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50-504: The Trona Pinnacles, at an elevation of 1,800 ft (550 m) above sea level, are located approximately 10.0 mi (16.1 km) south of Trona, California . Access to the site is from a BLM dirt road (RM143) that leaves State Highway 178, about 7.7 mi (12 km) east of the intersection of State Highway 178 and the Trona-Red Mountain Road. The 5.0 mi (8 km) long dirt road from State Highway 178 to

100-537: A library , a scrip-accepting for-profit grocery store, a school, basic housing, and minimal recreation facilities. The Trona Railway was built in 1913–14 to provide the town with a rail connection to the Southern Pacific (now the Union Pacific ) line at Searles. The railway still operates today. Economic booms and busts followed. Its most notable boom occurred during World War I , when Trona

150-474: A 4-lane highway and continues to the mouth of Kern Canyon (which is also the northeastern city limits of Bakersfield). For the next approximately 8 miles, the route is a narrow 2-lane road (average width of 18 ft. to 24 ft.), as it ascends the lower Sierra Nevada . Average speed is 35 mph, with sharp turns and steep dropoffs. After approximately 8 miles, the road becomes a much gentler 4-lane, 60 ft. expressway. The route continues east and reaches

200-474: A cosign with SR 58 along 23rd/24th St. After SR 58 was moved to the freeway south of Brundage Lane in 1976, SR 178 was extended west to SR 99. Construction on the initial freeway in Bakersfield was completed in 1968. It ran from M St, on the eastern edge of Downtown, through East Bakersfield to Haley Street. Eastern extensions have been constructed since 1968, one interchange at a time as the need arises. In

250-611: A dozen hit movies. Over thirty film projects a year are shot among the tufa pinnacles, including backdrops for car commercials and sci-fi movies and television series such as Battlestar Galactica , Star Trek V: The Final Frontier , Disney's Dinosaur , The Gate II: Trespassers , Lost in Space , and Planet of the Apes . Music videos for Rihanna 's 2016 single " Sledgehammer " and Lady Gaga 's 2020 single " Stupid Love ". The album cover for Phoebe Bridgers ' studio album " Punisher "

300-468: A freeway as it leaves Downtown and winds through East Bakersfield. The freeway then travels east as it enters Northeast Bakersfield. A mile east of the Morning Drive interchange, the freeway segment ends with the first at-grade intersection at Canteria Drive. The highway continues through the rural, but growing Rio Bravo section of Bakersfield, crossing SR 184 . Turning northeast, the road narrows to

350-560: A lifeline service, that is contracted out to the Trona Community Senior Center, to offer one day per week shuttle service to Ridgecrest to all residents for their shopping needs. VVTA also provides economic assistance to the Trona Community Senior Center, for senior transportation services The Trona Airport , located in neighboring Inyo County, serves the community as a general aviation airfield. California State Route 178 State Route 178 ( SR 178 )

400-434: A minimum of 73.3 °F (22.9 °C). There are an average of 140.1 days with highs of 90 °F (32 °C) or higher and an average of 45.3 days with lows of 32 °F (0 °C) or lower. The record high temperature was 118 °F (48 °C) on August 13, 1933; July 25, 1943; May 27, 1951; and June 29, 1956. The record low temperature was 8 °F (−13 °C) on December 23, 1990. Average annual precipitation

450-476: A more southern alignment near Truxtun Avenue executed by the Kern Council of Governors (KernCOG) in 1986 and the 2001 Bakersfield System Study. A Westchester alignment would have extended the freeway west from its current terminus at M Street and through Downtown Bakersfield in the vicinity of 23rd street. As it continued through Westchester the freeway would turn southwest, cross under SR 99 and terminate at

500-415: A route 202 miles long between Santa Maria and Freeman Junction through Bakersfield. Freeman does not exist today; it was originally located near (and later at) the junction of SR 178 and SR 14. The route was defined as Legislative Route 57. The 1919 bond act also created the first segment of LRN 58. The route was extended several times since 1919. In 1933, the final segment was added to LRN 58, which created

