Uploaded October 2023 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
California State Route 62 travels about 150 miles from Interstate 10 near Palm Springs, through the towns of Morongo Valley, Yucca Valley, Joshua Tree, and Twentynine Palms before heading through the Mojave Desert and ending at the Colorado River and Arizona border. Millions of people drive this highway every year, coming from Southern California's major cities to get to Joshua Tree National Park and the Twentynine Palms Marine Base. But the eastern 100 miles of the highway sees little traffic.
Highway 62 east of Twentynine Palms has been called the most desolate highway in California. It travels over 100 miles through the desert with very little signs of civilization, and virtually no signs of current civilization. There are absolutely no services for 100 miles. But desolate doesn't mean empty, and there is quite a bit to see along the highway.
The highway is filed with amazing desert scenery, World War 2 history, and strange art projects and in this video we drive its entire length and take a look at what there is to see on California's Most Desolate Highway.
We did a full video on Camp Iron Mountain previously, and you can find that here: youtu.be/BBxu2LMrCSg
Chapters
00:00 Intro to Highway 62
02:26 Sheephole Valley Wilderness
03:46 Camp Granite & Camp Iron Mountain
05:41 Freda, California
06:55 The Rice Shoe Tree
08:38 Rice Army Airfield
09:54 Reaching Vidal Junction and the Colorado River
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►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1
►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures
►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a 60 day free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
California State Route 62 travels about 150 miles from Interstate 10 near Palm Springs, through the towns of Morongo Valley, Yucca Valley, Joshua Tree, and Twentynine Palms before heading through the Mojave Desert and ending at the Colorado River and Arizona border. Millions of people drive this highway every year, coming from Southern California's major cities to get to Joshua Tree National Park and the Twentynine Palms Marine Base. But the eastern 100 miles of the highway sees little traffic.
Highway 62 east of Twentynine Palms has been called the most desolate highway in California. It travels over 100 miles through the desert with very little signs of civilization, and virtually no signs of current civilization. There are absolutely no services for 100 miles. But desolate doesn't mean empty, and there is quite a bit to see along the highway.
The highway is filed with amazing desert scenery, World War 2 history, and strange art projects and in this video we drive its entire length and take a look at what there is to see on California's Most Desolate Highway.
We did a full video on Camp Iron Mountain previously, and you can find that here: youtu.be/BBxu2LMrCSg
Chapters
00:00 Intro to Highway 62
02:26 Sheephole Valley Wilderness
03:46 Camp Granite & Camp Iron Mountain
05:41 Freda, California
06:55 The Rice Shoe Tree
08:38 Rice Army Airfield
09:54 Reaching Vidal Junction and the Colorado River
○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures
►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1
►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures
►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a 60 day free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
