Hidden Valley Dry Lake, CA

Location Overview
Hidden Valley Dry Lake Airstrip sits in the western Mojave Desert of San Bernardino County, roughly midway between Barstow and Newberry Springs — two of the most recognizable waypoints along old Route 66 country. The surrounding terrain is classic Mojave basin-and-range: broad, flat alluvial desert punctuated by rocky volcanic hill groups, sparse scrub vegetation, and the occasional dry lakebed. Elevation is approximately 2,000 feet. The nearest town of any size is Barstow, about 20 miles to the west. The strip takes its name from the small dry lake adjacent to or incorporated into the landing surface — a natural feature common to many informal Mojave airstrips of the mid-20th century. The area is on or immediately adjacent to Bureau of Land Management land managed out of the BLM Barstow Field Office.

Camping & Recreation
No formal camping facilities exist at or near the airstrip itself. However, as BLM public land, dispersed camping in the surrounding desert is generally permitted without fee or reservation, provided campers follow Leave No Trace principles and any posted BLM orders. The broader Newberry Springs area offers access to the Mojave National Preserve about 40 miles east, which has developed campgrounds at Hole-in-the-Wall and Mid Hills. For fuel, supplies, and services, Barstow-Daggett Airport (KDAG) is the closest paved public airport, roughly 20 miles west, with a small FBO. OHV enthusiasts use the surrounding BLM flats extensively, and the area is popular with rock hounds given the volcanic and mineral-rich geology.

Notes & Warnings
This airstrip is listed as closed and defunct in aviation databases (identifier US-4013). No services, fuel, lighting, or maintained infrastructure of any kind should be expected. The surface condition is unknown and unverified — desert strips built on or near dry lakebeds can range from surprisingly firm caliche hardpan to deceptively soft, wheel-swallowing silt depending on season and recent rainfall. A thorough low-level reconnaissance pass before any landing attempt is essential. Pilots should check the LA Sectional carefully: the area sits near Edwards AFB MOAs and restricted airspace to the west, and military training routes are common over the region. Density altitude is a real concern in summer months when temperatures routinely exceed 100°F. There is no AWOS, CTAF, or any published frequency associated with this strip. Verify current BLM land status and any temporary closures with the Barstow Field Office before visiting.

History
Hidden Valley Dry Lake Airstrip emerged from the same wave of optimistic desert enterprise that dotted the Mojave with oil derricks, dry hole claims, and quickly-forgotten infrastructure in the early-to-mid 20th century. The Barstow-Kramer region attracted significant oil speculation beginning around 1900, when reports of light-gravity crude circulated widely enough to draw multiple drilling companies into the desert north of Barstow. A 1912 USGS geological survey concluded the region was unlikely to yield commercial quantities of oil — but that finding did little to stop continued exploration over the following decades. The airstrip almost certainly served as a private access strip for the oil operation whose drilling remnants remain at the same coordinates, a common arrangement of the era when flying was the only practical way to move engineers and executives quickly to remote Mojave sites. The dry lakebed would have offered a natural, ready-made runway surface requiring minimal preparation. At some point — likely when the associated oil operation was abandoned — the strip fell out of use and was never formally decommissioned or developed further. Today it exists only as a defunct entry in aviation databases, its surface returning slowly to desert.