550-631: A route from US 101 near Santa Margarita to the Nevada state line via Bakersfield. Construction on the route between Bakersfield and Isabella through Kern Canyon started in 1922. Progress moved slowly, as sheer rock walls had to be blasted with dynamite. In 1931, 9 years after construction started, the 26-mile highway segment was completed. In 1933, with the creation of signed routes, portions of LRN 57 and LRN 58 would be signed as Route 178. LRN 58 would be signed between Route 33 and US 99, and LRN 57 would be signed between US 99 and US 6. Later, in 1947, LRN 212

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600-409: A softer grade of brown colored dirt. In 1863, John Searles began mining for borax on the dry bed of the lake that what would later be named Searles Lake after him. Trona was officially established in 1913, as a self-contained company town , wholly operated by its resident mining company to house employees. Employees were paid in company scrip instead of cash. The mining company also built

650-456: Is 3.98 inches (101 mm) and there are an average of 18 days annually with measurable precipitation. The wettest year was 1941 with 9.01 inches (229 mm) and the driest year was 1953 with .41 inches (10 mm). The most precipitation in one month was 5.01 inches (127 mm) in January 1995. The most precipitation in 24 hours was 2.25 inches (57 mm) on August 15, 1984. Snowfall

700-713: Is a state highway in the U.S. state of California that exists in two constructed segments. The gap in between segments is connected by various local roads and State Route 190 through Death Valley National Park . The western segment runs from State Route 99 in Bakersfield and over the Walker Pass in the Sierra Nevada to the turnoff for the Trona Pinnacles National Natural Landmark . The eastern segment runs from

750-410: Is about 170 miles (274 km) northeast of Los Angeles , on State Route 178 . The ZIP code is 93562. Trona is known for its isolation and desolation, as well as the nearby Trona Pinnacles . The local school plays on a dirt football field because the searing heat and highly saline soil kills grass. At one point it boasted an 18-hole golf course that was all sand except for the "greens", which were

800-575: Is located in the Eastern California Shear Zone , a seismically active zone that accommodates up to 25% of the fault movement between the Pacific and North American plates. Trona has an arid climate with cool winters and hot summers. Average January temperatures are a maximum of 58.2 °F (14.6 °C) and a minimum of 32.9 °F (0.5 °C). Average July temperatures are a maximum of 105.5 °F (40.8 °C) and

850-495: Is no junior high or middle school; instead, the high school houses 7th and 8th grades in addition to the traditional 9th through 12th grades. Course offerings at Trona High are supplemented by online classes offered by California State University, Dominguez Hills and Cerro Coso Community College in Ridgecrest, California. 95 students were enrolled at Trona High during the 2014-15 school year and its sports teams compete as

900-478: Is set to begin August 2030. Except where prefixed with a letter, postmiles were measured on the road as it was in 1964 , based on the alignment that existed at the time, and do not necessarily reflect current mileage. R reflects a realignment in the route since then, M indicates a second realignment, L refers to an overlap due to a correction or change, and T indicates postmiles classified as temporary ( for

950-595: Is unconstructed from 15 miles east of Ridgecrest to 15 miles west of SR 127 (10 miles from the eastern boundary of the Death Valley National Park at what had been its former boundary prior to 1994). The state is considering three options: select an alignment to connect with the current eastern segment at its present location; select an alignment to avoid traversing the Death Valley Wilderness; or delete this unconstructed segment from

1000-693: Is very rare in Trona, averaging only 0.3 inches (7.6 mm), but there was 9.0 inches (230 mm) in January 1974. K-12 public education is provided through the Trona Joint Unified School District. The California Department of Education indicates that 255 students were enrolled in the district's schools during the 2015-16 academic year, down from 576 students in 1996-97 (the earliest data available on their website). Trona Joint Unified School District operates two schools: Trona Elementary School and Trona High School . There

