Goffs

Sitting at the high point of the Mojave Desert along what was once a major transcontinental route, Goffs is a nearly empty former railroad community in San Bernardino County, California. Santa Fe Railroad workers once called it home, and the surrounding area includes the neighboring communities of Homer to the east, Fenner to the south, and Blackburn and Purdy to the north.

For a time, Goffs held a notable place on U.S. Route 66, but that changed in 1931 when a more direct alignment between Needles and Essex bypassed the town entirely. The rerouting effectively ended Goffs as a functioning stop, and the community faded into the quiet desert landscape it occupies today. The town carries an unusual distinction as the self-proclaimed Desert Tortoise Capital of the World.

Visitors today find little more than remnants of the town's former life set against the open Mojave terrain. It appeals primarily to those drawn to Route 66 history, desert scenery, and wildlife curiosity. The desert heat makes cooler months the most comfortable time to visit.