Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Order a flight of infused ya dong shots.
Tep Bar
Thai-Chinese makes up Bangkok’s largest diaspora.
Nai Ek Roll Noodle
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Chefs Aruss Lerlerstkull and Atcharaporn Kiatthanawat lean into regional traditions.
Charmgang
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
7 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
7 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
8 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
9 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States California Barstow Rainbow Basin

Rainbow Basin

Colorful sedimentary rock layers provide opportunities both for hiking and photography.

Barstow, California

Added By
slgwv
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Tilted strata on the way out.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Tilted strata on the way out.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
The road in   Avoiding Regret
Drainage with Joshua tree.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
View up a drainage.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
View south, along the road out.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Ledge weathering out.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
View south.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Folded strata (syncline) in the heart of Rainbow Basin. Looking east.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Greenish sandstone promontory.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
In one of the canyons.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Variegated layers.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Looking downstream.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Downstream to the basin ramparts.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Lizard (skink) on the desert surface.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
An inviting canyon.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Looking back down the canyon.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Colorful layers.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
The fold (syncline) in the middle of the basin, looking east.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
The loop road coming in. It has come up the canyon in the background.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
View northeasterly.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Looking east, the central syncline to the right. The well-defined horizontal surface in the middle distance is not artificial but an old soil surface truncated by erosion.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Looking south to a rampart in the center of the basin. Note the silhouetted hikers.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Pinnacles on the way in.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Ragged outcrops on the right above the road in.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
The road in, looking back.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
The road in.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Sign at the turnoff.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
On the way into Rainbow Basin.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
The drainages invite hiking.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
One of the attractive canyons.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Looking up a canyon.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Hiking up a canyon.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Natural arch in canyon wall.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Hairpin turn   Avoiding Regret
One of the slot canyons.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Just north of Barstow, California, in the heart of the Mojave Desert, lies an eroded and slightly folded basin of multicolored sedimentary rocks that contrasts strikingly with its nearly featureless surroundings. The basin includes bluffs and ledges, and even more intricate erosional landforms that are defined by layers ranging in color from gray to red to pale green to buff.

Rainbow Basin is protected as a scenic area and no off-road motorized activity is allowed. In particular, the drainages are off-limits to ATVs and dirt bikes, which both preserves their limited vegetation and makes them attractive for hiking. Many narrow down to become slot canyons upstream, and even end in dry falls that turn into waterfalls during the rare heavy cloudbursts.

Because of their contrast, it is easy to trace the different strata around the basin, and generations of students have also learned beginning field geology in this area.

Related Tags

Rock Formations Nature Natural Wonders

Know Before You Go

Go north on Irwin Road (NOT "Fort" Irwin Road, which is a different road) 6.0 miles from its intersection with North 1st Ave. in downtown Barstow to Fossil Bed Road. Turn left on Fossil Bed Road and proceed 2.9 miles to a turnoff on the right, which is the Rainbow Basin (or Fossil Canyon) Loop Road. This intersection should be signed.

It is now 0.4 miles to a turnoff on the right to Owl Canyon Campground, a primitive campground having vault toilets, limited water (which is trucked in), and no hookups. Bringing your own water is strongly advised. The campground is about 1.5 miles up this road.

The loop road is one-way past the campground turnoff. After looping through the basin for about 3.7 miles it intersects Fossil Bed Road about 0.7 miles west of the original turnoff.  In dry weather, it should be passable to ordinary passenger cars.

Again, motor vehicles must stay on designated routes, and in addition, only street-legal vehicles are allowed. There is also no fossil collecting without a permit.

Community Contributors

Added By

slgwv

Edited By

Avoiding Regret

  • Avoiding Regret

Published

November 30, 2022

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Rainbow Basin
Barstow, California
United States
35.021281, -117.034264
Visit Website

Nearby Places

NASA Goldstone Visitor’s Center

Barstow, California

miles away

Vivos Underground Shelter Network for 4,000 Survivors

Barstow, California

miles away

Calico Ghost Town

Yermo, California

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Barstow

Barstow

California

Places 3

Nearby Places

NASA Goldstone Visitor’s Center

Barstow, California

miles away

Vivos Underground Shelter Network for 4,000 Survivors

Barstow, California

miles away

Calico Ghost Town

Yermo, California

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Barstow

Barstow

California

Places 3

Related Places

  • Tisá, Czechia

    Tiské Stěny

    Towering sandstone rock formations where 'The Chronicles of Narnia' was filmed.

  • Explore Litchfield

    Litchfield Park, Australia

    Magnetic Termite Mounds

    Let these towering termite-building structures tell you where to go.

  • a group of them

    Tirolo, Italy

    Erdpyramide in Tirol

    These unique "earth pyramid" clay columns can be found in ravines around the village of Tirolo.

  • The Bridge of God

    Akchour, Morocco

    The God's Bridge

    Reaching this rock formation involves a hike through rocky rapids and springs where wild turtles reproduce.

  • Shiprock

    Palm Springs, California

    Shiprock, Palm Springs

    A 250 million-year-old rock formation has earned a rather unique nickname.

  • Hole-in-the-Wall

    Mgxotyeni, South Africa

    Hole-in-the-Wall

    A massive rock in the surf steeped in legends.

  • Gành Đá Dĩa

    Phú Hòa, Vietnam

    Gành Đá Dĩa

    This unique formation is characterized by hexagonal basalt rocks stacked in unique formations.

  • The miracle junction forming the natural flying buttress.

    Saint-Bernard, France

    Miracle Arch

    The second-largest natural arch in the Chartreuse Mountains.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.