Calico Ghost Town - Yermo - California — Abandoned Places, Gold Rush & Route 66 Travel Photography

While I don’t believe in ghosts, the shimmering heat waves coming off the main road in town kinda had me thinking I was seeing something other-worldly. It was hot, of course it was. June in the Mojave Desert isn’t for the faint of heart, luckily, it was only in the low 100s, so I really enjoyed my time exploring the streets, trails, buildings and scenery.

I’m not sure when this version of the prospector sign was put up, but thankfully the originals were saved. They are on display in the Route 66 town of Daggett.

Having visited Calico numerous times on family trips when I was a kid, and then camping in the nearby campground over the years, Calico is a familiar place. But it had been probably close to ten years since my last trip, so when the opportunity came to visit, I took it. Here’s my story:

The year was 1882 when I rode into Calico, atop a rawboned nag that looked about as enthusiastic as I felt after three days crossing the Mojave Desert. From the ridge, the silver mining camp sprawled below me in a haze of dust, ambition and poor financial decisions. The discovery that spurred the camp’s founding was made by a prospecting party consisting of Frank Mecham, George Yager, Tom Warden and Hues Thomas. They had been grubstaked by local San Bernardino Sheriff, John C. King. They described the mountain peaks in the region as “calico-colored,” which led to the range and the subsequent camp/town both being named Calico. The Silver King Mine became California’s largest silver producer in the mid-1880s.

What I saw boggled the mind, wooden buildings crowding the street running up the ravine, miners scurrying everywhere, especially towards the saloons and other “houses.” The air smelled of smoke, sweat and distinct other aromas that I won’t put down on paper. I tied my horse outside the general store, climbed the steps and sank into an ancient rocking chair to take it all in. I needed a sasparilla something fierce, but didn’t have the energy to walk over to the saloon. I closed my eyes for just a moment…..

…. and when I woke up, things were different. It was still mighty hot, but I wasn’t sitting on the old rocking chair no longer, I was in the saloon, with a bottle of Sasparilla!

It was mighty tasty and went down smooth, cutting the dust right proper. Re-invigorated, I headed out onto the main street to wander about the town, to see what I could find. What the heck is this iPhone 16pro thing? What happened to the dirt road? Place smelled a lot nicer, too. Hmmmm, how long was that nap?

That’s some serious twisting, no doubt a result of the nearby Calico Fault.

This guy looks familiar.

Most of the town burned to the ground in the fire of 1883, and then again in 1887.

I nearly got run off by some of the locals, they can sure cause a ruckus when they get riled up!

This here’s a smaller replica of the old schoolhouse built in 1885, which was used for many years. This pretty building went up in the 1950s.

Well, those are a few of the things I saw whilst wandering about the town. Purty interesting place to visit, I do say. Think I might need to mosey on back to the general store and maybe take another nap in that old rocking chair, I’m plum tuckered out.