Amboy Loop of Route 66 California

If you’re planning a road trip along Route 66, take the Amboy Loop. There are several points of interest along the way that you may also want to check out. We begin our journey in the town of Ludlow after taking the exit from I-40 in California.

Ludlow California

Ludlow was initially established as a stop for steam locomotives along the Southern Pacific Railroad. With the discovery of copper and gold nearby, several structures, including a saloon, rooming houses, a post office, and residences, were constructed near the railroad tracks. Later, when Borax was found in 1905, the Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad was built to connect Ludlow to Death Valley Junction. 

A second set of tracks, the Ludlow & Southern Railroad, was a short line that operated between Ludlow and the neighboring mines. However, the mineral booms ended, the railroad tracks were abandoned, and Ludlow became a gas stop along Highway 66. Only a few structures remain in Ludlow, including Ludlow Cafe, a motel, a gas station, and the town cemetery.

Amboy Crater National Natural Landmark

Amboy Crater is an 80,000-year-old cinder cone adjacent to historic U.S. Route 66 in California’s Mojave Desert. Visitors can hike a two-mile trail to the cinder cone with paved parking and bathroom facilities. Various routes include around the cone, up the edge, or into the crater’s center. The best times to visit this trail are September through February. Amboy Crater was featured in the 1959 film “Journey to the Center of the Earth.”

Roy’s Motel and Cafe Amboy

Roy’s Motel & Cafe was established in 1938 by Roy Crowl. During the 1950s and 1960s, Amboy enjoyed a thriving period as a bustling town along Route 66. The motel still stands, although it is closed, and the Cafe has been transformed into a small shop where visitors can purchase cold drinks and Route 66 souvenirs. Roy’s Motel and Cafe is a must-stop attraction along Route 66.

Guardian Lions of Amboy

Located approximately four miles east of Amboy, a pair of marble lions exist, one male and one female. The story behind their arrival at the location remains a mystery, but they have gained popularity as a famous spot for Instagrammers. The Lions are situated on the east side of the highway, a little away from the road. Visitors often leave small keepsakes and notes on the lions, and there used to be a logbook at the base of one of them.

Chambless California

During its peak, Chambless was a stop for gas stations along the busy Route 66. Today, it is a ghost town. One interesting point of interest is the Roadrunner Cafe, which closed in the early 1970s. The Cafe’s only remaining structures are a large sign and a boarded-up gas station. A group called The Road Runner’s Retreat is restoring the site of Roadrunner Cafe. For more information, check their website.

Essex California

The final town on the Amboy loop is Essex. There are a couple of buildings here and little else. A former army airfield, utilized during WW2 and briefly as a private facility, now abandoned since the early 1950s, can be found a few miles down the road. If you take Route 66 past I-40, visit the Goffs Schoolhouse Museum while in the area.

National Old Trails Highway

Sunset Crater National Monument

Homestead Crater Utah