Set in the Mojave Desert region, this town is literally frozen in time, and everything you’ll see here looks straight out of a movie. More precisely, a Wild West one, since this is one of the many places shaped by the mining fever in search of gold… or in this case, silver.
Brief history of Calico town
In 1881, four prospectors left Grapevine Station and headed toward a colorful calico-colored peak. There, they discovered silver there and opened the Silver King Mine, which lead to the founding of Calico town: California’s largest silver producer in the mid-1880s.
By 1882, Calico established its first post office, followed by a school, restaurants, and bars. Just three years later, the town had around 500 mines and a population of 1,200. But the real boom came with the discovery of the borate mineral colemanite, attracting workers from China, England, Ireland, Greece, France, the Netherlands, and the U.S. of course, eventually bringing the population to nearly 4,000.
How did Calico become a ghost town?
When the Silver Purchase Act was ped in 1890, the silver prices plummeted over time, dropping to just $0.57 per troy ounce (around $22 dollars today) in 1896. This made Calico’s silver mining no longer profitable. The post office shut down in 1898, and the school closed soon after. By the early 1900s, Calico had nearly become a ghost town.
Why visiting Calico today?
Although many efforts were made to revive the town in the early 20th century, most of them fell short. Well, except for one: turning Calico into a tourist haven for Wild West and Gold Rush enthusiasts.
Most of Calico’s buildings feature rustic wooden architecture, either restored or newly built to match the town’s weathered look. A few original structures remain, like Lil’s Saloon, the town office, Lucy Lane’s home (now a museum), and Joe’s Saloon. The old schoolhouse has been recreated, while only ruins remain of the Chinese residential area.
Today, the park offers mine tours, gunfight stunt shows, gold panning, various restaurants, the historic Calico & Odessa Railroad, a Mystery Shack, and several souvenir shops! Overnight camping is available, making it a perfect spot for stargazing.
Special events take place all year round, including the Civil War Days reenactment on President’s Day weekend, the Spring Festival in May, Calico Days in early October, and a Ghost Town haunt in late October. It’s definitely a must-visit spot for history lovers!
📍 Location: 36600 Ghost Town Road, Yermo, CA 92398
🎟️Admission and camping fees here