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Located right on historic Route 66, which I-15 replaced, this is a really quirky and fun stop. It's free and also really creative and shows artistic skill. Was built by artist Elmer Long who started in 2000 with his first tree and now there are over 200. Sadly he passed away in 2019 but his art remains. It is now owned and operated by his family so when visiting please be respectful because you are on someone's private property. The gate was open when we arrived, and there was only one other person there taking pictures. There are all sorts of little things to see within the bottle trees, and it was a nice stop during our journey. There's plenty of parking right out front, but as mentioned, I would make sure to not leave anything behind or play music too loud because you're right in front of and on someone's property. I would definitely recommend and would stop again next time I'm in the area.
Interesting and odd. A art installation/museum of glass bottles formed into trees and and other molds of objects you can identify and others that are just abstract and open to interpretation. Odd thing to advise but maybe sure you have study close toe shoes when coming here because there is also, broken glass here as well that you will step on. Plenty of parking and it seemed people also leave their empty bottles here to become part of the museum, truly an odd detour on a road trip to LA or Vegas but definitely worth it.
A destination stop after our Vegas trip on our way home . Entrance is free , please consider to donate some $$ at their donation drop area to help maintain the facility. No restrooms , no parking lot. One just need to pull over to the side of the road and park. What a gem of a place , I wonder how old these bottles are and the stories behind it all . If these bottles can talk I would love to hear some tales lol Do make a drive before going to or from Las Vegas . It's a picture opportunity in the high desert, to roam the bottle tree ranch and that's it. There is nothing else in the vicinity.
This was a quick, fun, free stopover on our drive from LA to Vegas. The kids and adults both enjoyed it as something unique and random. I had thought the trees would all kind of look the same, and it would be sufficient to just look from the outside of the fence, but it was actually really fun to walk around the pretend forest and see the various different trees, as they all had different objects on the tops on them. If you walk all the way to the back where the house is, there's a bunch of antique things like an old washing machine or typewriters. It was quite educational for the kids! There's actually a bench in the front area near the gate, so you could even have a snack or quick meal there.
Unique. Quirky. One-of-a-kind. Elmer's is a neat and intriguing spot to stop by, and perfect for a road trip break to stretch your legs and be amused!! There are all sorts of things to be spotted among the bottle trees!! If you have little ones, this would be the ultimate spot to play, "I SPY!" Elmer's idea is so unique and what a great way to use glass bottles as art!! Admission is free and there is a donation box towards the middle of the tree ranch. It is located right outside Victorville if you are heading to Vegas. It only added about 15 minutes to our trip, which wasn't bad at all! Go, get lost among the glass trees!!! ;)
A fun and funky place to stop. It's some kind of art. Not quite Dada, and I didn't go Gaga. But it was fun to walk around. Lots of rust and glass. And, really, quite interesting to see all the stuff put together to create something new. A good number of kinetic pieces as well, quietly squeaking as they move. It's a bit of a drive, but super easy to park on the street. We left a donation and encourage you to do the same.
I had seen the place on a YouTube video. So I had a Saturday to make the trip out to see it. It was a nice day trip and it's worth the drive to see it Everywhere you look there's something different to see. Take your time and explore the rows of bottles. It's amazing to see all the different things that he put out here.
A must see for connoisseurs of outsider art - see also, the restored Watts Towers, Salvation Mountain, East Jesus/Slab City, Bombay Beach. Cadillac Ranch. Some gates were closed but one was open. I didn't see anyone else, either working or visiting. Definitely worth a stop on a Route 66 drive, or if you're headed to/from 395
We stopped by on the way to Vegas. It's a good 2.5 hour drive from San Diego and was a good break. It's along Route 66 nothing but plots of dirt land. Depends on where you look, the hours listed may be different and I read that visitors come and the gates are locked. But I saw somewhere that they open at 7am and I emailed to confirm but never got a response. We took a chance and got there 8:45am. Surprisingly they were open with a sign that says "Welcome come on in". It's a wire gate with a latch that you let yourself in. We spent a total of 15 minutes. It's just a bunch of glass jars, antiques and iron works. Saw an old rusted cash register, sewing machine, hood caps, random various items large and small, high and low. Very photo worthy from all angles.
