Trona is an unincorporated community in San Bernardino County, California, located at the western edge of Searles Lake, about 170 miles northeast of Los Angeles. In 2015, it had a population of around 1,900. The town is named after the mineral trona, found abundantly in the nearby dry lakebed. Known for its isolation and desolate landscape, Trona features unique landmarks like the Trona Pinnacles. The local school has a dirt football field due to extreme heat and saline soil, and the town once had an 18-hole golf course made mostly of sand.
Trona was officially established in 1913 as a company town for mining employees, with housing, a school, a library, and a grocery store built and operated by the mining company. The Trona Railway, built in 1913–14, connected the town to the Southern Pacific line and still operates today. The town experienced economic booms, most notably during World War I when it was the only reliable U.S. source of potash. Today, Searles Valley Minerals Inc. operates a soda ash processing plant, salt extraction operations, and a lime quarry, remaining the largest employer, although many workers commute from Ridgecrest. Over time, Trona’s population has declined and many services have relocated to nearby towns.









