The friendly community of Ridgecrest was incorporated as a city in 1963. Ridgecrest is surrounded by four mountain ranges; the Sierra Nevada on the west, the Cosos on the North, the Argus Range on the east, and the El Paso Mountains to the South. Ridgecrest is the only incorporated community in the Indian Wells Valley and is located in the Mojave Desert, west of Death Valley National Park.

Ridgecrest is known for its beautiful sunsets and its warm, sunny days. Many of the residents enjoy these things about their home town. In 2000, the population was 24,927