It's about as quirky as it gets! This is on old Route 66 somewhere between Barstow and Victorville (it is not close to Interstate 15, or as Californians call it "the 15"). You can't miss it as you are going south, or west, on the Mother Road - it is on the right. Parking is available in front but be sure to do it carefully. The name says it all - it's a piece of junkyard art. This goes back a long ways - unfortunately, Elmer is no longer with us (he died in 2019). I'm sure there's plenty of stories behind a lot of the works of art - again it's unfortunate we'll probably never know most of them. But the bottle tree ranch is still open to anyone. It was open in early March '22 but some people have said during Covid that the gates were locked. So it's all up in the air, I guess. But anyway, it's cool to look at all of these old bottles hanging from metal poles. There's also some retro stuff if you continue to walk to the back of the place. I don't know who currently runs this, nor do I know if there are security cameras. But, it's well kept and I hope it stays that way. And it's free, how can you NOT stop here?!
Nice quick weekend roadtrip destination. On the way there, you will drive up Oro Grande. The abandoned stored along with several operating shops give it nice photo shop location. It felt like i travel back in time! friendly note: There is a dog on the ranch, so there could be someone living on the ranch.
Today's adventure took us to Elmer's Bottle Tree Ranch before hitting our hike. I must say if your traveling and Elmer's happens to be on the way, I suggest you check it out. It's a cool artsy spot with a lot of cool things to look at. The art mostly consists of art made with bottles which gives you the vibe your in a bottle Forrest. (Visiting is free but donations are definitely welcomed) This spot is definitely picture worthy.
Very cool Route 66 stop! A outdoor collection of antiques and bottles turned into art and displays. Easy to walk through and run by the family. It is free to see but they have a donation box. They are open until 10pm and if you arrive at night they turn on outdoor spotlights for you. Friendly dog on property . Must see on the route for cool pics! read more
3 months ago
If you are passing through Oro Grande, this place is a hidden treasure ajd must-visit!! Only takes a couple minutes to have a great experience. Really fun to look through what may look like "junk", but it actually really cool, detailed, vintage pieces of history! We loved looking at the typewriters, stoves, washing machines and refrigerators. Also recommend reading up on Elmer's history, and the story of this place is very interesting! read more
This place was much more magical than I thought. Every few steps you take, has something very random and very interesting. Gate was open so we walked right in. It was a bit windy that day so the wind chimes sounded beautiful. It's very serene. You can take a lot of photos or sit down and soak in the sun. If possible, try to give a donation to keep this wonderful place alive. Highly recommend. There's nothing quite like it. read more
Located right on historic Route 66, which I-15 replaced, this is a really quirky and fun stop. It's free and also really creative and shows artistic skill. Was built by artist Elmer Long who started in 2000 with his first tree and now there are over 200. Sadly he passed away in 2019 but his art remains. It is now owned and operated by his family so when visiting please be respectful because you are on someone's private property. The gate was open when we arrived, and there was only one other person there taking pictures. There are all sorts of little things to see within the bottle trees, and it was a nice stop during our journey. There's plenty of parking right out front, but as mentioned, I would make sure to not leave anything behind or play music too loud because you're right in front of and on someone's property. I would definitely recommend and would stop again next time I'm in the area. read more
8 months ago
Interesting and odd. A art installation/museum of glass bottles formed into trees and and other molds of objects you can identify and others that are just abstract and open to interpretation. Odd thing to advise but maybe sure you have study close toe shoes when coming here because there is also, broken glass here as well that you will step on. Plenty of parking and it seemed people also leave their empty bottles here to become part of the museum, truly an odd detour on a road trip to LA or Vegas but definitely worth it. read more
