Barstow’s little secret

I used to call Barstow the armpit of California. All I saw and all most people see is the grungy pass-through road heading out into the desert, next stop Las Vegas. But I’ve come to learn that Barstow has its charms.

First, and perhaps most surprising, is that Barstow has good restaurants. Excellent restaurants. This is a recent discovery for us, despite two decades of passing through the area and waiting a few more minutes until we hit Yermo and Eddie World, which has good sandwiches, pizza, and one million stuffed animals (which is sort of hard to beat in any case).

Check out DeNapoli’s Fire House for Italian, Los Domingos for Mexican, and we heard from waitstaff at both of those that Lola’s Cafe is also worthy of your attention.

There are two places to stay. My first choice, but only when traveling alone, since my wife hates cheap hotels, is California Inn, just across the street from the restaurants, on the main strip. The other is a cluster of name-brand hotels just southwest of town, about nine minutes away. They are all interchangeable to me, but it seems less arm-pitty a few miles out of town.

Bartsow’s real secret is just north of town and a left turn down Fossil Road. Rainbow Basin features a short drive through colorful rock formations and plenty of opportunity to stop and walk out into the landscape (which I recommend you do every couple of under feet). You’ll likely be alone there, or nearly so, except perhaps for groups of geology grad students there to study is nearly unique view of the Barstow Formation. There aren’t any trails to speak of (there is a trap heading back to the campground area) but you are free to walk all you wish. Please keep in mind that while most of the area is BLM land, portions are private property. Don’t take stuff, don’t dig or chip, don’t leave trash. You know, common courtesy and common sense.

Go slow on the road, take your time, and if you can, go on a bright but overcast day for the best colors. The photographs show it in bright sunlight but, oh my, you should see it when the colors are more pronounced.

The campground is very basic but seems clean and safe. We may stop here with our new Noovo in mid-April, on the way back home from picking up the van.