Manzanar Airfield - California

Mojave395RoadtripCalifornia
Written By Elliot Koeppel

Exploratography Dates: October 8 of 2013 and October 10 of 2015

Also known as Manzanar Airport and Inyo County Airport, the Manzanar Airfield is one of the best-kept secrets of Hwy 395. I chanced upon it by accident, while heading east on Manzanar Reward Road in search of gold mines.

Its origins may also be a well-kept secret, as there are several different stories on how it came into being. One of the main theories is that the airport was built in the early 1940s for bomber pilot training and aircraft emergencies. It could also have been built as a “fallback field,” to be used by U.S. forces in the event of a Japanese invasion of the West Coast during World War II. By mid-1942, the airport was reported to be the largest in the valley, with planes as large as the B-24 seen landing and taking off.

The airfield consisted of two 4,800 foot long concrete runways, one of which has a parallel taxiway. Various hangars, shops and operations buildings were situated along the outskirts. The airfield is located near the infamous Manzanar Relocation Camp; however, it apparently had no connection to the internment center.

Inyo County abandoned the airfield in 1956 and marked off the runways with the large, white “Xs” that signify closed runways. The tower and windsock were removed the following year, and in 1958 all the electrical equipment and obstruction lights were removed.

The Lone Pine Time Trails has been held on these historic X-shaped runways since 1970. Competitors from around the west have competed in NASA, Solo, SCCA, IMSA, NASCAR, private, club, hillclimb, time-attack, drift and vintage-classed race vehicles, and a comprehensive rules list ensures these many racing disciplines are able to partake in this unique high-speed competition. Click HERE for more info on the race.

One section of one runway was very overgrown, obviously not the one that has been recently used for racing time trials.

An overgrown “X”

The Crossing

Across the highway, one of the reconstruced Guard Towers from the Manzanar Internment Camp.

One of the few cement foundations still remaining along the runways. Was it for an office building, maybe a control location? It’s kinda small, so probably wasn’t used for plane maintenance.

Old Blue. Put many miles on that truck.

And there’s Big Red. Will need to stop by again and get a shot of my new truck, Gray Tac. What, you don’t name your vehicles?

It’s hard to describe the feeling of being alone in the middle of an airport runway. It’s a bit scary, a bit exciting and a lot of fun. And while I won’t admit to starting at one end of a runway and accelerating as fast as my truck would go, imagining I was a fighter pilot taking off on a bombing mission, it could have happened.

Watch out for cattle.

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Did you know the same sculptor who made the Cabazon dinosaurs also worked at Knott's Berry Farm for many years and created most of the "Bench People" you see in Ghost Town. https://www.exploratography.com/blog-cal/the-bench-people-knotts-be
Santa Rex is back! Did you know the same sculptor who made the Cabazon dinosaurs also worked at Knott's Berry Farm for many years and created most of the "Bench People" you see in Ghost Town. https://www.exploratography.com/blog-cal/the-ben
Probably the two most famous "Bench People" at Knott's Berry Farm. They have a unique tie-in to those giant Dinosaurs out at Cabazon, along the 10 Freeway. Checkout this link to read about it: https://www.exploratography.com/blog-cal/cabazo
Tent or cabin site?
Elliot Koeppel
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