 The population was 27,616 at the 2010 census, up from 24,927 at the 2000 census.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 on the south.It is approximately from the Lancaster/Palmdale area, from Bakersfield, and from San Bernardino, the three nearest major urban centers.