Fun Facts: Amboy
- First settled in 1858 as a mining camp, Amboy gained its current name in 1883 as the first in a series of alphabetically-named Santa Fe Railroad water stops in the Mojave Desert.
- Amboy was bypassed by I-40 in 1973, quieting the town but preserving its classic Route 66 character. Albert Okura purchased Amboy in 2005.
- The landmark Roy’s Motel and Cafe opened in 1938 and has served Route 66 travelers for decades (currently offering gas, souvenirs, and prepackaged food and drinks). Roy’s famous 1959 neon sign was relit in 2019 after being dark for 30 years, and now glows nightly at dusk.
- West of the town, Amboy Crater rises 250 feet — a striking volcanic cinder cone and National Natural Landmark that is a popular winter hiking spot.
For more information:
POINTS OF INTEREST
- Guardian Lions (aka Fu Dogs)
- 34.559252, -115.672522 (GPS)
- Roy’s Motel & Cafe
- 87520 National Trails Highway
- Amboy School
- 34.558670, -115.742408 (GPS)
- Debris Tree
- 34.558128, -115.742882 (GPS)
- St. Raymond's Church
- Old Amboy Road, south of Roy's
- Albert Okura Memorial
- 87444 National Trails Highway
- Amboy Crater
- Crater Road, 1 mile west of Amboy