Not the cat, but the ghost town…ever heard of it? Well it’s a double feature week…so let us share our experiences at our second ghost town!
Calico is a former silver mining town in California’s San Bernardino Mountains. Located in Yermo, it is just three short miles from Barstow. This town has quite the story.
Calico was founded in 1881 and by the mid-1890s it was already abandoned. Unfortunately, the value of silver drastically decreased so the area was of no value. It was not until the 1950s when the town was rediscovered and purchased by Walter Knott. If you don’t know, Walter Knott was the creator of the Knott’s Berry Farm amusement park. After purchasing the ghost town, Walter restored all, but five of the original buildings to look as they did in their heyday and built over a dozen replica buildings. The area became quite the attraction…offering shops, restaurants, camping, and even off-roading. Today, the park is a San Bernardino County Regional Park, but continues to offer the same entertainment.
Fun Fact – For you country music lovers out there, Kenny Rogers and the First Edition released an album in 1972 titled “The Ballad of Calico.” It is about this Calico town and shares the stories of the people that lived in this town!
Below are some of the things that we did while visiting:
– Lucy Lane Museum – Check out original artifacts and learn about the history of Calico.
– Maggie Mine – Explore a real silver mine from the 1880s and see historical displays throughout. There are many other mines around Calico, but due to the historical nature of this area they are not accessible, as they are extremely dangerous.
– Calico Odessa Railroad – Ride the train and keep your belongings close. Some members of the wild west may just try to rob you!
– Mystery Shack Tour – This place will cause bewilderment! Full of optical illusions, this tour will certainly bring some magic to your day.
– Gold Panning – Definitely aimed at the younger crowd, but available to anyone young at heart, you can sift through silt and find some treasures. Your arms are guaranteed to get a workout and your pocket is guaranteed to leave with a little gold!
– Lil’s Saloon – Swing through the doors, but don’t draw your weapons! This place feels like a western movie scene. Sells ice cold beers, hot coffee, and sarsaparilla, along with some easy eats like hot dogs and pizza.
– The Calico Cemetery – With an unknown number of bodies buried in this eternal place of rest, the cemetery is quite the place to see. Many of the old graves are rock piles and some graves you do not even know are there…be careful as you walk around…you may just be walking on someone…yikes! Believe it or not, some people get buried here now.
Over the years, Calico has become a tourist destination. Its daily admission is $8/person and if you camp overnight, it is between $30-$40/night. If you should choose to come, check out their events calendar online…sometimes Calico does theatrical reenactments of historical moments, including western shootouts.
Caught watching a show! 
Also, had a Snoop Dogg sighting…can you say random?
Another place to check out in the area is Peggy Sue’s 50s Diner. Located in Yermo at 35654 Yermo Road, you can grab a bite all seven days a week. Eat All-American food to the jukebox tunes of your choice, and go shopping afterwards at their 5 & Dime store.
We enjoyed both visits at Calico and will likely return to camp at some point.
Living in the wild, wild, west,
TnT