Almanac note · History and culture
Calico gives Barstow a silver-rush ghost town nearby
Calico Ghost Town near Barstow turns San Bernardino County's silver-mining history into a county park with old buildings, desert views, and visitor attractions.
Calico is the kind of place that makes Barstow-area desert history easy to picture. It began as a silver-mining town in the 1880s, grew fast, and faded after the boom. Today it works as a county park where visitors can walk through a ghost-town setting.
It is not the same as a completely untouched ruin. That is part of the point. Shops, food, camping, trails, old buildings, and visitor attractions are part of today’s Calico. It feels more like a lively desert-history stop than a silent place on the side of the road.
The silver story still gives the visit its shape. The town grew because people believed there was money in the hills, then changed when mining no longer carried the place. That boom-and-fade pattern is a big part of Mojave Desert history.
The old mining landscape deserves respect. County Parks warns that mines in the area are hazardous. Stay with public areas, check park hours and fees, and let the desert history be interesting without wandering into unsafe spots.
Where to see it
Calico Ghost Town Regional Park near Barstow and Yermo.
Official sources
Official source trail
Reviewed July 1, 2026
California Porch explains the path. The official source is still the place to confirm the current rule, fee, form, map, deadline, or office decision.
Use the official page before you spend money, file paperwork, rely on a deadline, or change a property.
Connected places
Where it fits on the map
Open a place page for the county layer, nearby places, and other California entries tied to that local page.
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