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Major city · United States

LudlowLudlow, California

Stop for 30–60 min for gas, food and a Route 66 photo; sleep only if you must. No reason to plan a night here.

Not yet checkedSourcesWhat these labels mean

Ludlow is a near-ghost town on old Route 66 in the Mojave, about 45 mi east of Barstow on I-40. Population around 10. What remains is a truck-stop cluster: gas, a cafe, a Dairy Queen and one motel. Treat it as a leg-stretch and fuel stop between Barstow and Needles, or a base for the Pisgah Crater lava field.

basic guide: no trip line yet
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
More ways in
Print / PDF guide
Local time, weather, currency, airports
Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Oct–Apr
avoid Jun–Aug (extreme desert heat, 40 °C (104 °F)+)
Airports
ONT · LAS · LAX
Nights
0–1
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾

Not in this guide yet

  • Walking areas with bag rules
  • Day plans checked against opening hours
  • Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
  • Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Ludlow911 ▾
  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • California Highway Patrol (roadside, non-emergency)1-800-835-5247

Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.

EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Ludlow, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Show all 12 answers

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee$2–4
  • Budget bedDispersed camping on BLM land nearby, a night, per personUS$0
  • Mid-range bedLudlow Motel room, a night, per roomUS$90
  • High-end bedLudlow Motel room, a night, per roomUS$120

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$45 · Mid US$90 · High US$180

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Route 66 waypoint on I-40Pisgah Crater and Lavic Lake lava fieldRailroad-era ghost town remainsGateway to Amboy and the Mojave National Preserve
Airports
ONT Ontario International (Closest large airport; about 2 h by car via I-15 and I-40) · LAS Harry Reid International (Las Vegas) (About 2 h 45 min by car via I-15 south to Barstow then I-40 east) · LAX Los Angeles International (About 3 h by car; long transfer, only if the fare is much cheaper)

Best months at a glance

From the guide's best and avoid lists

  1. Jan

    Best

    16°C (61°F)

  2. Feb

    Best

    18°C (64°F)

  3. Mar

    Best

    22°C (72°F)

  4. Apr

    Best

    26°C (79°F)

  5. May

    not flagged

    31°C (88°F)

  6. Jun

    Avoid

    36°C (97°F)

  7. Jul

    Avoid

    39°C (102°F)

  8. Aug

    Avoid

    38°C (100°F)

  9. Sep

    not flagged

    35°C (95°F)

  10. Oct

    Best

    28°C (82°F)

  11. Nov

    Best

    21°C (70°F)

  12. Dec

    Best

    16°C (61°F)

Best: Oct–Apr. Avoid: Jun–Aug. Month by month →

Warmest Jul (39°C (102°F)), coolest Jan (2°C (36°F) low), wettest Jan (3 rain days), driest Jun (0). Averages, not a forecast.

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Ludlow: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

16°C (61°F)

2°C (36°F)

3 rd

Feb

18°C (64°F)

4°C (39°F)

3 rd

Mar

22°C (72°F)

6°C (43°F)

3 rd

Apr

26°C (79°F)

9°C (48°F)

2 rd

May

31°C (88°F)

13°C (55°F)

1 rd

Jun

36°C (97°F)

17°C (63°F)

0 rd

Jul

39°C (102°F)

21°C (70°F)

1 rd

Aug

38°C (100°F)

21°C (70°F)

1 rd

Sep

35°C (95°F)

17°C (63°F)

1 rd

Oct

28°C (82°F)

11°C (52°F)

1 rd

Nov

21°C (70°F)

5°C (41°F)

2 rd

Dec

16°C (61°F)

2°C (36°F)

3 rd

High / low, both scales · rd = rain days

Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

You need a car. I-40 runs past the town; old Route 66 (San Bernardino County Route 66 / National Old Trails Highway) parallels it and is the scenic option east toward Amboy. Gas is on both sides of the I-40 exit. No public transport, no taxi, no rideshare.

See & doDay-trips, door to door

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time
Amboy and Amboy Cratergo

Door to door: About 40 min each way

East on old Route 66 (National Old Trails Highway), about 30 mi

Cinder cone with a rough trail; go early, carry water, no shade.

Pisgah Crater and Lavic Lake lava field

caution

Door to door: About 30 min each way

West on old Route 66, then a dirt track to the lava field

2.3 km (1.4 mi) loop, 65 m gain; dirt road may need high clearance. Skip in summer heat.

Joshua Tree National Park

overnight

Door to door: About 2 h 30 min each way

South via I-40 and CA-247 or I-15, then CA-62

Too far for a comfortable return day; sleep in Twentynine Palms or Yucca Valley.

Mojave National Preserve

go

Door to door: About 1 h 30 min to the Kelbaker Road entry

North-east via I-40 and Kelbaker Road

Dunes, mesas and three desert types; no fuel inside, fill up in Ludlow or Baker.

Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Ludlow Motel (I-40 exit, south side)

The only motel in town; basic rooms, book ahead or call to confirm it is open. Nearest alternative beds are in Barstow, about 45 mi west.

PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$40–70 excl. bed
Mid
$70–120 excl. bed
High
$120+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Ludlow Motel room1 × 1 night × US$90US$90
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$90US$180
Fuel top-up, one tank1 × US$55 · check pump price; desert stations run highUS$55
Cafe meal for two1 × US$30US$30
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$15US$30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$39
Trip total≈ US$212 per person per day, bed includedUS$424

check availability and current rate by phone

2026 estimate in US dollars; sales tax added at the till. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee$2–4
Burger or diner plate$10–18
Soft-serve or fast-food combo$6–12
Gallon of gas (about 3.8 L)check; remote desert stations price higher$4.50–6.50
Motel room, one nightcheck$70–120

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Low crime, high exposure risk. The dangers here are heat, distance and empty roads: carry water, fuel up, and tell someone your route before leaving the interstate.
  • Summer heat is the real hazard: 40 °C (104 °F)+ by day, and black lava rock radiates heat. Carry 1 L of water per person per hour and turn back at 40% of your supply.
  • Cell signal is patchy outside town; download offline maps before you leave Barstow.
  • Services are few and hours change: call ahead for the cafe and motel, and do not count on fuel after dark.
  • Lava tubes near Pisgah Crater are unstable and unmarked: do not enter alone.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911
California Highway Patrol (roadside, non-emergency)
1-800-835-5247

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

LudlowLudlow, California

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

Take me to this address, pleaseTake me to this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • California Highway Patrol (non-emergency)1-800-835-5247

Embassy

No consulates here. Nearest consular help is in Los Angeles; your country's embassy is in Washington, DC.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Barstow → Ludlow, I-40: about 45 mi, 45 min
  • Ludlow → Amboy, old Route 66: about 30 mi, 40 min
  • Ludlow → Needles, I-40: about 90 mi, 1 h 30 min

Say or show

  • Where's the gas station? — Where is the gas station?
  • Are you open? — Is the cafe open?
  • I need water, please. — I need water.
  • How far to the next town? — How far to the next town?

Print this before you drive: signal drops outside town.

Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Ludlow. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Oct–Apr · avoid Jun–Aug (extreme desert heat, 40 °C+) · month by month →
  2. 3 airports and 1 area to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Fuel and water contract for the I-40 corridor: last confirmed gas east and west of Ludlow, plus a summer heat cutoff.
  2. Route 66 ghost-town chain page: Ludlow, Klondike, Siberia, Bagdad, Amboy with drive times and surface notes.
  3. Pisgah Crater access page with road condition, loop stats and a hard no-go rule for July–August afternoons.
  4. Sunset and dark-sky fixture for the lava field, with a turn-back time tied to the last light.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources