Silver Lakes, CA

22 Apartments for Rent

Silver Lakes, California is located in an oasis in a high, desert environment. While the desert is often dry, locals call this area "the hole in the sky." Nearby Barstow and Victorville often have torrential rains, while SIlver Lakes stays dry.

Silver Lakes is an unincorporated census designated place in San Bernardino County, CA, and is also known as, or considered a part of, the larger community of Helendale. It's located just west of the Mojave Freeway, just about midway between Victorville, 19 minutes away, and Barstow, 28 minutes away. The USPS maintains the community is named Helendale, but according to the 2010 census, in which 5,623 residents were counted, the name is Silver Lakes. By any name, the community is just about 100 miles from Los Angeles and 180 miles from Las Vegas.

Moving to Silver Lakes

This community is located in a desert climate, and like most of the Mojave, there are cool winter and hot summers, with very little rain. You won't need a winter coat or snow boots here, either. You will need to seek out the shade in the summer months, or perhaps wear a large hat while boating on the lakes for which the community is named. You can find houses for rent, including 3 bedroom houses for rent, here in this area. Searching for rental apartments, such as 2 bedroom apartments for rent, may be more difficult within Silver Lakes, although many options are available in adjoining communities. While vacancies are available, you will find more single-family homes here than anything else.

You can look at the Victorville Daily Press for rental listings, and you can check online by going to the Silver Lakes Association home page. Your best choice may be driving through the neighborhoods and looking for rental signs, or talking with locals at the Silver Lakes Country Club about available rentals. In any case, give yourself plenty of time to find a home in this relatively self-contained high desert community.

What to Bring

Your landlord-to-be will likely be a private homeowner and will want to see as much information as you can provide. You should be prepared to pony up that credit report, ID, W2, rental and work information, and bank statements or tax returns, if requested.

Neighborhoods in Silver Lakes

Situated in an oasis in the Mojave River Valley, this desert community is home to the Silver Lakes Country Club, as well as South Lake and North Lake. This means plenty of sun-drenched opportunities for relaxing along the lakes. The town is primarily made up of the Silver Lakes resort community, built around two man-made lakes whose water comes from the underground flow of the Mojave River. Besides the country club, you'll find Cottonwood Park located here, along with boat slips for cruising those lakes, but no real identifiable neighborhoods.

All homes and townhomes located here were built after 1969, when the community was established.

Living in Silver Lakes

Do you like the desert? Don't mind the heat? Also love water? Then Silver Lakes could be your spot. Warm, dry and sunny most of the year, with cooler winters, the man-made lakes that are the focal point of this community offer a lot of pleasure and recreation.

The area was once home to the Mojave and Serrano Native American tribes. The Post Office may dub this area Helendale and the census dub it Silver Lakes, but it was once called Point of Rocks and connected to the Mojave Trail, which was once traveled by Kit Carson and the wagon trains of many diverse settlers. Next came the Santa Fe Railroad, which had a station here whose name was changed to Helen, after the daughter of a railroad executive, and which became Helendale in 1918.

In 1926 it was the roads, not the rails, that passed through the area - famous Route 66 was paved and opened that year. You can find an historical marker commemorating this fact at Route 66 and Vista Road.

The Silver Lakes? They were constructed in 1969. Homes soon followed, creating a solid resort community with many year-round residents.

Today, you'll find a score of popular community activities keeping residents busy when they're not driving to shopping, movies, and nightlife in Victorville and Barstow, or heading along I-15 to Vegas or LA. It's easy to stay in Silver Lakes, where fun times include Skate and BMX Day at Hartford Park, a community wide garage sale, a major Fourth of July fireworks display, family bingo nights, and a celebration of National Skate Board Day. The Silver Lakes Restaurant and Lounge hosts nightly music acts and serves classic American cuisine. Golfers, boaters, and desert lovers -- welcome home.