California's Best Ghost Towns

Even though the locale is a true Old West town, many of the buildings have either been rebuilt or restored with not-so-genuine facades. Calico Ghost Town may not have any residents but it is peopled with vis...

The spirit of the old west lives on in Pioneertown, CA. Once a permanent movie set built in the '40s used for shooting scenes as well as for housing actors, it's now become a bonafide small town with thrivin...

Home to 20 historic structures dating back to 1858 this Bodfish ghost town is a family-friendly jaunt into California's mining past. Artifacts, antique shops, and costing a few dollars, this well-kept piece ...

Located in the heart of the Mojave, Amboy is a legit abandoned town that was made obsolete once our U.S. highways were fully developed from coast to coast. A few films have been shot here and the cafe has op...

Even California, where real estate is at a premium, has her ghost towns. Far inland and near the CA-NV border, the ghost town of Bodie rests in peace, a casualty of the 1800s search for gold. The original st...

Los Angeles County, even with its large population, has a tiny little ghost town in Santa Clarita. Mentryville was created in 1876 and prospered because of the discovery of oil on its land. The early 1900s s...

Even though Bombay Beach is a desolate place sitting on the equally desolate and putrid Salton Sea, it's quite the attraction for novice filmmakers and writers. It's hard to believe this bleak town was once ...

A "living ghost town" may be an oxymoron, but the historic gold-mining town of Randsburg (pop. 200) should meet enough criteria to satisfy ghost town buffs. You've got a selection of abandoned buildings from...

Coalinga is a California town that almost no one has ever heard of. It has a dubious claim to fame - as the home of one of the most toxic ghost towns. New Idria was once the site of a mercury mining town; th...

Located near Joshua Tree National Park this Riverside County "census-designated place" is home to a little over 200 residents. Founded in 1921 it was the only stop within a 50-mile radius to have gas and foo...