Entry No. 30 — the Los Angeles file — filed under: roadside-oddity
Elmer's Bottle Tree Ranch
On a stretch of old Route 66 in the high desert, Elmer Long welded hundreds of metal 'trees' and hung them with thousands of colored glass bottles, creating a clinking forest two acres deep. Atop the poles he perched salvaged oddities: typewriters, gumball machines, railroad signs, even a spent missile. Elmer died in 2019, but his son Elliott keeps the ranch open and free, and the desert wind still makes the bottles ring.
The story
Drive far enough down National Trails Highway—the cracked asphalt relic of old Route 66—and the high desert brush gives way to a two-acre forest made entirely of scrap pipe and colored glass. Elmer Long spent decades welding hundreds of iron trees and threading them with thousands of clear, green, and amber bottles scavenged from vintage desert dumps. He topped his iron trunks with a lifetime hoard of roadside debris: defunct typewriters, rusting gumball machines, vintage railroad signs, and even a spent missile pointed straight at the sky.
Elmer started collecting glass as a boy alongside his father, hunting down vintage bottles left behind by old mining camps. Years later, he turned that obsession into a monumental, unaccredited folk-art environment. Elmer passed away in 2019, but his son Elliott keeps the property open and free to wander. There are no corporate slickness, no gift shops, and no velvet ropes here—just a quiet, dense thicket of iron and glass maintained by a family keeping a desert eccentric's legacy alive.
What it's like
Stepping into the ranch feels like walking into a massive wind chime. As the Mojave breeze pushes through the open bottle necks, the entire two acres rings with a low, hollow chiming sound. Aim to arrive an hour before sunset when the low desert light hits the glass and turns the canopy into a glowing wall of amber and cobalt. Remember that this is raw desert roadside: there is zero shade, no water fountain, and dust everywhere. Bring your own water, wear real shoes, and drop a few bills in the donation box near the gate to help Elliott keep the place standing.
The move: Wander the bottle-tree forest at sunset together as the low light turns the glass amber and the breeze sets it chiming.
📍 Before you go About 85 miles northeast of LA near Victorville; free, open roughly sunrise to sunset, donations appreciated. It is remote desert roadside, so bring water.
- 📍 Oro Grande, California
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 24266 National Trails Hwy, Oro Grande, CA 92368
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Tio's Tacos — Pair Elmer's forest with another epic effort of turning discarded trash and scrap into a dense, acre-wide folk-art environment.
- The Integratron — Continue your high-desert oddity run further east into Landers to contrast Elmer's clinking glass with a acoustic sound bath inside a wooden dome.
- Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park — Break up the drive out from Los Angeles with a hike through tilted sandstone slabs before hitting the Route 66 desert stretch.
Good to know
How much does it cost to visit?
Admission is free, but cash donations are strongly appreciated to help Elmer's son maintain the property.
Where is it located relative to Los Angeles?
It sits at 24266 National Trails Hwy in Oro Grande, roughly 85 miles northeast of LA near Victorville along historic Route 66.
What are the hours?
The ranch is generally open from sunrise to sunset daily, though you should double-check current hours before making the long drive out.
Are there any amenities on site?
No. It is an unpaved, open-air roadside property with no water fountains or formal tourist facilities, so pack extra water and sun protection.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Wikipedia · route66news.com · Roadside America · Official site
last checked: 2026-06-23