Best ExitHighway guide
Where to stop on I-15 from Los Angeles to Las Vegas
The stops worth knowing on the drive from LA to Vegas, stretch by stretch, from the Inland Empire over Cajon Pass and across the Mojave to the Strip.
From the I-10 junction in Ontario to the Las Vegas Strip is about 220 miles of I-15, and most of it is Mojave Desert. Stops are plentiful at both ends and in Barstow, then thin out badly. Between Yermo and the Nevada line there's one real town, Baker, and long stretches with nothing at all. The secret to an easy drive is simple: plan your stops around Barstow, Yermo, and Baker, and don't count on what's in between.
How to read this guide. Each stop shows its best place and how it rates today. A solid score comes from driver reviews in the Best Exit app; an outlined badge marked est. is an estimate based on who runs the store, until reviews come in. On this route most stops are still estimates, so your reviews make a real difference here.
Ontario and Cajon Pass
If you're coming from LA, you'll likely join I-15 from I-10 in Ontario. This is the last stretch with big stops at every exit, including the truck stops near the I-10 junction, and a good place to fuel up before the climb.
EXIT109 Los Angeles · San Bernardino Best bet Mixedest. Gas 5 · Food 15North of Fontana, I-15 climbs over Cajon Pass. Near the top, exit 131 has a cluster of gas stations and fast food, a handy stop if you didn't take one in the valley.
EXIT131 Palmdale · Silverwood Lake Best bet McDonald's Mixedest. Gas 3 · Food 4Victorville to Barstow
Past the summit, the road drops into the high desert. Victorville and Hesperia have plenty of exits with familiar chains, so there's no need to push on if you need a break.
Barstow is the last big town before Vegas. Exit 178, Lenwood Road, is a cluster of restaurants, coffee, and gas beside the outlet stores, and an easy place for a longer break.
EXIT178 Lenwood Road Best bet TA Mixedest. Gas 8 · Food 15Yermo to Baker
Just past Barstow, Yermo has the stop many drivers plan around: EddieWorld at exit 194. It's a huge travel stop that opened in 2018, and its owner makes clean restrooms the whole point, with floor-to-ceiling stalls and plenty of them. It's also the last big stop before the empty stretch, so it's the one to take.
EXIT194 Yermo Best bet EddieWorld Likely cleanest. Gas 1 · Food 3After Yermo comes the emptiest part of the drive: about 50 miles of open desert to Baker. The rest area exits along the way (217 here, and 270 past Baker) have no fuel or food, and rest areas on remote stretches sometimes close for repairs, so treat them as a bonus, not the plan.
Baker, at exits 245 and 246, is the only real town between Barstow and the state line, and you'll know it by the giant thermometer. It has gas, fast food, and a few diners.
EXIT246 Kelbaker Road Best bet Taco Bell Mixedest. Gas 8 · Food 15Baker to the Nevada line
From Baker the road climbs toward Mountain Pass, the high point of the drive, then descends to the state line. There's very little along the way, so fill up and take your break in Baker.
Primm to the Strip
Right across the Nevada line, Primm has a big truck stop, fast food, and the casinos. It's a natural last stop before Vegas, and on the way home, the last good one before the desert.
EXIT1 Primm · Primm Boulevard Best bet Flying J Mixedest. Gas 5 · Food 15Jean, about 12 miles on, has a second truck stop. Then the city begins. On the south edge of Las Vegas, Cracker Barrel at Blue Diamond Road is the other stop on this route estimated likely clean.
EXIT33 Blue Diamond Road Best bet Cracker Barrel Likely cleanest. Gas 8 · Food 15Driving home
The drive back to LA is the same road with the same exit numbers, but traffic is the bigger story. Sunday afternoons heading back into California are notorious for long backups, often starting near the state line. If you can, leave early in the morning or wait until evening, and stop in Primm before you join the line.
Before you go
- Plan around Yermo and Baker. EddieWorld at Yermo is the best break on the route, and Baker is the backup. Between Yermo and Baker, and from Baker to Primm, there's very little.
- Respect the heat. Summer temperatures in the Mojave regularly pass 110°F. Carry water, keep the tank well above a quarter, and don't let the car run low in the empty stretches.
- Estimates aren't reviews. They're a starting point. If you stop, rate it in the app: the next driver will thank you.
- Check before you exit. Best Exit's drive screen picks the best stop ahead for you as you go, with your restroom type and needs.
Stopped here? Rate the restroom.
Reviews come from the Best Exit iPhone app. It asks right after you stop, so scores come from people who were just there.
iPhone app coming soon