Desert View Tower

This place is definitely unique and totally worth a stop.

The place is a weird local day-​trip destination to check out. Can’t believe that I’ve never been here before. So easy to access as it’s right off the 8. Very nice owner guy selling admission and funky wares in the giftshop. My family and I had a great time climbing around on the boulders and going up the tower. Bring you own food and picnic for a very affordable and fun afternoon.

A great spot to stop and explore. Kid and dog friendly. The guy working the tower is a wealth of information and incredibly nice. Bathrooms available, called Radiator Springs. Once you pay at the tower (6.50 for adults and 3.50 for kids) you can then climb the tower and explore the grounds. Stuff to look at everywhere. Very eccentric… we loved it!

Wonderful for a day trip! I recently returned with the kiddos, now that they are old enough to appreciate it and they loved it. The views and the telescope alone were the price of admission -$ 10 for me and the 2 sprouts. It’s easy to find — just off the 8, take the In-​Ko-​Pah exit and follow the signs. Adjacent to the tower are shaded picnic tables which were perfect for the lunch I packed. Then we were off to climbing the maze of boulders painted with ‘monsters’ and reptiles. The store is chock full of minerals and tchotchkes. The owner/​curator is full of knowledge of the surrounding area. He gave us directions to a tourmaline mine at the Sacatone overlook where we had a second adventure involving off-​roading in the Sherriff’s trucks. We lucked out meeting them as they patrolled because we never would have made it to the end of that 4 mile dirt path in our car. The sheriffs were amazing guides– they provided us with water, snacks and binoculars as well as information about the railway and the overturned car you can spot from the overlook. The mine was more of a cave than an actual mine, but super cool if you happened to be pint-​sized.
A memorable trip I’ll treasure forever!

I love this landmark! It is so peaceful and funky and it has everything you need to get away from city noise and distractions. The drive from San Diego is very pretty, especially if you like the desert. I recommend Old Highway 80 for the scenic route, but Interstate 8 will take you there faster. The owner/​manager, Ben, is sexy, rugged, good looking, very knowledgeable and a very friendly man that always makes you feel welcome. Since I like to visit almost every year, he gives me a discount because he recognizes me. I try to take my out of town visitors to the Desert View Tower. Tip: bring a jacket or wind breaker as it get mighty windy and cold up in the marvelous observation tower. The dogs are a nice touch and they also make you feel welcome. Check the springs up above the hill. Hee, hee, hee.

Cool funky place to visit when you are looking to break up the drive to or from the Imperial Valley. Of course there are the views from the tower (bring quarters for the binoculars), but the real show is inside the tower where you’ll find an eclectic collection of… well, just «stuff you have to see for yourself». A walk around the grounds reveals years of work in creating a labyrinth of pathways through the giant rocks, both natural and carved to look like creatures. It’s a neat place for kids to explore, stretch their legs and imaginations. There is even a trippy alien nation cluster on the roadside as you approach the tower. I drove past this tower for 40 years wondering what it was all about and wish I had made the stop off sooner!

Well, we drove an hour from San Diego yesterday (Friday) and I set-​up the wheelchair and pushed my girlfriend to the door at 11:45am — the young lady running the tower admission locked the door and walked past us and said we’re closed for lunch and she would be back after 1:00pm and drove off… kinda’ rude I thought. No one else was there, but a couple dogs were very friendly… Watch out for stranded space aliens right before you get to the tower !!

