Zzyzx Road: The Strange History & Hidden Wildlife of This Mojave Desert Landmark 🌵🦎
October 2024 // Las Vegas, Nevada to Los Angeles, California
Only here for the view? Jump to the gallery.
Equipment
Locations
📍 Caruso’s Fountain — Zzyzx Rd, Mojave National Preserve, CA (see location on map below)
A whimsical desert oddity tucked between palms and historic ruins. Originally part of a 1940s health spa, the fountain no longer flows, but it makes for a striking photo op against the barren backdrop.
📍 EddieWorld — 36017 Calico Rd, Yermo, CA 92398
A candy-colored oasis in the desert, just off I-15. Stock up on road trip essentials like bulk sweets, fresh jerky, and surprisingly good made-to-order pizza. Bonus: clean bathrooms and a giant sundae statue out front for the perfect kitschy photo.
📍 California State University Desert Studies Center — Zzyzx Rd, Mojave National Preserve, CA (see location on map below)
A remote research outpost focused on desert ecology, operated by CSU. While not a typical tourist spot, the site often welcomes curious visitors during events or guided visits—offering a glimpse into life and science in the Mojave.
📍 Lake Tuendae — Zzyzx Rd, Mojave National Preserve, CA (see location on map below)
This manmade lake might feel surreal in the middle of the desert, but it’s a peaceful habitat for birds and endangered species like the Mojave tui chub. A short walk around the shore is great for birdwatching or a quiet moment under the sun.
📍 Zzyzx Road — Exit off Interstate 15, between Barstow and Baker, CA
Infamous for its name alone, this offbeat road leads to a slice of desert history. What was once a self-styled miracle spa is now a quiet site of research and reflection. Come for the name, stay for the strange beauty.
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Blog
Zzyzx doesn’t get a lot of attention and that’s kind of the point. This stretch of Interstate 15 is mostly uneventful. You’ve either just left Eddie World - car full of bulk candy, beef jerky, and made-to-order pizza - or you’re counting down the minutes until you get there. Then suddenly, there’s a sign for Zzyzx Road. No explanation, no context. Just a jumble of Zs and an exit in the middle of nowhere. It’s enough to make you wonder if you misread it.
That curiosity has lingered with me for years. So when the timing finally lined up, we took the turn.
Hidden in the Mojave Desert, Zzyzx started as a health spa in the 1940s, run by a self-proclaimed doctor named Curtis Howe Springer. He claimed the area’s natural springs had healing powers and branded it the “Zzyzx Mineral Springs and Health Resort” - intentionally picking the name to stand out. The spa promised everything from miracle cures to religious revival. It attracted guests for decades until the federal government shut it down in 1974 for illegally operating on public land. The abandoned complex was eventually repurposed and now serves as the Desert Studies Center, managed by California State University.
It’s a short drive off the highway - about five miles - but the final stretch is unpaved and a little rough. Expect potholes and a fair amount of dust. Drive slowly and be prepared for the desolation that greets you at the end: a handful of low buildings, scattered palms, and a stillness that feels a little eerie, but not unwelcome.
The centerpiece is Lake Tuendae, an artificial pond originally built for the spa but now an important habitat for native wildlife. It’s one of the few places left where you can find the endangered Mohave tui chub, a fish species once widespread in the region’s natural springs. The pond and surrounding area also attract plenty of birds. We spotted American coots, a few types of warblers, and what might’ve been a Say’s phoebe darting across the shallows. The highlight, though, was a small group of bighorn sheep, silhouetted on the rocky hillside on the drive in - silent, observant, and completely at home.
The walk around the lake is short and flat, but don’t underestimate the desert. Even in October, the dry heat was sharp. There’s very little shade, and the sun feels relentless. If you go, bring water, cover up, and don’t assume the easy path means it’s an easy visit. It’s the desert - you have to prepare accordingly.
Zzyzx might not be a destination in the usual sense, but it sticks with you. There’s something oddly compelling about a place with such a strange backstory and such quiet ecological importance. The resort is gone. The crowds never really came. And yet, the land is alive - bighorn sheep moving through the rocks, birds circling the lake, researchers cataloging life in one of the most inhospitable parts of California.
If you’re passing through the Mojave and see the sign, it’s worth the detour - if only to finally see what’s at the end of that road that looks like someone fell asleep on their keyboard.
Gallery
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