Boing Boing posts about a run-down kiddie amusement park in Egypt and I was reminded about Rock-A-Hoola.
Rock-A-Hoola is (was?) a mostly closed-but-not-quite-totally-abandoned water park out in the Mojave Desert in Newberry Springs, CA. The park has been kicking around irregularly since at least the early-70s – I remember ads for Lake Dolores (as it was known back then) airing on KTLA in the cheap post-midnight airspace alongside Truckmaster School Of Trucking and Cal Worthington. Presumably the idea was for it to be a tourist/camping stopover on the road between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. I couldn’t imagine anyone being excited to to there – it’s too far for a day trip from LA and not much there to give you a reason to stay. I suppose there’s always the Vegas crowd, but it seem like they always REALLY want to get to Vegas.
Anyway, I snagged some photos of the place in October 2003. The main water slide part of the park was fenced off (and patrolled by dogs) but I got some pictures of the surrounding facilities. I still have to question the long-term viability of a water park in an area with little water and abundant evaporation, but that’s not stopping folks from dreaming.
Lake Dolores / Rock-A-Hoola on Wikipedia
Rock-A-Hoola in better days.
For FC post #47 Lowell Richard Lowe is not a fake and only a boy. I dated his uncle Joe Byers (son of John Byers, who is the son of John Byers the owner and founder of lake delores)for over 3 years and in that time I heard so much about Lake Delores and saw many pictures of the lake when the Byers owned and operated the park. I have approx 5 cases of Lake Delores cups and water floatations in my shed, even though I have never seen the park in person, I feel like I was apart of it.
That park meant a great deal to Joe and his family and was their entire childhood.
Imagine, if you will, a family that lived in different states came together every summer and from all the comments that were previously stated, shared their family fun, joy and laughter and most importantly a part of American history with all of you.
It is a shame that the park is no longer, and as our beautiful country is being overpopulated by housing (that I think we have way more than we need) It is hard to think that our past, our childhood is only a memory. People go to Disney land to recapture their childhood memories. For those of us that went to waterparks, campgrounds or other places as children can only recapture that youth now in our hearts.
I’m glad I found this site. I’ve always wondered about this park every time I passed it on the way to Vegas. I worked at a water park on Long Island, NY for many years during the late 90’s. I’m surprised we didn’t hear about this accident or lawsuit. Though we were never allowed on any slides during off hours.
Why would anyone want to live in the middle of nowhere? Doesn’t seem like a viable place to build housing in my opinion.
I grew up in Las Vegas (born in 1968) and spent many days at Lake Delores. There is and unfortunately will likely never be any place like it. The steel slides were amazing – I remember sliding over the water and having a friend underwater hold his raft up so you could catch air. The Zip lines, the seriously high high dive and trapeze, the spinning logs, etc.. There was simply no place like it when it was 115! This place represented everything that was great about summer-time and being young !! Good Times !!
Troy,
What do you plan to do with the lake? Maybe we can lease it off of you to create the wakeboarding park Jason was describing. By the way Jason, I have the exact same idea as you. Please check out this website of a cable wakeboarding park in the Philippines. If you look at the aerial map of the lake, it is almost the same shape as lake Dolores. Troy, the wakeboarding place might boost your sales of homes in that area, or better yet why not make hotels for the hundreds of people stopping by. People laughed when X-games first came out, now its as popular as the olympics. We can create a full Extreme sports park in that land. http://www.cwcwake.com
Eugene
Dont dismantle the waterpark, with the wakeboarding park, it will be a whole family destination.
Eugene
Eugene,
The philippines cable is definitely 1 of hundreds in the world that are amazing. Check out the video “Statement” by Pikestaff studio. It was filmed at that cable park. The only problem with keeping the water slides is the insurance. But the cable lake is definitely practical !
Jason,
The water slides would have just been a bonus but we can certainly live without it. I was planning to take this cable wakeboard park a step further and build other extreme sports areas like a skate park and freestyle motocross area. Then Rock-a-Hoola will now be known as the Disneyland of Extreme Sports enthusiasts. Build a hotel right beside it and we are good to go. So what do you say Troy? Who would have thought that there would be casinos in the middle of the desert. (Las Vegas?) This could be the next big thing.
We’ll build the park, and you can build the homes around us.
Eugene,
send me an email @ fhelectric@gmail.com, I would like to know your experience in developing and learn more about your situation…
Dear Jason and Eugene…
I guess ol’ Troy is being “coy”… Oh well — for all we know, he may not even be for real.
Bottom line for me is this: A “Stand Alone” housing development in that particular locale will never work on ANY level. I’m in Site Location Marketing — and I challenge ol’ Troy to come up with provable Hard Numbers, Projections and Case Studies relative to Demographic and Behavioral Data which jibe with his hollow “Spin”. But he won’t.
This guy is the epitome of CLUELESS.
