Tehachap is a city in Kern County, California, United States, in the Tehachapi Mountains, at an elevation of 3,970 feet , between the San Joaquin Valley and the Mojave Desert. Tehachapi is 35 miles east-southeast of Bakersfield, and 20 miles west of Mojave. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10 square miles and a population of 14,414. The Tehachapi area is known for the nearby Tehachapi Loop (a popular railfan site), the Pacific Crest Trail and for the excellent conditions for the aerial sport of gliding.

Tehachapi experienced the 7.3 magnitude 1952 Kern County earthquake on the White Wolf Fault. At the time, the earthquake was the largest in Southern California in the twentieth century and the largest since the 1872 Lone Pine earthquake. It was felt as far away as Reno, Nevada. Twelve people died in the quake and severe damage was done to buildings and rail lines in the area.