A destination stop after our Vegas trip on our way home . Entrance is free , please consider to donate some $$ at their donation drop area to help maintain the facility. No restrooms , no parking lot. One just need to pull over to the side of the road and park. What a gem of a place , I wonder how old these bottles are and the stories behind it all . If these bottles can talk I would love to hear some tales lol Do make a drive before going to or from Las Vegas . It's a picture opportunity in the high desert, to roam the bottle tree ranch and that's it. There is nothing else in the vicinity. read more
2 years ago
This was a quick, fun, free stopover on our drive from LA to Vegas. The kids and adults both enjoyed it as something unique and random. I had thought the trees would all kind of look the same, and it would be sufficient to just look from the outside of the fence, but it was actually really fun to walk around the pretend forest and see the various different trees, as they all had different objects on the tops on them. If you walk all the way to the back where the house is, there's a bunch of antique things like an old washing machine or typewriters. It was quite educational for the kids! There's actually a bench in the front area near the gate, so you could even have a snack or quick meal there. read more
Unique. Quirky. One-of-a-kind. Elmer's is a neat and intriguing spot to stop by, and perfect for a road trip break to stretch your legs and be amused!! There are all sorts of things to be spotted among the bottle trees!! If you have little ones, this would be the ultimate spot to play, "I SPY!" Elmer's idea is so unique and what a great way to use glass bottles as art!! Admission is free and there is a donation box towards the middle of the tree ranch. It is located right outside Victorville if you are heading to Vegas. It only added about 15 minutes to our trip, which wasn't bad at all! Go, get lost among the glass trees!!! ;) read more
3 years ago
A fun and funky place to stop. It's some kind of art. Not quite Dada, and I didn't go Gaga. But it was fun to walk around. Lots of rust and glass. And, really, quite interesting to see all the stuff put together to create something new. A good number of kinetic pieces as well, quietly squeaking as they move. It's a bit of a drive, but super easy to park on the street. We left a donation and encourage you to do the same. read more
I had seen the place on a YouTube video. So I had a Saturday to make the trip out to see it. It was a nice day trip and it's worth the drive to see it Everywhere you look there's something different to see. Take your time and explore the rows of bottles. It's amazing to see all the different things that he put out here. read more
A must see for connoisseurs of outsider art - see also, the restored Watts Towers, Salvation Mountain, East Jesus/Slab City, Bombay Beach. Cadillac Ranch. Some gates were closed but one was open. I didn't see anyone else, either working or visiting. Definitely worth a stop on a Route 66 drive, or if you're headed to/from 395 read more
4 years ago
We stopped by on the way to Vegas. It's a good 2.5 hour drive from San Diego and was a good break. It's along Route 66 nothing but plots of dirt land. Depends on where you look, the hours listed may be different and I read that visitors come and the gates are locked. But I saw somewhere that they open at 7am and I emailed to confirm but never got a response. We took a chance and got there 8:45am. Surprisingly they were open with a sign that says "Welcome come on in". It's a wire gate with a latch that you let yourself in. We spent a total of 15 minutes. It's just a bunch of glass jars, antiques and iron works. Saw an old rusted cash register, sewing machine, hood caps, random various items large and small, high and low. Very photo worthy from all angles. read more
It's about as quirky as it gets! This is on old Route 66 somewhere between Barstow and Victorville (it is not close to Interstate 15, or as Californians call it "the 15"). You can't miss it as you are going south, or west, on the Mother Road - it is on the right. Parking is available in front but be sure to do it carefully. The name says it all - it's a piece of junkyard art. This goes back a long ways - unfortunately, Elmer is no longer with us (he died in 2019). I'm sure there's plenty of stories behind a lot of the works of art - again it's unfortunate we'll probably never know most of them. But the bottle tree ranch is still open to anyone. It was open in early March '22 but some people have said during Covid that the gates were locked. So it's all up in the air, I guess. But anyway, it's cool to look at all of these old bottles hanging from metal poles. There's also some retro stuff if you continue to walk to the back of the place. I don't know who currently runs this, nor do I know if there are security cameras. But, it's well kept and I hope it stays that way. And it's free, how can you NOT stop here?! read more
1 year ago
