I wandered around an abandoned water park in the middle of a California desert. Take a look.
- I stopped in the Mojave Desert and wandered around a 251-acre abandoned water park.
- The former park had a rollercoaster journey of success and failure, changing hands three times.
A scattering of palm trees was my first clue that I was close to Rock-A-Hoola Waterpark.
Once I spotted colorful billboards, I was positive I had arrived.
Just off the service road running parallel to California's Mojave Freeway in Newberry Springs are the remains of an old water park.
The water park's history is eerily reminiscent of a water slide with years of ups, downs, and sharp turns. It opened in the 1960s as Dolores Waterpark, as Business Insider reported in 2020. Later, it operated under the names Discovery Waterpark and, most famously, Rock-A-Hoola Waterpark. Then, in 2004, it closed for good.
Today, the water has dried up, swimmers have disappeared, and most of what remains are empty cement pools and buildings decaying in the desert sun.
As I drove through California's Mojave Desert, I didn't spot much beyond billboards, rest stops, and sand. Then, I spotted palm trees and colorful buildings.
I had finally arrived at my destination: an abandoned water park. I drove up and was shocked to find no fences or gates turning away visitors.
I pulled into a sandy lot, drove past billboards that I imagined once welcomed visitors, and made my way to a parking area.
I hopped out of my van and started exploring the 251 acres of ruins.
The place felt like a mirage. I spotted desert landscapes in every direction, with the park providing pops of color amid beige-toned scenery.
At the front of the property was what remains of the water park’s sign and entrance.
Here, I could barely make out the word "waterpark."
The property was built by Bob Byers, as Business Insider previously reported. It was originally built as a private resort, which he named Lake Dolores Waterpark after his wife.
In 1962, he opened it to the public, and it was home to attractions including a lazy river and zip line. There was also a man-made lake where water slides would end up, and bumper boats, the same source states.
Then in the 1980s, Byers shut it down. The water park couldn’t compete with other nearby attractions, BI reported.
In 1998, the park went through a major renovation. Money was poured into the attraction, and it was transformed into a 1950s-themed oasis called Rock-A-Hoola Waterpark, BI reported.
While rock-n-roll music once played across the property and 1950s references filled the park, only hints of the old theme remain today.
But Rock-A-Hoola didn’t last long. In 1999, an employee used a water slide after hours. The catch pool at the bottom of the slide didn’t have enough water, the employee became a paraplegic, and the settlement cost the park $4.4 million, according to the opinion.
Source: FindLaw
The park went bankrupt in 2000. But in 2002, it tried its hand at success for a third time, reopening as Discovery Waterpark. By 2004, it had closed for good.
While swimmers no longer go to Rock-A-Hoola, skateboarders, graffiti artists, photographers, and urban explorers do.
I crossed the entrance gates, where I spotted remains of what I thought must be an old water fountain.
Dotting the perimeter of the space were the skeletons of buildings. One was likely home to tube rentals, another to snacks, and perhaps a third for souvenirs.
Practically every inch of the former water park was covered in graffiti. I saw rusted cans scattered there, too.
Using my imagination, I pictured slides curving down the steel frames that remain.
I pictured people swimming in the vast cement ditches that are now better suited to skateboarders.
I spotted the canal where the lazy river once flowed. According to the photo blog Lost America, it was added during the 1998 renovation and was the largest in the world at the time.
Source: Lost America
Toward the back of the property, I saw a large hill. Here, a handful of slides would’ve shot swimmers down to the bottom.
Since the park closed in 2004, there have been rumors of a revival but plans to bring it back haven't come to fruition. In 2020, a private firm had plans to turn it into a "roadside playground," BI reported.
And in 2021, the property was listed for sale for $11 million, according to another BI report.
Source: Business Insider
The Victorville Daily Press reported in 2022 that investors wanted to transform the property into an "NFT arena." Plans for the project, led by G & GF Enterprise LLC, placed the cost between $30 million and $40 million.
Source: Victorville Daily Press
Today, it's unclear if the plans to revitalize the water park are still happening. (Representatives for G & GF Enterprise LLC did not respond to BI's request for comment on the project.)
As I explored the property in the desert heat, I didn't see any signs of improvement or progress.
So instead of envisioning the future, I pictured myself at the park during Rock-A-Hoola's glory days.
I imagined zooming down the water slide "Greased Lightning" and chilling in the lazy river.
And I was glad I stumbled upon a place I never expected to see in the desert.
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