Quote: Whilst travelling from Las Vegas to Joshua Tree National Park we spotted Amboy Crater on the map. Since we had a bit of extra time on our hands and were looking for a spot to stop and have a picnic we decided to investigate further.

We were travelling along the I-40 and then turned on to part of Route 66 which took us directly to Amboy and it was easy to follow the signs to the crater.

I had presumed that the crater would be a hole in the ground but actually it is an ash and cinder crater which is a volcanic mound. It can be seen from quite a distance and its distinctive black shape looks rather bizarre in the flat, desert landscape. Investigating later I found that the most recent eruption in the area was about 10000 years ago and that this area is in the Barstow-Bristol trough.

The car park was free and handily had a couple of restrooms. These consisted of the "hole-below-the-bowl" type of toilets and had a small infestation of flies but they were basically clean. There is no hand washing facilities so it is a good idea to take some hand wipes to use instead.

There were several large picnic tables arranged around the edge of the car park which had gazebo type shelters over them which gave some much needed shade on a hot August day as there is no natural shade in the area at all.

There is a viewing platform that is accessible by wheelchair that provides a shaded viewing area quite close to the car park. This gives a clear view of the crater.

Those feeling inclined can hike over to the crater but although it is only just over a mile from the car park the total recommended hiking time is 3 hours as it is a hot place to walk and hiking is not really recommended from May through to September due to the intense heat and lack of shelter. The incline to the top is about 80foot. The near perfect shape of the crater has led to it being designated a National Natural landmark.

We found this an unusual place to stop for our picnic and the shaded tables were certainly very useful. The area was hot and dry whilst we were there and not conducive to exploring but in spring it would be quite pleasant and the area is home to desert lilies and pink primroses as well as other flora and would be very attractive.