Nice quick weekend roadtrip destination. On the way there, you will drive up Oro Grande. The abandoned stored along with several operating shops give it nice photo shop location. It felt like i travel back in time! friendly note: There is a dog on the ranch, so there could be someone living on the ranch. read more
3 years ago
Today's adventure took us to Elmer's Bottle Tree Ranch before hitting our hike. I must say if your traveling and Elmer's happens to be on the way, I suggest you check it out. It's a cool artsy spot with a lot of cool things to look at. The art mostly consists of art made with bottles which gives you the vibe your in a bottle Forrest. (Visiting is free but donations are definitely welcomed) This spot is definitely picture worthy. read more
5 years ago
Heard about this magical place that reuses/repurpose glass bottles into many artistic, rustic looking, standing sculptures. These masterpieces are all made of metal that resembles trees, using glass bottles as their branches and ornaments. On my trip here, it was 108* and the place was empty...which made exploring the grounds extremely fun. I took my time to check out every nook and cranny. I was able to capture some perfect pictures and selfies I wanted. But unfortunately, due to the extreme heat, my phone kept telling me that it needed to cool down before I can take more pictures. So I left after 45 minutes. To the people who made beautiful art out of old bottles and Knick knacks, much respect to your vision! read more
6 years ago
Well it's hard to find a fun place to go do during the coronavirus days, but this is outdoors and no charge and plenty of fun to look at. While we were there, a few other cars pulled up, took their selfies and took off, same as we did. It's been on my list for quite some time and it was fun. It was a windy day and the bottles and metal decorations made a wonderful tinkling sound. Well worth the 10 mile drive off the main road. read more
4 years ago
Just a little bit of magic on Route 66 in the high desert. If you give this place less than 5 starts you just need to go back to where you drive from. It's eclectic, whimsical and the randomness of it all is just attention catching. There are so many things to look at. I definitely find myself asking what the artist was thinking as he put together different pieces. I know bottle trees have their own lore, I wondered if he captured all those bad spirits here in his bottles? Take the time to wander around and appreciate his work, the train may even be running behind his property adding to the high desert ambiance. Regardless of it's open or not definitely worth a stop to explore and peak over the fence if the gates are closed. read more
3 years ago
What a cool art spot! My husband and I wandered around for quiet some time taking it in. Then enjoyed some peaceful moments listening to the wind chime. I really appreciate that this exists. We drove from Los Angeles today for Easter to see it. read more
There is a sign on the gate announcing the death of Elmer and that they won't be open again until mid August. Sad we couldn't go in but definitely still a nice off road adventure to see. You can really see a lot of the beautiful touches and detail from outside the gate. You can tell he put a lot of love into this place. My condolences to the family. On your way back to the road make sure to stop by the little shops. So nostalgic. read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
What a unique and awesome place! Lots of trinkets and lots to take photos of. Every corner is a blast to look at and explore. Glad this is open to the public! read more
Doing something productive with collectables... Elmer has been collecting things for a long time. Some people may call this a Junk Yard while others call it art. There are antlers, street signs, glass bottles, bed springs, a Winnie the Pooh character, etc. All of Elmer's treasures are neatly displayed! This is an interesting, quick stop between Los Angeles and Las Vegas on Route 66. I read about friendly Elmer and his "Tip Box" on Google. I didn't look for the tip box because it's hidden towards the back of the property. I just wanted to go back to my car's air conditioning since it was 102°F... Ouch! It felt like I was in an oven! For more information, look up "California Through My Lens" by Josh. He has a whole list of unique sites to visit! read more
3 years ago
Such a wonderful destination for a quick drive. My wife and I were blown away by the art and craftsmanship and even the simplicity of this. Definitely worth the visit!!!!! read more
3 years ago
4 years ago
Went today on 1/16/22 and the guy was friendly that lived or worked here. He was willing to answer all my questions. Cool place. Oro Grande is a unique old town. Would stop here again read more
