If you’re looking for a spine-tingling adventure, there’s no better place than a ghost town. Ghost towns in California are even more terrifying than the state’s eerie haunted motels. Explore haunted, long-lost villages in search of paranormal activity or just to lose yourself in history while solving mysteries.
The Most Haunted Ghost Towns in California
Not always did these California ghost towns sit in obscurity and abandonment. Picture thriving towns where miners and their families settled down in the hopes of discovering gold; the structures that now exude ruin previously stood proudly.
Even after being mostly abandoned for hundreds of years, many of these villages nevertheless have an air of mystery and a wealth of untold history. Despite the abundance of strange places to see in California, a fantastic adventure awaits you if you include these eerie ghost towns on your itinerary.
The Ridge
Located in Indian Wells Valley, Ridgecrest is a city in northern Kern County. Ridgecrest was formerly known as Crumville, a farming town, in 1912. By the time the town’s first post office opened in 1941, 196 people were living in 115 houses. As a support town that catered to the housing and service needs of federal personnel and contractors, Ridgecrest mostly came into its own in the 1950s and 1960s. In 1963, it gained city status.
The rest of Ridgecrest’s population has mysteriously departed, leaving only a small remnant of the original population. People who lived here in the past mostly just disappeared, taking with them their vehicles, tires, stoves, refrigerators, and even clothes.
The Maturango Museum is a must-see on any Ridgecrest vacation. While the museum’s guided tours of Little Petroglyph Canyon at the China Lake Naval Weapons Station are its most well-known attraction, it also features other exhibitions including the El Paso Gallery, which honors the cultural and ecological heritage of the Mojave Desert.
Johannesburg City
Among the most photographed locations in Johannesburg’s ghost town is the Randsburg Opera House.
Next on our list of must-see California ghost towns is Johannesburg, which is located in Kern County. The town was established to support Randsburg’s mining operations.
At the turn of the twentieth century, the Rand Mining District was the primary gold-producing area in California. Its name honors the miners who worked in the Johannesburg area and other gold-producing regions of South Africa. In 1897, the first office was constructed. 172 people were living in Jo-burg (the locals’ nickname) as per the 2010 U.S. Census.
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Bodie, California: The Fascinating Tale of the State’s Most Notorious Ghost Town
If you have an interest in the history of the Rand Mining District, you should check out the Randsburg Desert Museum, a nonprofit that has made it its mission to preserve and share the culture and history of the area. The 11-minute journey to the ghost town of Garlock is another option to lengthen your vacation. Unlike most of the ghost towns in the area, this one wasn’t abandoned because of a failing gold mine. They had no choice but to evacuate the town when its water supply abruptly and unexplainably dried up.
Calico
Calico, in San Bernardino County, is famous as a ghost town and a site of past mining activity. This silver mining town was established in 1881 in the Calico Mountains of the Mojave Desert. Now it stands as a historical landmark in California. In the nineteenth century, four adventurers set out from Grapevine Station for a northeastern mountain peak that they called “calico-colored.” They found silver in the mountain, and in the mid-1800s, they constructed the Silver King Mine, which was the biggest silver producer in California.
Walter Knott, proprietor of Knott’s Berry Farm, acquired the town of Calico in the 1950s and had its buildings rebuilt so that they showcased their historical exteriors, which were replicas from the 1880s. Mystery Shack and guided ghost tours like Main Street and Maggie Mine are just two of the many attractions of Calico Ghost Town.
Mr. Bodie
Discover the fascinating ruins and historic sites of Bodie, an Old West town.
Bodie, in the Bodie Hills to the east of the Sierra Nevada, was a prosperous town in 1876 but is today famous as one of the most popular ghost towns in California. In 1879, the town’s population reached 10,000, thanks to the discovery of a significant quantity of gold.
The name Bodie comes from the 1859 discovery of a tiny amount of gold in the hills north of Mono Lake by Waterman S. Bodey. People came to the area in droves to find the metal, following in Bodey’s footsteps. The settlement fell into ruin in the decades following multiple fruitless attempts to locate the golden reward, eventually being classified as a ghost town in 1915.
Bodie State Historic Park was formally formed in 1962, and the ghost town is now a recognized historic site. After more than 150 years, the town has hardly changed; the cottages are still there, and the stores are full of supplies. While you’re in town, be sure to check out the iconic Swazey Hotel. You won’t be disappointed by the building’s history; it has been a hotel, casino, and apparel store.
Admirers of historic sites: Take a cultural journey to Miners’ Union Hall, home of the Bodie Museum and a gift store. At the heart of Bodie State Historical Park lies the 1878–1877 Bodie Miners’ Union Hall; picture galleries showcasing old landscapes, structures, schools, and banks are waiting for you.
The Saltdale
Saltdale is quickly becoming one of the most terrifying ghost towns to visit as the town’s structures are being destroyed by the salt. In Kern County, next to the seasonal endorheic Koehn Lake, lies the unincorporated community of Saltdale. The original intent of Saltdale’s 1914 founding was to extract salt from Koehn Lake. From its founding in 1916 until its closure in 1950, the town’s post office served the community.
The salt industry saw a precipitous fall in the 1940s. Saltdale became just another deserted California hamlet when its residents started fleeing in 1975 after the salt factory permanently closed. Now that most of the town has disappeared due to the salt, it’s impossible to see it as the lively community it once was; it’s a haunting ghost town, indeed. Stop by Jawbone Canyon shop on your way out of Saltdale for a substantial supper or to get some road necessities from the general shop.
Dear Amboy
While traveling along Route 66, stop at Roy’s Motel and Cafe. Many stories are woven into the fabric of the old sign.
Want to visit a 1950s-era post-apocalyptic ghost town? Then you absolutely must go to Amboy. Amboy was an early railroad town in San Bernardino County, which is in the Mojave Desert. Route 66 ran through town, so naturally lots of tourists came to stay and eat. Several comparable places, such as the famous Roy’s Motel and Cafe, which opened in the 1930s, allowed traveling families to relax, drink soda, and get some rest before continuing on their journey. But as new highways were built in the 1970s, Route 66 became outdated, and with it, Amboy’s businesses.
After earlier efforts to revitalize the town failed, Albert Okura took charge, vowing to rebuild and protect Amboy. Stopping in Amboy today along Route 66 will transport you to the 1950s with its ambiance and vintage music; you’ll almost forget you’re in the modern world. Authentically reliving bygone days, swing by Roy’s Motel and Cafe for knickknacks and perhaps even a night’s stay.
