Ghost Towns of California
California’s ghost towns stretch from Sierra Nevada silver districts to Mojave Desert mining camps, several now preserved as state parks and historic sites.
Explore the Map
Interactive map of California’s mapped ghost-town sites. Click a marker for details.
A Short History of California’s Ghost Towns
California’s ghost towns are the afterlife of the gold and silver rushes that built the state. Bodie, high in the Sierra east of Yosemite, grew from a modest camp into a roaring town of thousands with a reputation for wickedness, then declined until the state preserved it in a state of “arrested decay,” its weathered buildings left standing but not restored. Farther south in the desert, Cerro Gordo’s silver funded the early growth of Los Angeles, while Ballarat served as a supply point for prospectors working the harsh Panamint country near Death Valley. Calico, a Mojave silver camp, faded when prices crashed and was later rebuilt as a restored attraction. Together they range from raw ruin to polished tourist town.
Getting There & Access
Access varies widely. Calico is reached by paved road off Interstate 15 near Barstow and is an easy family visit. Bodie sits at the end of a road that is mostly paved but finishes on several miles of rough gravel, and its high elevation means snow can close access outside the warmer months. Cerro Gordo and Ballarat are genuine desert destinations reached by long dirt roads where high clearance is wise, services are absent, and summer heat is dangerous. Wherever you go, carry far more water than you expect to need, keep a full tank, tell someone your plans, and favor the cooler seasons and early hours for the remote desert sites.
Public Land & Responsible Visiting
Bodie is a state historic park where the buildings and every object inside them are protected; taking even a rusty nail is illegal, and local lore warns of bad luck for those who do. Calico is a county park, while Ballarat and much of the surrounding desert fall under Bureau of Land Management stewardship, sometimes bordering Death Valley National Park. Respect closures and private inholdings, stay out of the countless abandoned mine shafts that riddle these hills, and keep vehicles on established routes to protect fragile desert soils and Joshua-tree country. Pack out all trash, watch for rattlesnakes, and leave every artifact in place so these iconic California ghost towns survive for the next visitor.