Reporting Live from Pioneertown
Interested in time traveling? It’s as easy as a road trip through the desert. Look no further than Pioneertown, California. Pioneertown is an old movie set that was used to film westerns. We got there and I immediately wished I had some cowboy boots and a fringe coat to match for the day. I will be better prepared next time we go.
Here’s what to do when you are Reporting Live from Pioneertown:
Where is it?
Pioneer Town is located near Yucca Valley and is a short drive from Highway 62. Pioneertown is close to Joshua Tree National Park AND the San Bernardino National Forest, so it would be a great stop to include on a trip to either park! We drove from Palm Desert and the views along the way were ~magnificent~ Like, actually look out the window and appreciate nature instead of scrolling through tik tok beautiful.
What is there to do?
Before exploring the Pioneertown area we drove about 10 minutes past to hike at Pipes Canyon Reserve. The turn to the trailhead is a dirt road, so don’t freak out when that’s where queen siri tells you to turn. The full loop at Pipes Canyon is about 7 miles, but we decided to go for about 2 and turn around. The hike was easy and there were great views along the trail. Also tons of cutie lizards that Seth wanted to keep and take home with us.
After our hike at Pipes Canyon we went to Pioneertown. We explored the shops that had vintage clothes, ceramics, and other local arts and goodies. We left with a candle and a postcard for our postcard collection!
Pioneertown has a bowling alley, but it wasn't open the day we visited. I read online that the bowling alley was the third building to be built in the little town, and that the first bowl was a strike on lane one by a guy wearing cowboy boots. yee haw. They also offer a live western show on a weekly basis—def going back to check this out. Will I secretly sign up Seth to be an extra? Maybe…..he will only know if he reads this.
Where to eat?
We ate at Pappy & Harriets in Pioneertown. The restaurant had a large outdoor patio waiting area and a large patio space with picnic tables for eating. We had to wait a bit for a table, but that gave us a chance to explore all the cool shops in town. Here’s what we ate and my opinions on it…I’m a Yelp elite member so you can trust my expert opinion
-Local IPA: I’m actually the worst for not remembering the name, but I had a couple sips of it and I LOVED it
-Chili Cheese Nachos: A top tier appetizer for the table. The tortilla chips were homemade and GIANT. 12/10 recommend. Order these or live the rest of your life in regret.
-Pulled Pork: Seth got this...he ate without stopping to add to the conversation, so I will interpret that as he really liked it.
-Mac n Cheese: I only took a bite of it from someone else's plate, but it was *tasty*....I would honestly opt for this next time over the fries.
-BLTA: This is the sandwich I ordered and it was so good. The perfect post-hike meal for me.
Thank you for joining me on this week's Reporting Live with Ris! Let me know if you adventure out to Pioneertown! XOXOXOXO, Ris 🦋
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