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Chic . Explore . ThinkerTen

My Style ~ My Journey ~ My Inspiration

CaliforniaTravelUSA

Calico Ghost Town in California – USA Road trip

by kumamonjeng February 19, 2018
written by kumamonjeng February 19, 2018
Calico Ghost Town in California – USA Road trip

Calico Ghost Town

An Impromptu Stop 

It is only about 2 hours drive from Las Vegas to Calico Ghost Town. Our original destination is Fresno/Yosemite which will take 6 hours to arrive so we thought Calico Ghost town is just a good break hence we made an impromptu stop.  Good thing about self driving is you can be flexible and stop at anywhere you wish to see.

Calico Ghost Town

Calico use to be an old western mining town that has been around since 1881 during the largest silver strike in California. But then silver lost its value in the mid 1890’s, the mines packed up and moved away abandoning the town that once gave them plenty of fortune. It became a ‘ghost town’.

Calico Ghost Town

After you turned out from the highway, you still to drive for another 10 minutes, then you will see the word written in white – “Calico” on top of the mountain.  There is no other road so you will not go to the wrong way.

Calico Ghost Town

Calico ghost town is located at San Bernadino County, California, a few miles east of Barstow off I-15. Exit I-15 at Ghost Town Rd.

There is a board showing how the ghost town look like before you pay for your entrance fees.  You will be expected to see houses or shops line up facing each other and built uphill.

Calico Ghost Town

There is an entrance fees, adult pay $8.00 and Youth (6-15) paid $5.  Parking is free.

Calico Ghost Town

Parking lot is at the foot of the hill and walk up to Calico ghost town.

Calico Ghost Town

There are a few things to do in Calico Ghost Town such as Mystery Shack,  a mind-bending spot where optical illusions make water look like it’s running uphill – this would be kids favorite!  Or try Maggie Mine Tour – exploring a real silver mine tour underground.

Historical Landmark in California

Walter Knott purchased Calico from the Mining Company in 1951. Knott then restored many of the original buildings on the original sies to look as they did in the 1880’s. All were rustic weathered look that creates a picturesque little town.  Knott was generous enough to donate the Calico to to San Bernardino County.

Calico Ghost Town

The town had a wide variety of businesses and shops, hotels, a jail, 22 saloons, a Chinatown, and a redlight district during it heyday.

Old Town Hall

Calico Ghost Town

Fire Hall & Fire Engine

Calico Ghost Town

Notice Board

Take a look at the notes pin the board and have  a good laugh.

Calico Ghost Town

A lady dressed in time period costume walking in Ghost Town.  Her pale skin does look like ‘ghost’.

Calico Ghost Town

Gold Panning Adventure

One of the activities you can do is gold panning and see how much you can pan.

Calico Ghost Town

Hyena House hotel

The wooden house built at the corner of the cliff is called  Hyena House Hotel, also the first hotel built back then.  See, there is a old carriage in front of Hyena House Hotel (old wooden house), that carriage is use to carry the VIP/guests up to stay in hotel.

Calico Ghost Town

 

Trail going up wasn’t too bad.

Calico Ghost Town

Calico Ghost Town

Climbing up to check out the whole ghost town.

Calico Ghost Town

View of Calico and the Mojave Desert below

Calico Ghost Town

Calico Ghost Town

Grocery Stores 

Calico Ghost Town

The price list for the groceries.

Calico Ghost Town

Replica of Schoolhouse, 1880’s

Calico Ghost Town

Walk over the wooden bridge to reach the old school. This is one of the best spot for photo opportunity.

Calico Ghost Town

Calico Green Bottle House

Calico Ghost Town

Check out Calico’s Bottle House, built in 1950’s during Walter Knott restoration. Back then miners used whatever available to create a shelter when wood was not plentiful. They recycle beers/whiskey bottles, what a great idea. Back then, people already knew how to recycle & reuse. Now, it is a gift store, selling mostly thing related to dogs theme.

Calico Ghost Town

Calico and Odessa Railroad

Calico Ghost Town

Explore more of mine area with the small train, the train brings you up to the further part of the mining area, away from the town.

Calico Ghost Town

Calico Ghost Town

Chinese Bath Tub

Calico Ghost Town

Lunch at Ghost Town

Calico Ghost Town

Free peanuts were served at the table and peanuts skin were thrown at the floor.  This is how they do it in Ghost Town 🙂

Calico Ghost Town

Ghost Town Fried Chicken & Beef Steak – super big portion.

Calico Ghost Town

Calico Ghost Town

Final thought :

If you are driving to Fresno from Las Vegas, or heading to Las Vegas or Death Valley, this is a great stop at Calico Ghost Town.  Make a turn in and check out this historical old mine town.  Children and adults can enjoy as there are many activities to do at Ghost Town.  It is quite touristy but that is the fun part.  You also get to learn about the people who lived there and the history of Calico.  Life was tough back then and try think about the hardships and differences between our easy lives now and their day to day struggles just to survive in the harsh desert.

Summer can get extremely hot, so pick a colder season to visit!

