Rainbow Basin – A Hidden Gem in the High Desert
Many who pass through Barstow don’t know of the rare geological wonder hidden within the surrounding desert valley. When driving through the area, you mainly see dry flat earth, some desert brush, and a seemingly endless barren landscape. Of course you wouldn’t think anything more!
Although, residing just outside the city of Barstow is an extraordinary treasure filled with unique colorful rock formations. A natural creation of layered sediment that folds and rolls strangely across the terrain it sits on. With some peaks that stretch even upward towards the sky.
A truly incredible display you wouldn’t expect to discover out here. See all this and more at Rainbow Basin Natural Area.
What Exactly Is Rainbow Basin?
Rainbow Basin Natural Area is most known for its beautiful colored rock formations combined with many layers of different types of sediment and rock.
But why is there such a strange geological occurrence randomly produced in the middle of the desert?
Well, underneath Rainbow Basin is a huge batholith. This is a large mass of intrusive igneous rock formed from cooled magma deep in the Earth’s crust.
Over time, this invasive rock rose up and eventually bent downward as it undertook compression. Sedimentary rocks formed on top while this furthered compression and uplifted more layers of rock. All this shifting caused an appearance of a U shape fold in the rocks, more specifically recognized as the Barstow Syncline. Also acknowledged as a downward facing fold.
As you will see, these folds in the rock look similar to that of a rug that has been wrinkled. Strange seeing nature do such things as I so commonly see rugs similar to this in our living room!
The Layers of the Basin
There are 3 main layers that make up Rainbow Basin. Jackhammer Formation is the lowest layer which is composed of sandstone, siltstone, limestone, and conglomerate. Pickhandle formation is the second layer. This is made up of mainly volcanic material like tuff, rhyolite, and andesite. Lastly, the top layer is the Barstow Formation made up of conglomerate, limestone, sandstone, and shale.
As you can see, many different types of rocks living here!
This land was listed as a National Natural Landmark for these rare features and is put on the Bureau of Land Management’s list of areas of critical environmental concern.
The BLM desires to maintain this area as a more remote location. Which is why there are no visitor centers, bathrooms, or any sort of establishments in the area. Be sure to stock up on any necessary food or water before arriving!
🌻 Our content may contain affiliate links. If clicked through to make a purchase, the price remains the same for you and we will earn a small commission. This helps us to continue creating useful and valuable content for you and other visitors. 💜Directions to Rainbow Basin Natural Area from Barstow
You can find Rainbow Basin just 20 minutes outside of the city of Barstow and right next to the popular Calico Ghost Town. To get to this unique geological wonder, simply take 1st Avenue north from Main Street, then make a left on Irwin Road.
You’ll know you’re going the right way when you cross a historic looking metal bridge over a bunch of railroad tracks.
Take Irwin Road for 6 miles and then make a left on a dirt road named Fossil Bed Road. This dirt road is relatively flat and smooth(ish), no need for a 4 wheel drive vehicle. Continue on Fossil Bed Road for 3 miles until you see signs for Rainbow Basin Natural Area. It will be an eventual right into the basin.
When driving in, it seems like you’re heading into the middle of nowhere. Before you panic, you will soon see the unique colored rock canyon off in the distance as you get closer.
Rainbow Basin Scenic Drive
To see Rainbow Basin and most of its interesting attributes, you can take the 4.6 mile scenic drive through the canyons. This is a great choice if you only have a couple hours to spare or if you don’t feel like spending your day hiking.
What’s nice is that this scenic loop is accessible to both 4 wheel drive vehicles and regular vehicles.
We were easily able to drive my Toyota Corolla through this one-way loop without any problems. There are some tight turns and corners to be mindful of, so make sure you drive slowly and carefully.
However, consider your environment if it recently rained or the road appears muddy. You probably don’t want to get your car stuck out here if you don’t have 4 wheel drive to assist you.
From the start of the scenic drive, we were impressed with how “scenic” it quickly became. During the first 2 minutes, you immediately see the colorful green and tan hues of the layered rock formations in front of you.
Soon enough, you’re already engulfed within the basin with towering layers of stone on all sides. Woah.
Conveniently, you can pull off and park anywhere you want, as long as you’re not blocking the road of incoming vehicles. Rainbow Basin is usually pretty empty due to it’s off the grid persona, so you basically feel like you have the whole place to yourself!
