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Best of roadside oddities - San Diego's Desert View Tower
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On San Diego County’s eastern border is the Desert View Tower; a 60 foot tall rock structure built to "commemorate the pioneers and road and railroad builders who opened the area." One of the benefactors of traffic through the area was Bert Vaughn, a hotel owner from the town of Jacumba located a few short miles away. Vaughn built the tower between 1922 and 1928.
At the time of its completion, the circular tower was hollow inside. Since then several floors and an observation deck has been added. The views from the top of the rock strewn Jacumba Mountains and the Imperial Valley are spectacular and worth every cent of the $3.50 adult charge. There is no glass on the windows at the top and powerful winds can blow through like a hurricane.
During World War II, the tower was used to watch the skies in fear that Nazis would invade from Mexico. It was only later that the monument was made into a tourist attraction, run as a family business. The bottom floor is built around the tower and forms a large sitting area and bookstore.
The entrance fee allows for a tour of the tower, which includes exhibits on each level leading to the top. Visitors can also scramble the rocks and hike the trails in the immediate area. The rocks along the outskirts are carved in the shape of buffaloes, lizards, crocodiles, and other strange beasts. This area is known as Boulder Park.
The creator of this rock art was W.T. Ratcliffe, a retired engineer with time on his hands during The Great Depression. Both Ratcliffe and Vaughn are mentioned on a plaque just outside the entrance of the tower.
The Desert View Tower is opened seven days a week from about 8:00 a.m. until dark. An adult ticket is $3.50, and children are $2.00. Children under five enter free.
From San Diego, go east seventy miles. Take the In-Ko-Pah Road exit and turn left. The road you will come to is Old US 80. 
Turn right about a mile until the road ends. The entrance will be on your left. The phone number is (619) 766-4612.
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