5 Abandoned California Ghost Towns Perfect For a Creepy Road Trip Stop

When most people picture California, they think of Pacific Coast beaches, palm-lined boulevards, Hollywood landmarks, wine country weekends, and big cities like Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco. Ghost towns rarely make the first cut. California’s image is usually sunny, crowded, and coastal, not abandoned, weathered, and frozen in time.

But beyond the beaches and busy freeways, California is full of forgotten places with a much stranger story to tell. Old mining camps, desert settlements, and once-bustling boomtowns still sit scattered across the state, offering a very different kind of California road trip. Some are preserved as historic sites, while others are little more than dusty ruins, empty streets, and buildings slowly being reclaimed by the landscape.

For travelers who like their trips with a little mystery, California’s ghost towns are hard to beat. They reveal the boom-and-bust history behind the Gold Rush, the silver rush, and the desert communities that rose quickly before fading away. Keep reading to discover five abandoned and forgotten ghost towns in California that still feel like stepping into the Old West.

What Is A Ghost Town?

• Of course, this term shouldn’t be taken literally. As far as we know, ghost towns aren’t literally occupied by ghosts. They are referred to as ghost towns because the metaphorical ghosts of past inhabitants and activity are all that can be seen in many of these places.
• A ghost town is any abandoned town, village, or city. Typically, there are visible remnants, such as empty buildings or warehouses. A lot of the time, these were bustling towns at one point. A town can become a ghost town when the economic activity which kept the town running depletes.
• In some cases, ghost towns can arise because of a closure of roads or redirection of railroads that once went through the town. If it becomes difficult to access, this can be the end of the town’s economic activity.
• Ghost towns aren’t necessarily completely unoccupied. Many towns that we refer to as ghost towns still have residents. However, they are not nearly as bustling and full of activity as they were back in their heyday.
• Additionally, ghost towns still receive visitors. Many people have an interest in seeing these towns, as they are very important illustrations of the history of the area.

1. Calico

• Calico is a great ghost town for people and families to explore. The location is just off of the famous Route 66. The residents initially established this town, an old mining town in the mountains, for silver ore. However, its residents abandoned it in the 1890s once the price of silver crashed.
• Walter Knott purchased this town in the 1950s. He moved many of the buildings to his private attraction in the Eastern United States. The buildings that remained underwent a restoration process back to their appearance in the 1880s. Even though it is a ghost town, the owners have repurposed it into a major tourist attraction with a variety of amenities.
• Visitors often go to explore the buildings of this once-busy town. There are guided tours into the mine that once attracted so many people.
• Additionally, you can travel back in time with a trip into the jail, blacksmith’s workshop, and town hall. You can relax just like the residents once did at the saloon with a drink, and you can get some souvenirs at the gift shop to commemorate your experience.
• There are also nearby biking trails, as well as camping and hiking options.

2. Ballarat

• Located in the Panamint Valley of the Mojave Desert, Ballarat was a mining supply station during the gold mining rush of 1896. People would come here for water and whiskey. When the town was at its peak, it contained a morgue, post office, jail, and 500 residents.
• When mining activity died down, so did the town. The post office shut down in 1917, and the town slowly became a ghost town.
• Now, this area is full of dilapidated buildings. However, there are some notable landmarks that still stand. You can see Charles Manson’s old truck, an old graveyard, and the general store run by the town’s single resident and his dog.

3. Cerro Gordo

• This town is unique among the ghost towns in California, in that it is neither restored for tourism nor completely abandoned. Right now, people are in the process of restoring the town. The town has private owners, and you can book a tour on their website. The name is the Spanish term for “fat hill,” which is appropriate for all the silver in the area during its heyday.
• This is a silver mining town located north of Death Valley National Park. It actually helped shape the economy of Los Angeles. Unfortunately, like other mining towns at the time, the mines eventually reached depletion.
• This is a great town to see if you are looking to see a ghost town in the process of restoration. There are many buildings, as well as people, who can offer valuable history lessons about the town. You can even get a souvenir at the gift shop.

4. Silver City Ghost Town

• Of all the ghost towns in California, Silver City is the only one that has a place on the National Directory of Haunted Places. The owner of this town has famously reported seeing a lunch pail fly across the room. Visitors have spoken of cryptic music and floating bottles in the air.
• Silver City has about 20 abandoned buildings. Among these are a church, general store, post office, and private cabin. The owners of the town have done minimal restoration, wanting to maintain these buildings in their current state.
• Here, you can see how an average person lived in this area in the 19th century. There is also an option to take a guided tour.

5. Panamint City

• This town is located inside Death Valley National Park. Outlaws discovered silver in this area, and the senator at the time invested in this endeavor. From 1873 to 1875, the silver mines here kept 2,000 people in employment. Laws did not do much to govern this town, as was the case with many towns during the California Gold Rush.
• A flash flood damaged a lot of the town in 1876, and people moved away. Currently, the only way to get to this ghost town is to hike for about seven and a half miles. This secluded spot is very far off the beaten path and has no paved access.
• People have reported a spooky feeling in the air when they visit. When you get there, you will see the remains of Main Street, which was home to a red-light district and multiple saloons.