Well I’m ridin’ along
Singin’ the same ol’ cowboy song
That’s been sung a hundred times before
Ain’t got nothin’ but my name
And I’m the only man I know to blame
But I’m livin’, I’m happy and I’m free
Just listen to the wind blow
— Marshall Tucker Band
So I’ve been meaning to stop here one day either on the way to or the way from San Diego. Since the sun was still shining and it was well before 5pm I figured what the heck — stretch my legs a bit and check it out. This is right east of Jacumba Hot Springs just about the closest the I8 comes to the border with Mexico and your mobile gives you that «Welcome Abroad» message and something about charging you an arm, leg, and freaking kidney per minute should you choose to make a phone call right at that moment. Well, that’s what happens to me anyway. I guess the I8 gets that close in the dunes between El Centro and Yuma too but this is the time it happens when you’re up in the hills. There used to be a border patrol station just before here too — before the I8 splits on the way down into separate descending and ascending pathways — probably the hairiest part of the San Diego — Phoenix trip. So there is an exit 77 for In-​Ko-​Pah Park Road and you get to In-​Ko-​Pah Park Road and take it as far north as you can. You might see weird stuff and some signs of civilization — just keep driving till it ends and becomes a dirt road. You finally pass through a gate and end up right at the base of the Desert View Tower. I walked in and walked around the circular base of the tower where tons of stuff — little knicknacks and snacks and touristy trinkets were for sale. I got to the main desk and hung out until a woman came up and gave me a little sheet of paper with the history of the place as well as 2 quarters as change for my five. It costs $ 4.50 per adult to get up in the tower. I figured it’d be worth the amusement and the two quarters come in handy. Per the history of the tower it has changed hands a few times. Some developer named Bert Vaughn built the tower. Dennis Newman bought the tower in 1947. A guy named Ben Schultz bought it in 2002 since he was a big fan of it since he was 4 years old. Got that? There might be a quiz! So it was a winding set of stairs going up and it felt like I was walking through someone’s home — stuff all along the way up. Some cool stuff about the tower and lots of artwork. Once you get to the top of the tower they have one of those tourist trap telescope things that cost a quarter so luckily I had two of them. Nice view when I was up there. It was just me there all alone for the whole time I was there since the tower wasn’t packed full of people. I hung out for a bit and went back down and out to see the Boulder Park. Just a note — Boulder Park might require some type of athletic shoes if you wanna do a lot of boulder hopping. I didn’t so I just did a tiny bit of boulder hopping. You’ll find out pretty quickly if you’re in shape or not lol. I wandered around for a bit until I figured I saw most of it. There’s no map either and no real guidelines as to where it ends or how far you can go. Just wander until you get tired of it I suppose. When you get out of the Boulder Park you can go to a building that has bathrooms — in case you need it. Might be a while till the next pit stop. There was a little building painted with murals and the lyrics to a Marshall Tucker Band song. I missed the aliens and the Flying Saucer Retrieval and Repair truck. Also missed the stickmen supposedly meant to scare off illegal border crossers. Will be back sometime again for sure. Plenty of parking. Open 8:30 AM to 5:00 pm most days I think. Check it out.

We have been here a couple times, and I just love it.
The drive is pleasant to get there. Nice to get out of the city and head to the mountains and desert.
This place is eclectic, and the owners and people working there are friendly. It is a little bit old, a little dusty, and a lot FUN. There are dogs all over the property which is a plus for me, being a person that loves dogs. They are not aggressive at all.
Great views, neat place to explore, and worth seeing if you like roadside attraction kind of places.

This is such an awesome site to see! Don’t drive past its a landmark that has to be seen. The owner is super nice and gave us the speal on the history of this place. We even decided to buy a magnet amongst all the random gadgets laying around to buy. The tour price was reasonable and they even take credit cards out here lol! I ventured all the way to the top where you can see many important landmarks throughout California all the way to the Salton Sean and Chocolate Mountains.
There is a petrified turtle you have to rub his shell for good luck ;) The coolest part was after the tower seeing how creative the artist was with his animals painted on rocks. that takes a lot of time and talent!
On your way in or out check out the abandoned Tv that says «Turn off the TV» or the UFO with Aliens that’s right Aliens and their balancing/​floating rocks everywhere. The funniest part was seeing the random easter looking bunnies lurking around lol.
Totally random place but a must to see! So be adventures and take a stroll its better then sitting in the car looking at the mountain of rock haha!

Quirky place. It usually is when my sis pics the destination. We drove out as side trip to Jacumba Hot Springs Resort, which was a disappointment. On the other hand, we were surprisingly impressed with The Acorn Casino — 2 thumbs up.
A «gift shop» sits at the base of the viewing tower offering post cards and stuffed javelina heads. There are lots of friendly, lazy dogs. We couldn’t see the Salton Sea from the tower, but eh. The boulder park was a trip (see my pics). Loved the Alien Hangout on the road in front. Better than sitting home on a beautiful day off.

On a free weekend when the wanderlust hits, I like to throw a dart at a map of Southern Calif. and just go wherever it sticks. Thankfully, that dart often lands on the strange and avoided barren stretches. The tumbleweeded outskirts where everything starts to vibrate at a different pitch. The forbidden zone where weathered creatures rise from the sand. If you don’t have a deep love for this kind of spice, the inherent magic will escape you.
Desert view tower is a necessary stop on your Weirdest Parts of San Diego Weekend Day Outing. Chances are, if you’re reading this, you already know about the strange animals carved into the rocks, the view, and the ‘Hot Springs’ at the top of the mountain. So here goes:
Chris’ Weirdest Parts of San Diego Weekend Day Outing:
Unarius Academy Museum
Desert View Tower
Forbidden Zone Creek (pictured)
Jacumba Spa and Café (great Chille Relleno and Beers!)
If you have time, keep going on the 8 and hit Salvation Mtn and the Ski Inn!