1050-710: The Federal Highway Administration . It is eligible for the State Scenic Highway System , but it is not officially designated as a scenic highway by the California Department of Transportation . The first segment starts at State Route 99 just west of Downtown Bakersfield. The road continues as 24th Street but then splits at B Street, utilizing 24th Street for westbound traffic and 23rd Street for eastbound traffic through Downtown Bakersfield . SR 178 becomes

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1100-627: The Indian Wells Valley into the city of Ridgecrest . The constructed highway then ends east of Ridgecrest at the turnoff for the Trona Pinnacles National Natural Landmark in Searles Valley . The right-of-way then continues north as the county-maintained routes of Trona Road, Trona-Wildrose Road, and then Panamint Valley Road, running through the community of Trona to SR 190 east of Panamint Springs . The second segment resumes four miles (6 km) west of Salisberry Pass in

1150-577: The Pleistocene , massive runoff spilled from the Sierra Nevada into a chain of inland seas. The system of interconnected lakes stretched from Mono Lake to Death Valley and included Searles Lake. Deep beneath Searles Lake, calcium-rich groundwater and alkaline lake water combined to grow tufa formations. Similar (modern) formations can be found today at Mono Lake to the north. Known as tufa pinnacles, these strange shapes formed underwater 10,000 to 100,000 years ago. The pinnacles did not all form at

1200-543: The dry lake bed 's surface, and a lime quarry. Searles Valley Minerals is the largest employer in Trona, and many employees live in Ridgecrest, California , commuting daily to Trona. Since its heyday, Trona's population has decreased, with more and more services relocating to the nearest town, Ridgecrest . The same collection of geologic forces which created the Searles Valley where Trona sits also created

1250-603: The 2014 general election, 350 Trona Joint Unified residents voted, out of 692 registered, according to the San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters. That 50.5 percent rate beat the 42.2 percent statewide average that election. Public works services in Trona are provided by County Service Area 82 Searles Valley. The entity is responsible for the maintenance of Trona's only park/rest area, sewer service, street lighting, animal control services, and cemetery services. Cemetery services are contracted out to

1300-483: The California routes were renumbered. LRN 58 was dropped from Route 178 and combined with the eastern portion of the decommissioned US 466 (also defined as part of LRN 58) to create SR 58. The remaining Route 178 was combined with LRN 212 to create SR 178. It was originally defined to start at SR 99 in Bakersfield, but later that year it was changed to simply start in Bakersfield. This change was probably done to avoid

1350-651: The California-Nevada state line, as well as all of Nevada State Route 372, are both known as the Charles Brown Highway. Charles Brown, a former California State Legislator, was a major proponent for the incorporation of the segment of State Route 178 between State Route 14 and the California-Nevada state line into the California Highway System. SR 178 was one of the routes created with the third bond act of 1919. It defined

1400-757: The Kern Canyon section, which is between Bakersfield and the Kern River Valley , a bypass route was identified in 1964. By 1968, a deed from the US Forest Service issued an easement to the State for the construction of the highway through National Forest lands. The first phase of construction was completed in 1974, which created a short freeway near Lake Isabella and a 60’ wide expressway extending west to China Garden. Subsequent phases were not funded. The freeway portion of Route 178, completed in

1450-515: The Pinnacles is usually accessible to 2-wheel drive vehicles; however, the road may be closed during the winter months after a heavy rain. The Pinnacles are located within 3,800 acres (15 km) of federal land managed by the Bureau of Land Management . The Trona Pinnacles are inside a BLM Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) designated to protect and preserve unique resources. During

1500-622: The Searles Valley Cemetery Association In October, Trona historically hosts Gem-O-Rama, an event hosted by Searles Lake Gem and Mineral Society as a way to teach kids about minerals found in Searles Lake. In March 2014, Trona celebrated its Centennial Celebration of the town's founding. Although the community of Trona doesn't have a fixed route bus serving the community, Victor Valley Transit Authority offers

