Overview
Zzyzx Road is a great out-of-the-ordinary adventure for any van or RV nomad driving to/from Las Vegas. ZZYZX is just west of Baker California on I-15 and is an old resort called Soda Springs. The resort is long gone, but remnants of it are still here and fun to explore. The California University System also has its Mojave Research Center here too, but that is closed to the public.
Adventure
The I-15 Fwy off-ramp titled ZZYZX Road will lead any van or Rv nomad back in time to a natural spring and some fun history. The natural spring system, called Soda Springs, is still there and was used by the Mohave and Chemehuevi people for many generations, and by the mid-1800s, it was also used by early western explorers and the US Army.
History
In 1944, everything changed for Zzyzx when Curtis Springer moved to the area and opened up a mining claim. Throughout the 1940s, he developed and operated Zzyzx Mineral Springs and Health Resort on his mining claim lands.
The grounds consisted of a two-story castle, a dining hall, library, lecture room, pool house, goat farm, and rabbit rooms. Although Curtis Springer had left school after 9th grade, he referred to himself as a doctor. His radio show became extremely popular, being broadcast over 300 stations worldwide, and hundreds of visitors came out to visit his spa.
Over the 30 years that he managed the resort, he shipped over 4 million packages all over the country, including Antediluvian Herb Tea, Nerve Cell Food, and Hollywood Pep Cocktail. The nearby town of Baker had to build a post office to accommodate his mail.
References and Links
- Website: National Park Service – ZZYZX
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