Loved this place. Great for kids. The approaching road is a little silly and the road needs some attention, but overall I thought it was great. Drive in slowly and enjoy the «Rock Bunnies», UFO, and amazing «balanced» rocks. The pets here like attention, but aren’t glommy. The proprietor was fun and fooled the kids with rattlesnake eggs. The player piano was being played by another pair of children under his tutelage. The view was splendid at the top and better from the radio tower above the hidden springs. (Ask the friendly folks for directions to the trailhead.) The caves were a blast and my boys really enjoyed scrambling all over them — scamper at your own risk! After taking in the whole place we decided to picnic at one of the provided benches. The dogs visited our site and hoped we’d drop them a treat — sorry guys, not this time. I would recommend this place to anybody with a half day to kill or to anyone who needs to stretch during a long drive. I intend to visit again myself to explore the hills further.

I’m giving it 4 stars only because the lady was a bit rude, the place was kinda messy, and all the poop on the ground.
When you drive up the beaten path look out for potholes, alien invasion signs lol yup you read this right lol
The tower was nice, the view was breath taking but the stairs are small so watch your step. There are numbers on the very top telling you what your looking at. I couldn’t find the areas but still nice.
Save the best for last «the boulder park!!» Rock animals and faces to climb it was so much climbing them in my slippers was a challenge but I felt like a kid! As did my boyfriend and 12 year old daughter. Who is to cool for a lot of things.
If you get the chance to stop by you should oh 4.50 adults and 2,50 kids

My guy and I read about Highway 80 and we wanted to explore it. Honestly, we couldn’t find much, except for passing through a couple of quaint, unincorporated communities. This was one of the few landmarks suggested when going through Rte 80.
I’ll be honest, getting here kinda weirded me out. There aren’t a lot of homes around here, which is fine, but the homes that *are* around… let’s just say the locals are really into UFOs and the alien community (hehe).
The guy who runs/​owns the tower is nice and laid-​back and he has these friendly dogs who get excited when you pet them. There’s also some merchandise to buy and random books to look at (mainly about Southeast CA).
It’s $ 4.50 to examine the tower and play on the rocks across from the tower. We had a good time for the most part.
It was an interesting experience and I recommend coming here if you are crossing the CA/​AZ border.

When driving back to SD one weekend, my friends recommended to stop by this little local attraction.
Go check out the tower first, it is full of all kinds of trinkets, souvenirs, local crafty things and so on. The last floor of the tower offers a 360 degree view. But for me i really like the boulder park next door. I was impressed to find all kinds of animals carved out of the rocks. Check it out for yourselves, you won’t be disappointed!

This is why California is called the Land of Fruit and Nuts — we love kitschy stuff like giant dinosaurs and rock towers with views of rocks. This one is actually a historic monument it has been around for so long!
Look for the little exit sign on the freeway (especially eastbound) so that you don’t miss it! You have to do a little loop — but just plan the time into your trip. Bring quarters for the telescope and $ 4.50 for a ticket to the top floor. I have never walked out to the hot springs — but since there are quite a few suggestions to do that, I will make it part of my next visit.
I wished I owned a t-​shirt from Coyote’s Flying Saucer Retrievals & Repair Service next door!

What a fascinating place to visit. Love all the happy dogs laying around and very nice people. The view is the best. Good place for a pic nic.
I highly recommend it.

I love oddities and this place qualifies. When travelling across the wide open spaces of the desert I believe it is always good to stop at overlooks, stretch a bit, and take a few pictures. Well this place is right on the verge of strange. In te almost middle of nowhere on the top of a ridge is a a tower that as been constructed with local rock and a bit of who knows what else. It will coast 4.50 to go up into the tower and I am happy to give these people some change to keep things like this going into the future. There is a collection of what some would call junk as you go up the tower, but as the host said go on up and poke around. the view from the tower stretches for a real long ways and is fun to get those pictures and see some of the tidbits that have been collected here over the years. I really liked the child who had made a replica and won a ribbon. I wish it had a date on it? As the award was done in a typewriter, that adds some background for those sleuthing. I say come on in an give it a view for yourself. the tower is a good stop for a bit on an otherwise long drive to who knows where.

The Great American Road Trip can’t be done properly without a visit to a good tourist trap, and this one actually dates to the 1920s, which means your great grandparents might have been swindled here too. How can you possibly pass it up?
I personally love a good tourist trap, and you already know whether or not you do too, so a lengthy review is probably not necessary. Still, I’ll admit the «museum» is sorta lame and there are no five-​legged calves or shark feedings. But you do get some good olé patriotic schtick, and you can climb on boulders and get a great view. Check out the photos of the carved boulders! If you still can resist going once you’ve seen these, then I have no use for you.