The project will not just be a stand alone development. First of all we will keep the lazy river and various pools from the water park. There will be restaurants, spas, cafes, and retail shops. There will be putting greens a driving range and tennis courts. The lake will have paddle boats and fishing. I like the idea of the wake boarding but this project was meant to be a retirement/resort oasis. There are talks with developing the entire area of Newberry Springs but first things first complete this project.
anyone know what exit to take for this place? the whole area reminds me of the movie “the hills have eyes” and i’d like to take some pictures.
Thanks for the info Troy. Just let us know if you change your mind.
I just came back from vacation and stopped to look at the park. I haven’t stop thinking about it.I am interested in it’s future and sad to here that it may be torn down ( Bad idea troy). I can picture a very fun and unique place with the park open.
I just came back from vacation and it is already being disassembled…. I have seen it every time I go to Vegas and it shocked me to NOT see the big red slide at the top of the hill this time.
Yes It is true the park is being disassembled!! Very sad soon there will be no memiores or metion of this great landmark!! I drove by 2 days ago and the slides are gone, the parks not looking to good. I never went to the waterpark but I bet there are 1000s of memiories that did. I would like to get pieces of the park to keep it alive!! Anyone have any idea how I can do this? russnfrisco@hotmail.com
Great memories camped there 20+ year’s ago
with the family and we all loved it and still talk about it we dont talk about disneyland,was thinking of taking the family down to califonia and am somewhat disappointed to here of it’s closure
The waterslides will live on. They are being dismantled but will be moving to another waterpark in Canada.
the slides are gone now booo
I could just cry reading your messages and thinking of those slides being dismantled as I was standing right there during their assembly. Some of these postings are true some are false and some i have no idea about. My dad bought the park back in 1988 from John Buyers and his wife Dolores. He hoped to turn it into a jet ski lake back at that time as he was very frustrated with taking us to Lake Mead and having our jet skiis break down and be in the way of boats. He found some investors are started to build his on dream which turned into the waterpark, lake and campground. I remember how much my dad sacrificed to build the place. With him being such a huge fan of the 50’s he used that as his theme. I actually named all the waterslides after the songs of the music he loves. The accident that involved Jimmy Mason did not close the park the partners he had at the time were at fault as they squandered investors money and were brought up on charges. The park was bought by another group and my dad acted as a consultant and partial owner but that came to an end as well. I have tons of photos from the day we broke ground until the day I left there. My dad has kidney cancer and has been very sick the last two and half years so I don’t bring up this subject very often and I no longer have photos out. I saw an upcoming episode of Rob and Big and he stopped and rode his skateboard on the Big Bopper. I don’t have the heart to have my dad watch it. In a way I feel like that place has stolen my father. It has been nothing but heartache for him to be so passionate and have it go bad. There were a lot of good people that worked hard out there and shared in his dream and it’s all very sad.
OMG! Heather, thanks for the story! I grew up in So. Cal(LA area) and watched late night TV as a kid where they showed Lake Dolores ads. Man, it looked like fun! Total old school! Whenever I drive to Vegas, I always want to stop and check the place out. Last night, I watched “Rob and Big” on MTV and gased when they stopped and skated the place! For being closed for 8+ years it looked very clean. I heard they have gard dogs that watch over the place! They must because those tweaker dirt people out in BFE would steal everything! Fill in the lake and build a parking lot! Sucks!!
Sucks, I was hoping to go in and check the place out with some fellow Urban Explores and take plenty of pics. But i guess now the slides are being torn down. When i passed by towards the end of January , the place looked still intact. I would have stopped but it was night time. Im wondering how rob and big got in. Maybe paid off a security guard or something ?
Anyways , i guess what i was hoping wouldnt happen did. * Shakes Head * if the developers were smart they would have left it there intact and capitalized on it.
Totally watched Rob and Big last night – caught the episode where they skate the waterslides. For some eerie reason, I felt strangely compelled to research the water park, as I knew where it was but knew little of the history. I grew up in SoCal and that waterslide is a bit of a landmark to those of us commuting the 15. It is sad to hear that those slides (which I myself have ridden), are now in process of being dismantled (or already have been). RIP, Lake Delores! ;-(
Yeah I drove by it last week and it was pretty much completely dismantled. I also grew up in SoCal and it made me kind of sad to see it go away. I have driven by it dozens of times in my life and remember seeing it back in December of 07 and now its gone. I went their the day they closed because of bankruptcy. They were going to be open that day and I got there right as they were opening and they were sending people away because they had got notice that couldn’t be open. I was like 13 at the time. Sad to see it go!
Heather – I am assuming you are Terry’s youngest daughter. I was a friend and business associate of your fathers when he was in the home building business. I would like to get in touch with him. Please let me know how to reach him.
