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All the United States California Amboy Amboy Ghost Town

Amboy Ghost Town

The ghost town that ended up on Ebay.

Amboy, California

Added By
ajackson
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New mural and historic marker added  
  bandmdiemer / Atlas Obscura User
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  80schic84 / Atlas Obscura User
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The newly lit Roy’s sign, after decades of being dark.   hyland / Atlas Obscura User
Route 66   BrandoBlain / Atlas Obscura User
  zactez / Atlas Obscura User
Jess Bradshaw   Jess the Mess / Atlas Obscura User
  Avoiding Regret
  joeypesto / Atlas Obscura User
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  joeypesto / Atlas Obscura User
  joeypesto / Atlas Obscura User
  Avoiding Regret
Jess Bradshaw   Jess the Mess / Atlas Obscura User
A view of the newly lit sign from across the street, during the lighting festival on November 16, 2019.   hyland / Atlas Obscura User
  80schic84 / Atlas Obscura User
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About

A boomtown during the heyday of “America’s Highway” Route 66, Amboy once served travelers on the western end of the long road from Chicago to Los Angeles.

When the completion of the Interstate Highway System in the second half of the 20th century made Route 66 obsolete, Amboy, like many other route boom towns, passed into desolation. One of the original residents maintained what little there was left, allowing a few Hollywood movies to be filmed there, but at the turn of the 21st century, he'd had enough and sold the entire town. Amboy then passed through different hands and was, at one point, even listed for sale on eBay. The town is currently owned by the owner of the California-based fast-food chain Juan Pollo, Albert Okura. 

Okura has repainted the old motel cabins with a goal to slowly re-open the town, cafe,  gas station, and motel cabins. Now that the cafe and gas station known as Roy's is up and running, Okura had new neon tubes manufactured and held a lighting ceremony for the new signage.

The service station has recently started selling gas again, with regular hours from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m, every day. The school, church, airport, and graveyard can still be explored by adventurous travelers who can handle the heavy heat of the Mojave Desert, and a nearby volcanic crater adds to the atmosphere. Come to town with your own water and a full tank of gas, in case Roy’s isn’t open. The only sound you might hear during a visit to this town is a train passing through and the occasional small aircraft landing on the gravel airstrip.

Related Tags

Ghost Towns

Know Before You Go

Located about 50 miles north of Twentynine Palms and about 80 miles west of Needles, Amboy is accessible from I-40; exit 78.

If coming from the Palm Springs area, take I-10 to CA-62 through Joshua Tree and Twentynine Palms. Route 62 does not go to Amboy. In 29 Palms, you must go north a couple of miles to Amboy Road before turning east toward Wonder Valley and the Mojave Desert.  Amboy Road becomes Route 66 for a few miles and continues straight into the old town of Amboy (turn to the east).  Be prepared to wait for long BNSF trains to pass both directions before entering the town.  If you want to go to the Amboy Crater instead, turn west at 66 instead, and continue for one mile.

Community Contributors

Added By

ajackson

Edited By

hyland, Jess the Mess, BrandoBlain, zactez...

  • hyland
  • Jess the Mess
  • BrandoBlain
  • zactez
  • 80schic84
  • bandmdiemer
  • dgarcia120
  • joeypesto

Published

January 30, 2013

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Sources
  • http://www.rt66roys.com/
  • http://thelope.com/2006/01/amboy-california.html
  • "Route 66 Adventure Handbook" by Drew Knowles
  • https://visitamboy.com/
Amboy Ghost Town
6666 Old National Trails Highway
Amboy, California, 92304
United States
34.557772, -115.744441
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Amboy Crater

San Bernardino County, California

miles away

Guardian Lions of Route 66

Amboy, California

miles away

Kelso Dunes

San Bernardino, California

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Amboy

Amboy

California

Places 2

Nearby Places

Amboy Crater

San Bernardino County, California

miles away

Guardian Lions of Route 66

Amboy, California

miles away

Kelso Dunes

San Bernardino, California

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Amboy

Amboy

California

Places 2

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