of it was the dirt road leading up to rainbow basis which had the nice washboard texture which made for a bumpy and slow ride. High recommend stopping by!
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 cc4469 1 year ago on Google
    Today we visited this area to take a short hike. It was kind of a rough ride to get to the trailhead, which is not really clearly marked, but fortunately we met some other hikers who showed us the start. We would not recommend this hike if it's really hot, because there's hardly any shadow on the way. But anyway, it offers a lot of beautiful views and isn't crowded at all - on our hike we didn't meet any other hikers. After all, if you've got a SUV, it should work pretty good to get there - I wouldn't dare if I had a limousine or a sports car ;-)
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 mark r. 11 months ago on Google
    We drove the loop yesterday, 4/15/23. Had not been graded recently. An interesting area with bizarre landscapes. Well worth the adventure. Read the origins on it before you go. You’ll appreciate it more. At one time there camels, flamingos etc. there. We drove a Cadillac XT5 and only had a couple of short spots to go slow. No ground clearance issues. I got out once to remove a football sized rock with a sharp top. No big deal. The picture is the worst little curve.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Melissa B. 11 months ago on Google
    This is a free experience to visit, however it is a bit of a drive back. This is off of the main road about 7 miles on all dirt. We were able to complete the drive in a small sedan, but obviously this would be easier in a truck or other vehicle with greater ground clearance. There is no "main" parking, there IS VERY limited cell service, and once you are in the hills (old mine tailings) it is VERY quiet; so plan ahead for optimum safety. There is a ton of OHV trails and hiking and the views are amazing.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Max van W. 2 years ago on Google
    Beautiful place for a hike. Although I didn't find a trail, you can still wander around.

  • 5/5 Anthony G. 2 years ago on Google
    Awesome place to day hike, camp, Pass through. You can get to the campsite with rv's and trailers, but you cannot do the scenic drive with a trailer or rv. It's a very narrow one way road. There are many other trails in the area and plenty of 4x4 trails. Also inscription canyon a good stop but you need 4x4 and most likely high clearance.

  • 5/5 Jade M. 1 year ago on Google
    Very beautiful I was able to show my daughter multiple reasons to believe in God because no man can carry such a creation

  • 5/5 Derringer D. 6 months ago on Google
    Fantastic area resembling more a Martian planet and less Earth. Stunning colors and scenery. Great place to wander about, quiet and peaceful. Roads not bad, might get sketchy after rain though.


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    • ✓️ Hiking

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