Tehachapi is located 35 miles southeast of Bakersfield along the Highway 58 corridor. It is a 2 hour drive northeast from Los Angeles, taking travelers through the Antelope Valley and Mojave before making the climb up the mountain. Tehachapi’s elevation ranges from 3,969 to 7,981. From Los Angeles, the fastest way to reach Tehachapi is to take the Golden State Freeway (#5) north to the Antelope Valley Freeway (#14) north to Highway 58 west. From the Northern California area, travelers will take the Golden State Freeway (5) south or Highway 99 south to Highway 58 east.
Summer in Tehachapi
Summer in Tehachapi is filled with many outdoor opportunities. The temperatures rarely reach into the 100’s and is quite comfortable even in the middle of the hottest season.
A farmer’s market where locals buy fresh fruits, vegetables and farmstead goods such as cheeses, breads and jams. Local gifts, arts, music and crafts is held every Thursday from June through August at Railroad Park on E Tehachapi Blvd between Green St and Robinson St.
The Tehachapi Mountain Festival is held during the 3rd weekend of August. The Festival has multiple vendors, rides, a parade, a rodeo and much more.
Fall in Tehachapi
Tehachapi is known for its many apple orchards. Tehachapi orchards grow about 20 different apple varieties, maturing as early as mid-August (summer apples) with the last varieties ripening in late October.
Most of the apple orchards are u-pick orchards. A fun afternoon can be spent walking through the orchards, breathing in clean air with the beautiful mountains in the background.
Winter in Tehachapi
Being a true land of four seasons, Tehachapi enjoys snowfalls during the winter and early spring. Although there are no ski areas in Tehachapi, there are plenty of mountains and hills, which offer great sledding. Going to Tehachapi is an easy drive for families from the Los Angeles or the Bakersfield areas who may not have a chance to see snow in person. There are no windy roads to navigate as there might be while traveling to other local towns who experience snow as well.
Spring in Tehachapi
Tehachapi bursts with wildflowers during the spring. Heading from Los Angeles, travelers will also be able to experience the California Poppies in the Antelope Valley on the way to Tehachapi.
Once in Tehachapi, there are many opportunities to get an up-close look at the beautiful flowers. The Mourning Cloak Ranch is Tehachapi's own botanical gardens and is a wealth of information and phenomenal plantings of native as well as very exotic plants from all over the world.
Tehachapi for all Seasons
Tehachapi offers many activities throughout the entire year. The Tehachapi Loop is one of the seven wonders of the train world.
There are also a few alpaca ranches in the area. The owners are always more than happy to have guests and educate the public about this amazing animal.
Tehachapi is an up and coming wine area and could be the next Napa of California. There are already a few established wineries in Tehachapi and more on the way.
Tehachapi is a little hamlet to discover and very much worth the drive.
Kelly Mendoza - Kelly Mendoza has been involved in education for the past 15 years. She has been a teacher in the brick and mortar setting, a virtual ...
