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- Planning signal
- Verify access first
- Route context
- 4 Stella stays within 350 km
Curated observing site
Trona Pinnacles
California, United States · BLM National Natural Landmark
About this place
- Overview
- The Bureau of Land Management identifies Trona Pinnacles as a National Natural Landmark with more than 500 tufa spires across the Searles Dry Lake basin. Stella treats it as an observation-planning location; the reviewed BLM page does not publish a Bortle or SQM measurement or advertise a dedicated astronomy program.
- Horizon
- The open dry-lake basin provides broad sky exposure, while the tufa towers can obstruct portions of the low horizon depending on where equipment is set up.
- Region
- California, United States
Designation & sky
- Type
- Observing Site
- Designation
- BLM National Natural Landmark
- Sky quality
- Not yet rated
- Status
- Official BLM public land
Access & field notes
- Access
- Use existing roads and trails only. Dispersed camping is allowed for no more than 14 days in a 28-day period, and visitors must pack out all trash.
- Drive time
- The site is about 20 miles east of Ridgecrest via a five-mile BLM dirt road that is usually passable by two-wheel-drive vehicles but may close after heavy winter rain.
- Cell signal
- None
- Amenities
- Dispersed camping · Single vault toilet · No potable water or trash service
- Safety
- Bring all water and supplies, stay on existing roads, and check weather before traveling. Wet conditions can close the dirt approach, and the site has no developed facilities beyond one vault toilet.
Official links
Verify hours, access, and current conditions before you go.
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On the map
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