desert view tower jacumba

Just off highway 8 at the top of the grade between San Diego and Imperial County is a true tourist stop. The desert view tower offers many artifacts to see, stories from the past, breathtaking views and a great way for the kids to explore and burn off some energy from sitting in the car on a long road trip. Great way to make or break up the day and wonderful memories playing hide and seek in the rocks.

Loved it! So much stuff to see in the store; climb up the circular stairs to the top for panoramic views of the area. Well-worth the effort. Next, walk over to the "caves" and climb around like a kid. Remember your camera.On your way in on the side of the road is a older fella, "been in the desert a while" kinda guy who has set up an alien "rest stop". Get out have a conversation with him, take your picture in one of his flying saucers. He is a hoot!

The tower view is excellent, and we loved the funky stuff on exhibit. But we two septuagenarians really enjoyed climbing through the caves and over the boulders of the Boulder Park, with its animal carvings and passages. Our grandchildren would have been whooping it up for hours. It's quick to get here from I8 and well worth a stop.

A quirky stop along I-8. Look for the In Ko Pah Park Road. My husband and I stopped here with his 83 year old parents. They enjoyed the stop as well. Not wheel chair accessible. 4.50 to enter, but worth every cent to see something built in the 20's. The rock carvings are interesting as well.

Awesome view wonderful view and great history of the area .The owner is repairing and fixing the place up it a labor of love .Interesting location

It was raining on and off this past Sunday and we didnt really have any plans around town so we decided to explore options for day trips around the San diego area that involved a little hiking and adventure for our family. I came across this place from reviewing other comments on Trip Advisor. I definitely think it's worth the trip. My review will be no different so read the details from other people's reviews.

Not just an amazing view (which it provides), but also an interesting "museum" full of artifacts and art. And be sure to play in the "caves!" It was a blast scrambling around the boulders.

I had heard about this place for quite some time and really wanted to visit. Well, my curiosity was satisfied. The desert tower offers some gorgeous views of the desert. The admission is $4.50 which allows you to go to the very top of the tower as well as admission to the rock park across the way. The lower floor has a small gift shop. As you ascend the tower, there's so many artifacts, artwork, etc on each floor. When we got to the top, there's a viewer (you'll need some quarters) as well as a guide to show you different sites in various directions. We also rang the bell just for fun. I didn't think the rock park would be fun, but it was. Just meandering through the path and finding all the hidden art/animals was fun. My mom who is a senior had just as much fun finding the animals. There's also restrooms onsite which is helpful if you've been driving through the desert. Definitely worth the stop!

A fun visit - built in the 1920s, this stone tower gives you a panoramic view of the area. Today, its a throwback to the hippie days of the 1960s, even with some UFO stories included. A walk through the adjacent boulders passes by many carved animals in the rocks - all very whimsical.

We saw the tower as we were heading towards San Diego and we had to stop. It was super windy but we made it to the top and it was spectacular. Worth the climb up. After we were done, we hiked through the painted rocks and paths along with the owners dogs. They were so fun. Its worth the quirky stop. Had a BLAST!

On the trip between San Diego and Phoenix (or any other area), the Desert View Tower provides a great place to stop, take a break, and stretch. The tower itself is full of fun items to check out and the boulder area provides a fun place to explore. The entrance fee is very reasonable ($3.50 per person when we visited), even for a family. Just be prepared if you visit in the summer for some extreme heat.

we stumbled across this tower on the drive from Tombstone going towards San Diego. After a long drive through the desert it is a nice stop to stretch your legs and look through the tower at all of its nick nacks and the view at the top is good. We spent a good half hour climbing through the rocks looking for the next animal sculpture or face. I also enjoyed saying hello to most of the 11 dogs they have. The $6. entry fee to the tower is good value

I was returning from Salvation Mountain and Leonard Knight's memorial service, last March, 2014. Coming up out of the desert is a thrill unto itself but at the crest of the hill is a tower that deserves more attention. I pulled over at the first offramp after I saw it and was intrigued. I am a San Diego native yet I don't believe my parents ever took me there before nor had I known about its importance or mystery.To my surprise, the curator there, Ben Shultz, was a neighbor of mine some 46 years ago! I was thrilled to see him and he was the kindest person, not just to me but to everyone at his place. He answered questions and gave information freely and without any motive. He seemed happy just to have visitors and to share his "secret tower."I spent a long time there, in the gift shop, with all its unique wares, and also climbing the spiral staircase and enjoying the amazing views. I kept saying to myself how lucky I was to have taken the exit that landed me in such an enchanting little place. The granite boulders that have been carved out of stone and given characteristics of animals, etc. are precious and fun to climb around. My only wish was to have more time to savor all the good energy this place afforded.Thank you Ben for keeping the history alive and sharing your good will. I would love to hear from you sometime soon!Liz

If you haven't been here, you probably haven't seen anything like it. The rock sculptures are interesting. Great views from the tower. Dogs laying around everywhere ( all of them are friendly). The man selling tickets was pleasant and knows a lot about the tower. If you are driving by you have probably been on the road for awhile, good place to stop and stretch your legs.

This is a great stop on the long trips through the desert from darn knows where. Get out, stretch your legs and enjoy the view from the tower that seems to just keep going. Bathrooms available for at least another reason to stop since this place is truly in the middle of nowhere. The owners have made a trail through the natural rocks carving many structures and animals that surprise the kids around every corner. As the worlds largest ball of twine or glass bottle houses, this is one of those on the side of the road stops you need to just check out. The only small fee is if you want to climb the tower and that helps pay for the upkeep..