After having a great breakfast at Emma Jean's I decided to continue driving down old Route 66 to Barstow. Elmer's bottle tree ranch is a must stop. I found out about the bottle ranch by going to the Barstow Route 66 museums webpage. It was here that I was informed that the owner/artist Elmer Long had pasted away on June 22nd. I had to visit the ranch after reading about his life story. I love folk art and this is really a excellent example. The ranch was closed when I arrived but that did not distract from getting the full visual experience. read more
Taking Route 66? Heading from Los Angeles to Las Vegas? Or Las Vegas to Los Angles? Somewhere in between? Or just looking for something quirky to see on the weekend? Well, you're in luck! I've always seen photos of the Bottle Tree Ranch on IG, Facebook, etc. So on this trip, my husband and I decided to stop over here, stretch our legs, and see what it's all about. About 15-20 minutes off the beaten path, you'll find the Bottle Tree Ranch, really what seems like the middle of nowhere. Apparently, Elmer lives on the property (I didn't get to meet him) and you can come and go into the exhibit as you please. Well, of course when the gates are open. You'll probably spend a good 15-20 minutes perusing his collection. A little longer if you are camera happy and doing it #forthegram. Otherwise, there isn't much else here. It's just neat to see his decades-old collection of glass bottles. Big ones. Small ones. Round ones. Skinny ones. You name it, he's probably collected it. If you're strapped for time, maybe come here during another pass on Route 66. Otherwise, check it out. It's a nice little break from those long car rides! read more
5 years ago
This place is a very cool site to see if your in the area or just doing a Route 66 trip. Went out there over the weekend and didn't see anything on google saying it was closed or anything, but when we got there, the the gates were chained. You are able to see everything as it's a small chain link fence, but we weren't able to go inside. I would go back if it was fully open. There is a sign that says welcome come on in, and just push on the gate to open, but when went there was a chain with a lock around all the gates to keep them closed. read more
Located off Route 66 in Oro Grande, Ca before Barstow on the way to Vegas. It's a little spot off the road no parking lot just park on the side of the road in front or across the street just be careful when crossing the street cause of the speeding cars driving through. Basically everything here is decorated with bottles along with street signs and other things. We didn't go all the way inside but from reading the other reviews you can meet and talk with Elmer and there is a tip box somewhere inside as well. The art displays are really cool and interesting. Overall if you want to see or show people something different on the way to Vegas make a quick 5 min stop here. read more
4 years ago
Great place to stop and look at all the sculptures. Very peaceful walking through and just soaking it all in read more
5 years ago
gates were closed when we got there on a Monday at 11:30am, but you can still park and see everything through the chain link fence to get some pictures. Hurry while you can, another visitor told us Elmer sadly passed away so who knows how long this will be here or what may happen to it. It's a very cool collection, with so much to see and very photo-worthy. read more
For me, the joy of leaving the interstate and exploring highways like Rt.66 is finding wonderful places like the Bottle Tree Farm. The bottles glisten in the bright Mojave Desert sun creating a kaleidoscope of colors, and most of the trees have crowns of things that might have been found in the desert and thrift stores. I'm not sure how many people stop mid-week in mid September, but the farm was open and ready to welcome visitors. There is no admission charge; there was a cooler with free bottles of cold water, and fifty's music playing. The artist was not around when we stopped to enjoy his creations. read more
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24266 National Trails Hwy
Oro Grande, CA 92368
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Ask the Community - Elmer's Bottle Tree Ranch
Is there an admission fee and what about parking?
Street parking only, i dont think there is an admission fee. Though, you have to catch them when they are open if you want to go inside the ranch.
How much time should we plan to spend here?
It's not huge. I loved walking through it, but I don't think you need more than 15-20 minutes, unless you get really camera happy.
Is there a # to call in to see if they are open?
I don't think do. Elmer lives on the property, but I didn't find a phone number listed anywhere. The docent at the Route 66 Museum told us about the ranch so the museum might be able to answer questions.
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Elmer's Bottle Tree Ranch - ranches - Updated June 2026
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