World's Tallest Thermometer
Baker, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Rising above Baker beside Interstate 15 is the World’s Tallest Thermometer. The 134-foot landmark is easy to spot while traveling between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, and its glowing numbers provide a quick reminder of just how hot the Mojave can get.

Built by Bun Boy owner Willis Herron, its height recalls the 134-degree temperature recorded in nearby Death Valley in 1913. After going dark in 2012, the thermometer was restored with LED lighting and relit in 2014.

UPDATE: In recent years, this roadside icon has seen its neon slowly disappear and now the thermometer has been dark for the past few years. According to Southern California public radio station 89.3 KPCC, the 134-foot structure no longer lights up and the owner claims he can't afford the electricity bill which runs about $8,000 a month. Some community leaders now want the Thermometer taken down. See this article for more information. 12-12

UPDATE: The thermometer remains lit and operating, with the Temp 134 Gift Shop at its base. The entire property was listed for sale in May 2026 for $1.85 million. 09-26

Pam's Photo (Closed)
Joshua Tree, CA
Photo courtesy Adriene Biondo

Here’s Pam’s Photo, a little drive-through photo shop built to look like a giant camera. With its oversized lens, viewfinder, and boxy camera body, the booth was a fun throwback to the days when Fotomat-style kiosks seemed to be everywhere. Just drop off a roll of film, drive away, and come back later to see whether any of those vacation pictures turned out.

Pam’s was an independent one-hour photo shop rather than an actual Fotomat. It originally stood along Highway 62 before digital cameras made this sort of film-processing booth unnecessary. The camera was eventually abandoned, but at least it didn’t end up in a demolition pile.

UPDATE: Artist Shari Elf rescued the booth in 2006, moved it behind the Art Queen complex in Joshua Tree, and painted it bright lime green. It now houses the World Famous Crochet Museum, a tiny collection of crocheted animals, dolls, and assorted yarn creations. From film to yarn. That sounds about right for Joshua Tree. 09-26

Superior Cattle Feeders
Calipatria, CA
Photo courtesy Bill Herzog

Traveling along Highway 111 near Calipatria, check out the roadside sign for Superior Cattle Feeders. The sign stands in front of a stockyard that seems to stretch across a good portion of the Imperial Valley desert. Rows of pens, feed equipment, trucks, and plenty of cattle fill the view behind it. If the size of the place doesn’t get your attention, something else probably will. 05-08

Superior Cattle Feeders can hold as many as 80,000 head of cattle, making it one of the largest feedlots in the region. The facility is part of the Imperial Valley’s enormous agricultural industry, with Highway 111 carrying a steady stream of livestock trucks past the Salton Sea and through the desert.

UPDATE: Superior Cattle Feeders remains open and operating along Highway 111. The roadside sign also survives in front of the sprawling stockyard. 09-26