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I was on my way home to Los Angeles after a short weekend trip to the Valley of Fire State Park. The park is located in Overton, Nevada which is about a five-hour drive from Los Angeles. I found a fantastic halfway point called Calico Ghost Town where the pups and I could take a break from the drive.

Staring down at a mine field — Staring down at an old mine field

Calico Ghost Town is an Old West mining town that was bustling during the late 19th century. Silver was king in the Calico mining district and by 1887 the population had exploded. There were twenty-two salons, a schoolhouse, a redlight district, and they even had their own version of China Town.

Calico Ghost Town Entrance — Entrance to the Ghost Town

Eventually, the price of silver dropped from $1.31 an ounce to $0.63 and thus Calico became a ghost town. Calico is one of the few remaining original mining towns in the western US thanks to Walter Knott. If that name sounds familiar to you, it’s the same guy who founded Knott’s Berry Farm. He ended up donating Calico to San Bernardino County in 1966.

Getting There

From Overton, Nevada, the drive was about three hours. If you are coming from Los Angeles, it will be about a 2-3 hour drive depending on traffic, so you can easily make a day trip.

It’s located just north of Barstow. Speaking of Barstow, there is a very unique stop here consisting of several fast food places and shops called Barstow Station. The station is built to look like a fake train station, complete with multiple train cars, caboose, and even a water tower.

California Welcome Center I-15 South — California Welcome Center

Crystal and I have stopped here a couple of times during our road trips and it is a VERY busy and popular spot, so much so, that we even see tour buses here. It can be quite a hassle to find parking and to get out of the parking lot.

Ok, back to Calico. I took exit 194 for Calico Road and it was a short 10-minute drive from there to the Calico Ghost Town entrance. There is an admission fee of $8 for adults and dogs can enter for free.

Parking & Restrooms

At the time of my visit (Monday afternoon), there was plenty of parking. Parking is on a dirt road, so I imagine it can get quite messy on rainy days. There are two public restroom facilities with one at the entrance and one towards the back of the town.

Ghost Town

Calico Ghost Town is a lot bigger than what I was expecting. Crystal and I visited Goldfield Ghost Town in Arizona and it was significantly smaller than this one. From restaurants, shops, and a scenic viewpoint, there is a lot to see and do here.

Calico House Restaurant Exterior Building — Calico House Restaurant

We first walked towards the Calico Jail, which is home to the infamous Calico Gunfighters and Marshal Bismarch Bob. Then we walked into the Calico Barber Shop & Bathhouse Display. For some reason, Zooey was not happy about the mannequins on display in this tiny shop and started grunting at the displays.

We walked a little bit further down and Captain pulled me into Dorsey’s Dog House. It’s a cute little pet shop with tons of fun dog treats and goodies for your fur babies. Not surprisingly, I ended up purchasing some treats and a cupcake for both Captain and Zooey.

Dorsey was the official Mail Dog Carrier for the town and he had a daily 3-mile route from Calico to Bismark. He even had a custom canine mailbag and leather booties made for his daily mail route. I didn’t see anything in the shop that mentioned Dorsey unless I somehow missed it.

It would have been fun to hop on a train for a scenic ride around the Calico Odessa Railroad. The tour is about eight minutes and you learn a little history of the many points of historical interest. Surprisingly, dogs are allowed on the train and for free.

Since I wasn’t able to do that, I settled on walking up to the scenic viewpoint instead. It can be a little challenging walking up to the viewpoint since the stairs are uneven. It’s a great view of the town and worth the short hike up.

Old Miners Cafe Calico — Old Miner’s Cafe

Standing in front of signs for directions — Signage to Odessa Railroad

There are a total of thirty-three buildings and only five of them are the remaining original: Calico Park Office, Lane’s General Store, Lil’s Saloon, Lucy Lane’s House, and Zenda Mining Co.

Calico House Restaurant — Taking. a little break in the shade

Calico Ghost Town is also an operating park, so there are events year-round and a campsite (tent and RV). They also offer mini cabins equipped with bunk beds, heating, and AC, but unfortunately, the cabins don’t allow pets.

Calico Mining Supplies store — Calico Mining Supplies Store

Final Thoughts

I wish I had more time to explore this town, but we were in a rush to get back on the road so my time spent here was just under an hour. I could have easily spent half a day here and would definitely make it a point to visit during the cooler months. I visited in mid-March and it was already pretty warm with the temperatures in the high seventies.

Calico Ghost Town
36600 Ghost Town Road
Yermo, CA 92398 (MAP)