I am fascinated with volcanoes. The fiery blasts of molten rock flowing down a mountain side, through a jungle and in to the sea still creates land mass in Hawai’i. A trip to the big island in 2005 included a tour of the Volcano National Park. That trip clinched my interest in this geologic phenomena and along with living on the San Andreas fault line here in California my fascination and curiosity about volcanoes never ceases. When I heard about the Mojave Desert Land Trust hike to Amboy Crater which included a night sky show….. I had to be there. Thanks to Twentynine Palms Astronomy Club for a great show. The attending amateur astronomers were well versed in the night sky. There were 2 telescopes available and I got to see the very blue planet Uranus.
There is a well paved parking lot with ample parking and information signs. The hike out to the crater is about a mile and the trail is composed of basalt/pumice and makes a loud crunching sound when walking on it. Be sure to wear some good hiking shoes. See the video below.
The hike out to the cone is approximately one mile. The trail is sandy but also contains a lot of basalt (dried volcanic lava) which can be difficult to walk on. When climbing up to the cone be sure you can hike up with loose basalt/pumice and a steep incline. Once inside the cone the trails vary in difficulty. There is one to the immediate left inside the cone that is easiest to climb to the top.
In this video I tried to provide a narrative but the wind was too strong and loud.
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