Overview
Baker is a tiny town located along I-15 in the desert of the state of California. The town is usually a rest stop for those traveling to Las Vegas, Death Valley National Park, or the Mojave National Preserve.
1 sights · 3 places to eat
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Baker
The World's Tallest Thermometer
Relax, it's not a giant tube filled with mercury, but a tower displaying a digital readout. The thermometer is 134 feet (40 m) tall, one foot for each degree of the North American record temperature of 134°F (57C). Easil…
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Feb–Apr, Oct–Nov. Summer highs reach about 110°F; winter lows dip to about 34°F. Very hot (May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Feb and Jan.
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- LAS Harry Reid International Airport, Las Vegas — 76 mi away (major hub). Directions
- BLD Boulder City Municipal Airport, Boulder City — 83 mi away. Directions
Most travellers get to Baker by car, from I-15 between Barstow and Las Vegas. From Baker, State Route 127 heads north to Death Valley.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
Climate
Get in
By car
Most travellers get to Baker by car, from I-15 between Barstow and Las Vegas. From Baker, State Route 127 heads north to Death Valley.
By plane
By bus
Baker, Mojave National Preserve's only Amtrak stop, was served by Amtrak's bus service until the stop was discontinued in November 2010 due to low ridership. The bus can still be seen driving by on the freeway from the former bus stop, even though it no longer stops.
Get around
Baker Boulevard serves as the main road through town, connecting to I-15 at both ends.
See
See The World's Tallest Thermometer
Relax, it's not a giant tube filled with mercury, but a tower displaying a digital readout. The thermometer is 134 feet (40 m) tall, one foot for each degree of the North American record temperature of 134°F (57C). Easily viewed from the highway, a stop into town is not necessary.
Buy
As Baker is somewhat isolated in the middle of the Mojave Desert with little else for quite a distance in any direction, this tiny town is overrun with no less than seven gas stations. Fuel up here if you think there is the least chance you might run out of gas within the next 50 miles.
Shop Country Store
Many winning lottery tickets have been purchased at the convenience store; the town is the last major stop before the state line of Nevada on the way to Las Vegas (although there is a California Lottery Store on the California side near Primm, Nevada). They are also known for selling over 400 kinds of soda pop, many in glass bottles, as well as "retro" candy.
Eat
Eat The Mad Greek Café
Dozens of billboards along the highway make this restaurant impossible to ignore. Billing itself as "America's best gyros" the Mad Greek offers good (although probably not the best) gyros for about $8. The dozens of classic statues, tacky music, and over-decorated interior create an atmosphere that is worth checking out.
Eat Denny's
Just like any other Denny's restaurant, but when you've got limited options and barren desert extending to the horizon in every direction, Moons Over My Hammy suddenly seems a bit more appealing.
Eat Los Dos Toritos
A nondescript Mexican restaurant that is good for those seeking cheap tacos.
Sleep
Based on many on-line guest reviews of all of the motels listed here, Baker should not be your first choice when picking a place to sleep.
Go next
- Mojave National Preserve - Located just across the highway from town, this preserve protects a massive area of California's desert.
- Death Valley National Park - Located about two hours (by car) north of town, Death Valley national park is the largest national park in America's lower forty-eight states and protects amazing desert scenery.
- Barstow - Located approximately 60 miles to the southwest of Baker on I-15, Barstow is located on the former Route 66 and offers visitors several historic and natural attractions ranging from the 200,000 year old Calico early man site to the Western America Railroad museum.
- Las Vegas - Most visitors to Baker are travelers en route to Sin City, America's playground.
- Primm - A town on the California–Nevada border, with a few casinos.
Nearby
Mojave National Preserve
Park · 17 listings · 31 mi away
Ludlow
City / town · 7 listings · 36 mi away
Primm
City / town · 26 listings · 45 mi away
Shoshone
City / town · 1 listings · 50 mi away
Amboy
City / town · 2 listings · 52 mi away
Barstow
City / town · 29 listings · 61 mi away
Pahrump
City / town · 17 listings · 65 mi away
Blue Diamond
City / town · 3 listings · 65 mi away
My experience
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