Scenic 395 - The Official Guide 2026

16 2026 Scenic 395 Ridgecrest www.chinalakemuseum.org Facebook @ChinaLakeMuseum 130 E. Las Flores Ave. Ridgecrest, CA 93555 760-677-2866 Hours of Operation: Tuesday through Saturday 10 AM – 4 PM Gift Shop Entrance is always FREE! History of the “Secret City” launch ordnance, past and present, as well as technology developments used by military and civilians. At their new facility in Ridgecrest, you can viewmany exhibits inside and walk outside around some of the military aircraft used by the Navy and Marines at China Lake. Also, you will learn about China Lake’s pivotal involvement in the Manhattan Project and the development of rockets that turned the tide inWWII.  All three of these museums have Gift Shops that offer books, DVDs, hats, shirts, and many other gifts that capture the histories of the area. But that is not all there is for you! After enjoying your stay in Ridgecrest and visiting our three museums, you can head east toward Death Valley using Highway 178 Scenic Corridor. You can stop by the nearby Ridgecrest Regional Wild Horse and Burro Corrals (BLM) four miles straight east of the Historic USO Building to feed or pet wild burros and horses – or maybe even adopt one! If you continue on toward Death Valley you’ll run across the Trona Pinnacles, a geolog- ical feature that has more than 500 tufa spires, some as high as 140 feet. These have been featured in many films (like Star Trek V or Planet of the Apes). When you pass through the remote town of Trona, you can stop by the Searles Valley Historical Society and visit the Old Guest House Museum, built in 1917. When leaving Ridgecrest heading west into the Sierra Nevada Mountains using Highway 178 Scenic Corridor, you can stop by the Kern Valley Museum in Kern- ville. At this museum they have thou- sands of photographs of the early settlers, miners, cowboys and Indians, a wonder- ful back porch and yard full of historical artifacts. Plus, a restored and furnished 100 year old cabin. If you’re heading north from Ridgecrest using Highway 395, you can stop in Inde- pendence and visit the Eastern California Museum. At this museum there is a rich display of artifacts and narratives of the history of Inyo County and the Eastern Sierra, fromDeath Valley to Mono Lake. A birds-eye view of the China Lake Museum shows the newest amenities, including the new exhibit hall, the STEAM classroom, and the jets parked out front. Since the photo was taken, the AV-8B Harrier was delivered to the museum and now sits on the pad labeled “AV- 8B” in the photo. Courtesy Photo Continued from Page 15 Museums