1550-818: The State Highway System. The County of Inyo has offered three alternatives: On March 26, 2024, Caltrans District 9 proposed the Ridgecrest-Inyokern Pavement Project, rehabilitating 24 lane miles of SR 178 from PM 88.6 in Kern County to PM 104.6 at the San Bernardino County line. The purpose of the project is to preserve existing pavement and improve ride quality. Other improvements on the highway will include updated signal lights, traffic signs, and Class II bike lanes, among other improvements. Construction

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1600-644: The Tornadoes. The school's football field, known as "The Pit," has received national attention from The New York Times , Good Morning America , and the Los Angeles Times as the only dirt American football field in the United States — the region's heat and salty soil make upkeep of a grassy field nearly impossible. Barrow High School in Alaska previously had a dirt field as well, but it

1650-652: The Trona Pinnacles in California and recorded a live concert film, Toro y Moi - Live from Trona . In the state legislature , Trona is located in the 16th Senate District, represented by Republican Shannon Grove , and in the 33rd Assembly District, represented by Republican Thurston Smith In the United States House of Representatives , Trona is in California's 23rd Congressional District , represented by Republican Jay Obernolte . In

1700-473: The city of Bakersfield never formally endorsed a route. Caltrans formally announced preference for an alignment through downtown and Westchester in 1973, but fierce public opposition coupled with the historic integrity of the neighborhoods slated to be demolished greatly hindered momentum of the project. In 1977, then-Governor Jerry Brown issued a moratorium on all new freeway construction. Formal studies on possible routes continued and resulted in recommendations of

1750-419: The late 1950s, ends as it approaches downtown Bakersfield from the east. Weak public support and subsequent lack of funds hindered efforts to complete the freeway through downtown and Westchester to its proposed terminus at the beginning of the modern-day Westside Parkway. Although freeway alternatives through various neighborhoods have been studied several times following the existing portion's completion in 1968,

1800-487: The natural resource of Searles Dry Lake, which contains rich deposits of chemicals, including dozens of minerals. Located a few miles to the south are the Trona Pinnacles , an unusual landscape consisting of more than 500 tufa spires, some as high as 140 feet, rising from the bed of the Searles Lake basin. Trona is a seismically active area, and was heavily affected by the 2019 Ridgecrest earthquakes . Trona

1850-481: The newly completed Westside Parkway. A southern alignment would start at SR 178 at Baker Street, about 0.7 miles east of its current terminus. From there, it would turn southwest and run parallel to Baker Street, through East Bakersfield, to the BNSF railroad yard. It would then turn west and run south of the railroad tracks through the southern end of Downtown Bakersfield. At Bakersfield High School, it would run north of

1900-440: The northernmost tufa formations. Ridges are massive toothy tufa ruins. Trona has three ridges, one in the northern tufa cluster and two in the middle group. One ridge is 800 ft (240 m) long and 500 feet (150 m) wide and 140 ft (43 m) tall. Cones are less than 10 ft (3 m) tall. Dumpy and mounded, cone shapes lie scattered throughout the Trona Pinnacles. The Pinnacles are recognizable in more than

1950-543: The roadway. The project also encompassed improvements to the 24th Street/State Route 99 interchange and widened the Oak Street/24th Street intersection. This solution required the acquisition of several properties north of 24th Street, which was completed in early 2015, as well as the closure of access of B Street through Elm Street from the north. The project was completed in December 2020. This segment

2000-447: The same time. They are divided by age and elevation into three groups. The groups are dubbed the northern, middle, and southern groups because they formed during the three ice ages. The northern group is the youngest at 11,000 to 25,000 years old. These are the best examples of what are known as tufa towers. The northern group also include shapes called tombstones, ridges, and cones. The small middle group claims only 100 spires, but boasts

