Desert Training Center Sky Trail

Roy's Café & Amboy Airstrip: The "Civilians' Island"

Approaching from the south, the Amboy Crater serves as the primary navigation waypoint, leading the eye directly to the stark white buildings of Roy’s against the dark desert volcanic flow.

During the Desert Training Center era (1942–1944), Amboy occupied a unique position as a "civilian island" within General Patton's 18,000-square-mile California-Arizona Maneuver Area (CAMA). While the sprawling divisional camps were isolated and austere, Amboy remained a vital hub of infrastructure.

The Strategic Hub: A Civilian Lifeline

Amboy served as a critical railhead for the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad (later Santa Fe), acting as the primary conduit for moving heavy equipment, water, and thousands of troops to the nearby divisional sites at Camp Clipper, Camp Ibis, and Camp Essex.

The airstrips at Amboy were an integral part of the "Sky Trail" network, utilized for "Flying Jeep" courier flights, liaison missions, and medical transport between the scattered divisional headquarters.

The Pilot's Eye: Arrival Sequence

Click any image below to expand.

Aeronautical Evolution: Scaling the Strip

The Amboy facility has evolved significantly since its inception. While the exact date of construction is unknown, its growth reflects the tactical expansion of desert aviation:

Era	Runway Designation / Length	Context
1927	1,750 feet	Early Route 66 Era
1929	2,640 feet	Pre-War Expansion
Post-WWII	"CONN" - 2,700 feet	Post-War Liaison Strip
1960s	"ROY" - 3,700 feet	General Aviation Hub

Interpretive aerial survey conducted by Greg Illis and Larry Dighera for Pilot Getaways (2003).