World’s Tallest Thermometer
72157 Baker Boulevard
Baker, CA
Located in the middle of the California desert midway between Barstow and Las Vegas, the World’s Tallest Thermometer makes a nice stop on the way to Sin City. The brainchild of local businessman Willis Herron, the 134-foot tall thermometer was constructed in 1990 as a tribute to the record high temperature in the US — 134 degrees in nearby Death Valley. Unfortunately Herron didn’t account for the high winds in the area in his original plans, and as a result a strong gust brought the monument down, smashing a nearby gift shop that was under construction.
Undaunted Herron rebuilt the thermometer, and filled the second model with concrete to keep it steady. And although the thermometer was shut down for a while after Herron’s death, today it’s up and running again. It’s easy to find too — just take the Baker exit on Interstate 15 and follow the main drag until you see it on the south side of the street. To be honest, you can see it towering over the hamlet long before you even exit the freeway.
The best vantage point is from the fast food restaurant parking lot next door, because once you pull up too close to the thermometer, it’s hard to get a good photo. There’s lots of accessible parking is available in that lot, and it’s a nice level roll over to the far end, where you’ll get a good view of it all. After you’ve gotten your photos, you can just roll on over to the thermometer, go inside and check out the gift shop and photos of the construction of the thermometer.