I’d be lion if I didn’t tell you about this unusual roadside attraction along Route 66. Just east of Roy’s Motel and Café in Amboy, California, two mysterious marble Guardian Lions keep a quiet watch over the Mojave Desert.
The pair sit about 500 feet from the road, a quarter-mile apart, and are easy to spot if you know where to look. The female lion on the east side cradles a cub beneath her paw, a symbol of protection. The male lion on the west side holds an embroidered ball, standing guard as a symbol of strength.
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How they got here is anyone’s guess. First noticed in 2013, the lions weigh thousands of pounds, rest on pedestals, and simply appeared in the desert one day without explanation. To this day, no one has stepped forward to take credit for them.
For Route 66 travelers, that mystery is part of the appeal. Visitors come roaring into Amboy to see the statues, often leaving coins, offerings, and memorials at their bases. The lions remain a unique stop and a little piece of Route 66 lore you won’t want to miss.
Photos of the Guardian Lions of Route 66 in Amboy, California
