Newberry Springs, California
Newberry Springs is an unincorporated community in the western Mojave Desert of San Bernardino County, California. It sits at the foot of the Newberry Mountains, about 20 miles east of Barstow and roughly 100 miles south of Death Valley National Park. The area covers about 117 square miles and sits about 2,000 feet above sea level. Summers are very hot (around 107°F) and winters are cool, with little rain each year.
Water has long shaped the area. Newberry Spring provided water for the Santa Fe Railway in the 19th century, and the Mojave Aquifer helps irrigate farms and ranches today. The town’s name changed several times in its early years, but it has been Newberry Springs since 1967 to avoid confusion with another town.
Today, farms grow pistachios, apricots, and alfalfa, and the area raises animals. Water skiing is popular, with several man-made lakes and ski venues like Horton Lakes. Major roads and railways pass through or near the town, including Interstates 15 and 40, the BNSF Railway main line, and Route 66.
Nearby attractions include Calico Ghost Town, Camp Cady wildlife reserve, the Calico Early Man Site, and the Solar One project. Each November, Newberry Springs hosts the Pistachio Festival. North of town is the former Lake Dolores/Rock-A-Hoola Waterpark.
The community is home to the St. Anthony Orthodox Coptic Monastery and is near the Newberry Mountains Wilderness Area. Mrs. Orcutt’s Driveway, a long private road, is known for speed testing in the past. Bagdad Café, filmed in 1987, still has a cafe there and remains a local landmark; the area also served as a filming location for Sky (2015) and Don’t Worry Darling (2022).
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 16:21 (CET).