Please don’t forget to book us through Airbnb here: Monkey Flower Ranch

 

Getting here is easy whether or not you are coming in from LAX, Las Vegas, Northern California or elsewhere.

From LAX:

After your hopefully awesome flight into LAX, navigate your way to your Auto Rental company of choice. Most are in the surrounding LAX area, but please check first. Once you have your vehicle, proceed north on the 405 – not south to San Diego, but north.

Drive along enjoying the wondrous scenery of LA, you will eventually merge into Interstate 5 heading north still. Look for exit 162 – Highway 14, the North Antelope Valley Freeway. Head north towards Palmdale/Lancaster.  Highway 14 will take you all the to highway 178 where you will be turning left.

Traveler’s word of advice: if you are taking this route, you will need to tank up in Mojave, since there are no real gas stations after this. You are heading into the boonies and the last thing you want to do is to run out of gas. There are gas stations in Weldon and South Lake, but those gas stations are beyond your final destination from this direction.

If you have time, Red Rock Canyon State Park is on Highway 14 and you will pass right through it. It is beautiful example of redstone sedimentary rocks and is worth a side trip for photos etc., if you have the time.

Anyway, heading up Highway 14 you will be turning left on Highway 178. The sign might be easy to miss, just keep an eye out for the turn for Lake Isabella because that is the turn you want.

Now you are heading west through the high desert. Loads of Joshua trees and beautiful rocky mountains. It’s a windy road (not as windy as in coming from Bakersfield) so take care. One thing which is nice on this route is to see the change in landscape as you leave the high desert and travel into a the Inyo National forest which has small pines. It’s an awesome drive that seems to take forever, but you’ll get there.

After traveling through Onyx, (I never can pronounce that right) you should be coming up to Weldon.

You will want to turn left onto Kelso Creek road. This is easy to miss, so keep a good eye out for it. If you do miss it, no worries – you can also turn left on Kelso Valley road as well – if you see a sign for the Audubon Society, you’ve gone too far. Make a U-ee, and then turn right on Kelso Valley road.

Let’s assume you didn’t miss Kelso Creek road. Take that – you are heading south now and this will take you though the farmlands and more beautiful landscape.

Kelso Creek Road merges with Kelso Valley road, so take that heading south. Please be careful especially if it raining since this area floods.

The road goes on a ways – about seven to ten minutes or so, and you will see our gate and the address on the right: 2519 S. Kelso Valley Road. You made it. If you see a sign for Silver Spur Ranch, you have gone a bit too far. That is the property just south of us.

From Northern California or an alternate route from LAX.

From northern California,(this is also an alternate route from LAX), you want to head towards Bakersfield. From Bakersfield head east on Highway 178 towards Lake Isabella. From Bakersfield to the Monkey Flower Ranch takes about 1 hour 20 minutes.

This route is pretty much visually unforgettable. It’s windy, (those who get car sick easily may have an issue) but the Kern river is an awesome sight. The river skirts the highway which snakes up towards Lake Isabella for a good portion of the time.

Eventually, you will pass the city Lake Isabella on your right, and the freeway will turn into a one lane highway. The awesome Lake Isabella (the lake) will be on your left as you drive through this beautiful landscape.

Take note of the occasion camping grounds you might see along the lake, this may be something you want to take advantage of during your stay.

Traveler’s note: the National Forest Service have campgrounds along the lake (like Paradise Cove). They have rest rooms – just an FYI.

You will drive through South Lake – and this would be a good place to pick up any groceries that you may have in mind, and to tank up on gas.

Leaving South Lake keep an eye out for “Paul’s Place” on your right – that is a landmark to remember ( you can get some limited groceries here too if they are open). The next landmark is the Audubon nature preserve on your left. Within about 100 meters is Kelso Valley road on which you turn right.

Head down Kelso Valley Road for about 10 – 15 minutes, and you will see our gate on the right: : 2519 S. Kelso Valley Road. You made it. If you see a sign for Silver Spur Ranch, you have gone a bit too far. That is the property just south of us.

Coming from Las Vegas:

From Vegas, it’s about 4 and a half hours – actually closer to 5 since you will probably need to stop for gas along the way.

Leaving Las Vegas – besides being a great film – it’s actually a direction – take Interstate 15 towards Barstow. Continue on the I-15 south of Barstow and exit taking Highway 58 towards Bakersfield (not the Business 58 – that will make you drive through Barstow – you don’t want that).

Drive along Highway 58 for quite a ways – it turns into a one lane highway, please take care in overpassing folks. There are loads of trucks on this highway, and you don’t want to take risks. Eventually you will come up to Kramer Junction. You are looking for Highway 395.

 

Highway 395 is at Kramer Junction, and it is recommended to gas up here and buy anything you want to munch along the way because this is it. You will be entering the boonies from here. In fact, this is the last chance for a rest room stop. Our place is about 1 hour 45 minutes away.

From Kramer Junction, head north on 395 for a ways – after a while you will be looking for “Inyokern” California State Road 178. Take that exit and head west driving through Inyokern which is a quaint western town. 35 mph watch out!

Continue on 178 until you head up a hill and there is a stop sign. This is Highway 14. Watch for traffic, turn left and proceed about 3 miles and yo uwill see a sign for Lake Isabella. Turn right here and you are about 45 minutes away.

This is Highway 178 – it’s the high desert and the landscape will start to get greener as you make your way over Walker pass. Please remember if the sign before a turn says 25 mph – it means 25 mph. If you have five or more cars behind you, slow down before a turnoff point and let them pass.