California's 'Star Of The West' Is A High-Desert Hideaway With Rodeos, Parades, And Festivals

Do you want to see a different side of California? Let's forget Los Angeles and San Francisco for a moment and discover what Southern California's high desert has to offer! Located in the Mojave Desert, just over an hour drive from Los Angeles and about 200 miles from Las Vegas, stands the high desert city of Hesperia. This is an excellent place to get a taste of the Wild West at a local rodeo, lap up local culture at an annual festival, and experience a new kind of natural beauty in the sandy mountains. The state truly does feature a wide variety of natural wonders, as evidenced by this California state park with wildly diverse landscapes.

Hesperia is fairly accessible both by car and public transportation. There is a local bus service that visits Hesperia, and Victorville Bus Stop, which is serviced by daily Greyhound buses going to and from Las Vegas and Los Angeles, is just ten miles away. There is also an Amtrak station in Victorville, so Hesperia's transport options are pretty good despite the remote location.

There are a range of hotels, inns, and motels to choose from nearby, but you can also camp or rent an RV at Desert Willow RV Resort, just over 4 miles from town, or Mojave River Forks Campground, just over 10 miles away. If you want to explore more of the area, travel less than 50 miles to visit a high desert California city that transformed into a charming, trendy destination.

Ever since 1948, Hesperia has hosted its September Hesperia Days Parade. The parade celebrates life in the high desert and begins with floats, marching bands, and processions passing down Main Street before culminating in a free live music show with local food vendors and a fireworks display. Each annual Hesperia Days has a theme, and there are floats representing local businesses and charities so you can learn about all the options available in the area. 

There's also an annual two-day rodeo during Hesperia Days, which features gasp-worthy wild-west style competitions, including barrel racing, cattle wrangling, mutton busting, and bullriding. No idea what any of that means? Here are the five best destinations in the American West to see your first rodeo.

The city also hosts a Family Fun Fest on the 4th of July, which includes a parade, food trucks, and activities for the children. There are also seasonal events, like an Easter egg hunt in the spring, a Fall Festival and Halloween-themed car show, and a festive Christmas light display during the holidays.

One important note as you plan your trip: As Hesperia is in the desert, summers can be parched, with little rain and temperatures frequently reaching into the 90s. Hesperia is hottest in July, and those wanting to escape the scorch should consider visiting in early fall — or even winter. Due to its location near the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains, Hesperia's winters are typically mild — and you may even see some snow!

One of Hesperia's most unique attractions is Cal Earth Homes, a collection of sustainable structures built out of superadobe materials like sandbags, soil, and barbed wire. In response to the global housing crisis, this not-for-profit organization offers a range of online and in-person courses in earth architecture, where visitors are taught how to build their very own sustainable structure out of simple, environmentally friendly resources.  Cal Earth's designs have been endorsed by the United Nations and won various awards over the years. You can book a visit to the site during an Open House day, where you can learn more about the organization and superadobe during a guided tour. 

When visiting the site, you will see environmentally friendly living solutions like the on-site water village, a series of small, half-dome structures that can be built in as little as five days and are helpful in emergency situations. People attending some of the workshops at Cal Earth stay in the water village domes, and you can learn how to create these buildings during Cal Earth's four-day workshop. You can also explore Mars One (a prototype designed for a day when humans attempt to colonize Mars), Sculpture Garden (a series of innovative art installations that push the boundaries of superadobe material), and a bunch of other unique designs.