2050-659: The southeasterly part of Death Valley National Park in Inyo County at what had been the former boundary of Death Valley National Monument until 1994. It then meets up with State Route 127 . SR 178 then branches northward from SR 127 to the California-Nevada State Line. In Nevada, the roadway continues as State Route 372 ending at State Route 160 near the center of Pahrump in Nye County . The segment of State Route 178 from State Route 127 to

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2100-646: The southeasterly part of Death Valley to Nevada State Route 372 at the Nevada state line. SR 178 serves many different purposes. It connects Downtown Bakersfield with East Bakersfield and Lake Isabella . It is one of three crossings over the Sierra Nevada south of Yosemite ( SR 120 , Tioga Pass Road), connecting the southern San Joaquin Valley with the upper Mojave Desert and the Owens Valley . This also provides access to Death Valley National Park. If

2150-488: The tallest "tower", rising 140 ft (43 m). The southern group includes 200 tufa formations aged 32,000 to 100,000 years old. People have historically given names to the strange forms. These ancient spires were once dubbed "Cathedral City". Geologically, the pinnacles are classified into four general shapes. Towers are taller than they are wide and rise 30–40 ft (9–12 m). Tombstones are stubby and squat and rise 20–30 feet (6–9 m). Most tombstones are in

2200-562: The town of Lake Isabella , which is just south of the Lake Isabella Reservoir . The road briefly expands to a divided freeway through Lake Isabella, before narrowing to a 2-lane conventional highway at the intersection with Lake Isabella Boulevard. The road continues to wind until it ascends to Walker Pass , an elevation of 5,250 feet (1,600 m). The highway then descends from the mountains to its junction with State Route 14 at Freeman . It then proceeds eastward across

2250-726: The tracks (avoiding the high school). It would continue under SR 99 and terminate at Westside Parkway. Still needing to address the increasing crosstown congestion and with a freeway through downtown effectively out of the question, the City of Bakersfield approved construction in the late 2000s to increase capacity on 24th Street through Westchester and 23rd and 24th streets through Downtown using TRIP funds. The project widened, realigned and re-striped 24th Street from west of State Route 99 to east of M Street, as well as realigned and re-striped 23rd Street from west of C Street to east of M Street, in order to add two travel lanes (one in each direction) to

2300-543: The unconstructed portion were built, it would also provide an easy route between Ridgecrest, California and Las Vegas , via Pahrump , Nevada. SR 178 is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System , and through Bakersfield and Ridgecrest is part of the National Highway System , a network of highways that are considered essential to the country's economy, defense, and mobility by

2350-586: Was created, and defined to run from LRN 23 (signed as US 6) near Inyokern, east to the Nevada state line. It was an unsigned route. From 1950 to 1953, a portion of SR 178 in Lake Isabella was rerouted around the Isabella Auxiliary Dam. The dam was built over the old route and parts of it are inundated by Isabella Lake. The new route goes over the dam's southern abutment and along the shoreline of Isabella Lake toward Onyx. In 1964, all of

2400-485: Was replaced with blue Astroturf in 2007. A number of Hollywood films have been shot in the surrounding desert (particularly around the Trona Pinnacles), including Star Trek V: The Final Frontier and Planet of the Apes . In the 21st century, the town itself served as the setting for three films, Trona (2004), Just Add Water (2008) and Lost Lake (2012). On April 26, 2016, Toro y Moi traveled to

2450-481: Was shot at the Pinnacles. Trona, San Bernardino County, California Trona is an unincorporated community in San Bernardino County, California . In 2015 it had a population of approximately 1,900. Trona is at the western edge of Searles Lake , a dry lake bed in Searles Valley , southwest of Death Valley . The town takes its name from the mineral trona , abundant in the lakebed. It

2500-466: Was the only reliable American source of potash , an important element used in the production of gunpowder . In 1974, the company, now known as American Potash , was bought by Kerr-McGee , who did not want a company town. Their attempts to make everybody leave were resisted by the inhabitants. Today, Searles Valley Minerals Inc. 's soda ash processing plant remains the largest firm in town. Other operations nearby include evaporative salt extraction from

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