RV Rental Daggett, CA

Death Valley National Park is a great day trip if you choose an RV rental in Daggett; not only is it the hottest and lowest point in the United States, it’s also its one of the largest national parks. If you’re interested in desert ecology and can brave the elements, this is a must-visit spot when you’re in the area. Strangely enough, not too far from Death Valley is the Sierra Nevada range, home to Mount Whitney - the tallest mountain in the continental United States. It’s a challenging hike to the top, and it will take a whole day to do it, but it requires none of the technical skills that are necessary for many of the other tallest summits in America.

For a quick trip, hit up Rainbow Basin Natural Area just outside of Barstow. This small park is great for a scenic drive or a short hike, both of which allow you to see the strange and brightly colored rocks that the Mojave Desert is famous for.

Castle Mountains National Monument is also not far away and has many of the fascinating geological features of Rainbow Basin. Despite being a nationally protected monument, it doesn’t see too many tourists, so you’re likely to have the whole place to yourself.

Daggett doesn’t have too much in the way of tourist facilities but many RV enthusiasts enjoy the dry desert climate, so there are actually quite a few good parks in the area. One of the closest places to camp in when you get a motorhome rental in Daggett is at the Desert Spring RV Park. The park has full hookups, a swimming pool, laundry facilities, a small pond for fishing (provided you have a California fishing license), and convenience store should you need any basic supplies. Another option is the Shady Lane RV Camp in Barstow, which also has full hookups and laundry facilities.

There’s also the Newberry Mountain RV Park in Newberry Springs, just a short drive away. They have a swimming pool, and a dog park if your four-legged friend needs a space to run around. If you’re only staying for a couple of nights it might be worth asking the manager at the Walmart in Barstow if you can camp out in their parking lot. You won’t have any amenities, but it’s not a bad idea if you’re only there for a short while.

As Daggett is quite close to an interstate, you won’t need to drive far to find a large truck stop. These service stations will have bigger fuel bays and a dump station, which can be very convenient when you rent an RV here.

As Daggett and Barstow are both adjacent to historic Route 66, it would be a shame if you didn’t visit the Route 66 Mother Road Museum. It’s full of vintage memorabilia like road signs, some classic cars, and rustic gas pumps. The museum is a fantastic tribute to the American road trip before the Interstate Highway System made it much faster, albeit less interesting. Another great museum if you’re into the history of transportation is the Western America Railroad Museum. There you can climb inside some of the historic locomotives and imagine what it was like to drive them through the sweltering heat before air conditioning was standard.

For a little retail therapy, there’s an outlet mall on the edge of Barstow that has several name brand stores with deeply discounted prices. There’s also a drive-in movie theater nearby, perfect for enjoying a summer evening with the family.

If you’re searching for an interesting day trip, consider heading out to the ghost town of Calico. Like many western ghost towns, it was founded in the late 19th century when silver prices were high and the town’s mines offered prosperity for those willing to work in dangerous conditions. Today the town is actually a county park and attempts have been made to restore some of the historic buildings there. Many of the structures are replicas, but they’ll give you a good sense of what life was like back in California’s more rough and tumble days.