Those Lake Dolores ad were memorable, weren’t they? I thought I was the only one who those stuck in their mind. Even though I saw them in the 70’s, they were straight out of the 50’s! I remember the way the title “Lake Dolores” would roll across the screen as if someone were peeling off a sticker.
hello heather!
I’m unsure if you are the person i should be speaking to, but assumed you may be the closest person that could lead me to rock-a-hoola’s current owner.
I have lived in las vegas for two years now and have pasted the water park often. Recently, I made a point to remember the park name and began my search on it’s history. Unfortunatly, I have no memories of the park. I do if still opened it would have still been a grand place. It is a shame that will be replaced by housing, you would think community would utilize the lake.
Upon my brief visit to the parks location I could see remnents of the slides. Time just seemed to stopped, deserted picnic tables and torn awanings blowing in the wind. I began to think what is to become of the things left? I’m sure some things can and will be salvaged, but wondered maybe not. Which brings me to why I write. I work for a local animal clinic, which is need of an awaning for the dogs outside area. Our search for one used has come up short and would like not to go another summer without one. An awaning would keep the ground cool and provide much needed shade in the heat. I wondered if the park owner would consider donating an awaning, we only need one. I know the pets would greatly appreciate it.
Please feel free to contact me or put me in touch with the right person to make such a request. Thank you Heather for your time and I await your response.-Dulce
Eugene and Jason could you send me your contact information. I would like to talk with you guys when you have the time. Thanks My email is investsmart@yahoo.com
Eugene and Jason, Its
investsmart85@yahoo.com
The slides are all taken down now and are currently at their new location where they are being set up in Canada.
Wtf! canada?! these people are ruining memories americas prime. nothing historical will be left soon
can someone please post pictures!!!!!!!!
Is it for sale and what is the ac please email with any info you have thank you
Post pictures of what? and the waterslides where already sold and moved.
Hi Bill if you want to reach my father leave your email address for me and I will put you in touch with him. Yes you are correct, I am his youngest daughter.
Troy,
please feel free to contact me @
fhelectric@gmail.com
Heather – You can reach me at bgould@fullvaluepropertymanagement.com – Bill
I recall Lake Dolores well. Even getting in trouble with Dolores herself when we wandered around back of the big slides and sifted through all the junk in the back.
I still have the original Lake Doloroes freeway sign (that accidentally blew onto our property in Newberry Springs.)
We also constructed a slide in honor of Lake Dolores (although only 25ft long) with stainless steel sections just like Bob Byers did.
Many reasons were given to the demise of the water park, however I believe the primary factor was in the 1980’s and 1990’s Las Vegas built and promoted huge kiddy theme parks – Circus Circus – MGM – StateLine – NYNY and more, anyone going to a water theme park was going to Vegas!
MTV’s rob and big got in the water park but i read that they had dog and SC gards waking around but they just waked in some one tell me if you have to talk to the owners to get in and skeatbord on the stuff or just look around i looked on google earth and found it and it looks like kownone lives their but by the water tower their is a triler tell me how they got in with out a gard dogs or sc guys telling them to get out or geting sued ROB AND BIG ROCKS
YO! it’s rob dyrdek. Big black and i got in by calling the owners and the LLC and saying that we wanted to go to rock a hoola water park for a shoot that Danny way and i wanted to do for a long time. it took about 2 weeks for them to say yes and drama’s 21 birthday was soon so we want on his birthday and had a scary time by almost falling off. So you can get in just by wacking in FOX you have to pay a lot of money and time to get in.
your not rob dyrdek you speld stuff rong FAKE PERSON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
are you relly him ?
yes i am relly i am not a fake peson who puts my name up for fun if anyone has Q about the show or other stuff i would be happy to tell them.
w0w!
What’s the correct spelling of the park’s former name – Delores or Dolores? When I was younger I always saw it spelled Delores, but now on the Net it seems more people spell it Dolores. Probably not a big deal, but I am curious.
I drive by there often while on journeys to various parts of the Mojave – always wondered when/if they were going to open it again. It was sad to see the slides gone. Too bad one douchebag had to ruin the park for everybody (and get compensated for his ass-hattery – go figure.)
I call it lake dolores but there was no bord that say the name any more but it says waterpark.
still if any one has Q i will tell them about the show or the water park.
Just drove by there yesterday from a Vegas trip and I was sad to see all the slides and tubing gone! It looks like they are slowly removing any trace of it being there:( I have mixed feelings about Rob skating there…I love the show and was sad to see it finish and I was like OMFG I know Exactly where he’s skating right now and thats awesome that he or MTV pulled that off. Then maybe I’m a lil jealous that he was able to roam the park…but whateves. We need some NEW PIX of Rock-A-Hoola before it’s gone FOREVER!!!!
I keep telling people that i got in by calling the LLC and the owners but now i Kown that it is being torn down i liked skating on the slieds with danny way and drama. Thanks for saying you like the show.