Ridgecrest, CA

The Maturango Museum in Ridgecrest, California celebrate the natural and cultural history of the Upper Mojave Desert with exhibits of plants, animals, Native American artifacts and contemporary arts and crafts. More...

Earthquakes July 2019 - June 2020

The largest earthquake in California in 20 years occurred on July 5, 2019. Its epicenter was 11 miles from Ridgecrest and it was measured at 7.1 on the Richter scale. An earthquake measuring 6.4 had just hit the area the day before, July 4, 2019. 2020 - Moderate mag. 5.5 earthquake. The USGS says June 3rd quake hit at a fairly shallow depth shortly after 6:30 p.m. and was centered 13.6 miles north of the small city of Ridgecrest.

Location / Description

Ridgecrest is located in the southern portion of the Indian Wells Valley, surrounded by four mountain ranges; the Sierra Nevada on the west, the Cosos on the north, the Argus Range on the east, and the El Paso Mountains on the south. It is approximately 80 miles from the Lancaster/Palmdale area and approximately 125 miles from both Bakersfield and San Bernardino, the three nearest major urban centers.

As the only incorporated community in the Indian Wells Valley, Ridgecrest acts as the urban center for northeastern Kern, Inyo and San Bernardino Counties. The City's incorporated area includes approximately 13,300 acres Ridgecrest is host to the famed federal research and development laboratory at China Lake. Ridgecrest is located in the Mojave Desert east of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and west of Death Valley National Park.

Population / Elevation

• 28,978 people / 2,289 feet above sea level

Weather / Climate

The meteorology in the Indian Wells Valley is predominantly influenced by its high desert location. The climate is characterized by hot days and cool nights, with extreme arid conditions prevailing throughout the summer months. The mean annual temperature for the Ridgecrest area is 65 degrees F. There are wide annual temperature fluctuations that occur from a maximum of 118 degrees F to a minimum of 0 degrees F.

Ridgecrest, California - Monthly Climate Normals
	Year	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °F	80	59	65	70	79	86	96	103	101	95	83	69	60
Low °F	50	30	35	41	48	56	64	70	68	61	50	37	30
Average °F	65	45	50	56	64	71	80	86	85	78	67	53	45
Rain	3.5	0.8	0.6	0.5	0.1	0.1	-	-	0.2	0.2	0.1	0.3	0.5

 

Hotels/Motels

Camping & RV Parks

Death Valley National Park: There are 9 campgrounds within Death Valley NP.

Events Calendar

Annually in spring: Wildflower Tours
Annually in spring & fall: Petroglyph Tours
Annually in September: Desert Empire Fair
Annually in May: Josh's Jamboree
Annually in October Ridgecrest Balloon Festival

Resources

• Related Books & Gifts - Trading Post
  
• Ancient Artists of the Great Basin Desert
• Petroglyphs of the Cosos
• Coso Tour Guide's Virtual Tour
• Paiutes of the Great Basin Desert
• Hiking Mount Whitney (Sequoia National Park)
• The Final Frontier on Film: Photographing Trona Pinnacles
• Surviving Summer in Death Valley: Learning from the Wild
• Death Valley Scotty
• Death Valley Weekend Field Trip, 1996
• Death Valley Winter Washout
• Death Valley Reprieve

Cities & Towns

• Barstow, California: 88 miles southeast.
• Inyokern, California: 12 miles west.
• Trona, California: 30 miles east.
• Bishop, California: 120 miles north.
• Big Pine, California: 105 miles north.
• Lone Pine, California: 60 miles north.
• Victorville, California: 81 miles south.
• Mojave, California: 60 miles southwest.
• Lancaster, California: 78 miles south.
• San Bernardino, California: 115 miles south.

Parks & Monuments

• Death Valley National Park: 61 miles east.
• Red Rock Canyon State Park: 31 miles west.
• Saddleback Butte State Park: 98 miles south.
• Sequoia National Park (via Whitney Portal): 80 miles north.

Wilderness & Recreation Areas

• Afton Canyon (BLM)
• Big Morongo Preserve (BLM)
• Bradshaw Trail (BLM)
• Corn Springs OHV Area (BLM)
• Mojave National Preserve (BLM)
• Volcanic Tablelands (BLM)
• El Mirage OVR Area (BLM)
• John Muir Wilderness (USFS)
• Sequoia National Forest (USFS)

Historic & Points of Interest

• Maturango Museum (Ridgecrest)
• United States Aviation Museum(Inyokern)
• Trona Pinnacles National Natural Landmark (BLM)
• Randsburg Mining District
• Fossil Falls(BLM)
• Rainbow Basin National Natural Landmark (BLM)
• Manzanar National Historic Site (Independence)

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