We found ourselves stopping many times to walk around a bit and take a closer look at the fascinating geological formations.
From Tight Canyons to Sprawling Desert Valleys
This first half of the scenic drive is pretty immersive within the walls of the basin. Winding you along tight turns and beside tall formations on both sides.
Truly, we were amazed at how easily you can see all the different types of layered rocks stretching both up and down across the landscape. The varying colors on the rocks was just icing on the cake to this already stunning environment.
Kind of reminds me of toothpaste from the light green tinge on much of the walls and along the ground.
As you continue on, the scenery along the road opens up dramatically. The second half of the Rainbow Basin Scenic Loop is much more wide spread than before. This section lets you see far off wrinkles in the distance and large jagged layers pointing towards the sky.
Once you enter this area, you will quickly see a small parking lot off to the right called Rainbow Basin Basecamp.
Even if it’s for a quick stop, this small pullout offers some incredible views of this larger section of the basin. Large cliffs one way, tall mountains another, and a sprawling desert valley in all directions.
To me, this is an ideal spot for a picnic and a lovely place to stop and enjoy the desert scenery.
Continue along the loop until you reach the end of the road. Make a left to connect you back to the beginning of the loop.
Other Things To Do in Rainbow Basin
HIKING TRAILS
If you wish to do more than just drive through Rainbow Basin, well you can take a hike! No, seriously.
There are 3 main hiking trails in the area, all of varying lengths depending on how much you want to trek.
- Rainbow Basin Dry Falls – 1.8 miles roundtrip, 341 ft elevation gain
- Owl Canyon Trail – 3.3 miles roundtrip, 472 ft elevation gain
- Rainbow Basin Loop – 8.2 miles roundtrip, 1,227 ft elevation gain
Make sure you come prepared and wear proper hiking shoes and bring these top 10 essentials for hiking. Be cautious of the heat and bring plenty of water while hiking through the desert.
Unfortunately, we did not have any time to complete any of the trails during our last visit. We only had a couple hours to spare which the scenic drive fit perfectly into our time slot.
Although, we do visit Barstow frequently and will eventually hike at least one of these trails the next time we’re in town.
CAMPING
Outside of hiking, you can also camp within Rainbow Basin Natural Area. Camping is only available in Owl Canyon Campground with a total of 22 sites. Campsites are first come first-served at $6 per night. Each site includes a table, shelter, and campfire ring with grates in place. Vault toilets are also available within the campground.
Make sure you bring all your own food and water! There is no running water out here in nowhere land. If you really want to refresh, consider bringing these top 3 insulated water containers to keep your water ice cold all day long! You won’t find us traveling without them.
Sounds perfect if you’re looking for a cheap desert getaway. We do especially love camping in the desert.
Not only for the affordable prices but mainly for the solitude, peace and quiet, and for that beautiful star lit night sky that you can’t find anywhere else. There is less light pollution out here, meaning more opportunity for those stars to shine!
Nearby Lodging/Accommodation
Camping not your thing? If you’re needing nightly accommodation, you can find numerous motels and/or hotels in the nearby city of Barstow. This is where we normally stay when out in this neck of the woods.
Lodging is usually fairly cheap and there is a good variety of restaurants, fast food, and a couple grocery stores should you need anything!
Oh and you can’t forget about the original Del Taco. Yes, the original Del Taco is located in Barstow! Still some of the best Del Taco I’ve had to date!
Don’t Miss Rainbow Basin On Your Next Trip Through Barstow
For those looking for unique desert beauty in the high desert, you should make the short trip out to Rainbow Basin Natural Area. A perfect desert adventure for outdoor enthusiasts or those simply just driving through Barstow with a few hours to kill.
The unique landscape that makes up Rainbow Basin is not one you would expect out here in an otherwise desolate environment. Bending layers of colorful rock sediment, vast desert valley views, and an off the grid getaway is what you can anticipate when visiting Rainbow Basin.
A rare treasure in the southern California Mojave desert.
For nearby desert adventures, you should check out Red Rock Canyon State Park, about 2 hours away. This park is full of more crazy desert features such as tall red rock cliffs. Or stay a bit closer and visit Amboy Crater and Zzyzx Road, both less than 2 hours away.
And for a general list of our favorite desert spots, read our post on our 8 Best Desert Spots in Southern California!
Have you been to Rainbow Basin before? What did you enjoy most? Share with us in the comments below!
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