Nearby Attractions :

  • Grand Canyon West Rim – Skywalk
  • Road Trip Grand Canyon West
  • Las Vegas Strips
  • Las Vegas China Town
  • Las Vegas Mandalay Hotel Casino – Michael Jackson “One” show

 

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Calico Ghost TownCalifornia Road Trip to Ghost TownMiner history in AmericaSan Bernadino CountyUSA Seld Drive
previous post
Oasis in the Desert – Lake Mead & Hoover Dam at Nevada State, US Self Drive
next post
Yosemite Valley -“those who killed” @ California USA

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20 comments

acraftymix February 19, 2018 - 3:14 pm

OMW how awesome is that Calico’s Bottle House. I would love to try build something like that. The whole town looks amazing too. So worth a stop over

Reply
kumamonjeng February 19, 2018 - 11:43 pm

The bottle house looks interesting and it was built with bottles only as there was no other material in the desert beside empty bottles back in the olden days. Now, it is a gift shop, selling pets/dog related things.

Reply
Samantha Schipman February 20, 2018 - 5:43 am

Calico Ghost Town sounds like a cool trip for cheap. The views are so nice! I really like the building made from glass bottles. I can’t believe all the food you get!

Reply
kumamonjeng February 20, 2018 - 6:55 am

There is a western restaurant at Ghost town which serve good food with reasonable price. The waitress are wearing old western period costume, pretty friendly too. Their peanut which is free flow served at the table, tasted wonderful too! One thing I was surprised was you throw the peanuts shells or skin at the floor. Pretty cool!

Reply
Nati February 20, 2018 - 9:17 am

How amazing to visit a real ghost Town! We don’t have this kind of thing neither in my home country nor in my current country of residence! It looks fascinating!

Reply
kumamonjeng February 20, 2018 - 10:17 am

It was a cool visit for me and also the first time to visit a ghost town. Quite fascinated at the view and the old western town built due to silver rush. Pretty awesome as it was still well maintained after so many years.

Reply
Joanna Davis February 20, 2018 - 10:55 am

What an interesting place to visit! It reminds me of a Wild Wild West movie, where you would expect cowboys to jump off their horses and provoke each other to a duel. I’d love to visit Calico!

Reply
kumamonjeng February 20, 2018 - 11:10 pm

Dear Joanna,

It is really look like Wild Wild West Movie and few guys dressed in cowboy with ‘gun'(fake) walking around in the ghost town, they are the staff for gold mine tour.

Reply
Ithfifi Williams / IthinityBeauty February 20, 2018 - 5:56 pm

Oh wow this looks amazing! I love how cute everything looks like the school house. I would love to wander through this ghost town. I bet it would be quite creepy att night!

Reply
kumamonjeng February 20, 2018 - 11:07 pm

Ghost town operate from 9 am to 5 pm. If it does open at night, I am sure it is so creepy. The old school house is the replica, is one of the most photogenic spot in Ghost town.

Reply
Elizabeth O February 20, 2018 - 6:36 pm

Oh a ghost town?! Wow must be amazing to see this, it definitely looks eerie.

Reply
tanviidotcom February 20, 2018 - 6:42 pm

What an amazing resource. Will save it for future reference.

❥ tanvii.com

Reply
Ana Ojha February 20, 2018 - 7:40 pm

I absolutely loved that Calico’s Bottle House! It looks quite splendid! I’d love to visit this Ghost town! Is there food available too?

Reply
kumamonjeng February 20, 2018 - 11:02 pm

Yes there are few eating place in Ghost town. One of the restaurant I went into serving western food, friendly staffs dressed in old western costume. We ordered the signature fried chicken with fries and beef steak. Good old western vibe in the restaurant and nice deco too.

Reply
Aditi February 21, 2018 - 2:16 am

We did this drive last year but seemed to have missed Calico Ghost town. Pity, it sounds really interesting.

Reply
Shubhada Bhide February 21, 2018 - 8:00 am

I enjoy seeing your photos. It seem like you really had an amazing trip there in Calico Ghost Town. Even years pass by it still well-maintained. and that is really amazing!!

Reply
Erica Swedish February 21, 2018 - 11:25 am

Now this is my idea of a good time. I’d love to check this place out

Reply
Preet February 21, 2018 - 2:01 pm

It is so amazing to visit a real ghost Town. Calico’s Bottle House looks awesome. I am loving all the pictures, the place is so scenic as well as lonely, giving those ghostly vibes 🙂 Would love to visit it.

Reply
Ayana Christine Nell February 22, 2018 - 7:06 pm

This definitely looks like a fun little town to explore! I find old towns like this extremely fascinating!

Reply
Tiffany Yong February 23, 2018 - 6:15 pm

Wow, this looks like a filming set. I wonder if it will be scary at night as is is being called a Ghost Town. Definitely a nice and insta-worthy location!

Reply

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I am the travel writer for Thinkerten. I lived in Japan, Australia, Malaysia and now based in Singapore. Speak 4 languages, Japanese, English, Malay, and Chinese. There are the many types of travels one can experience and mine are mostly focus on self-driving/road trip to explore the places I wanted to see and learn about. Only if you get out of your country, you will see the real you and understand more about yourself, to realize of your own identity, your own culture, and your root.

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