{"id":4773,"date":"2017-05-09T04:04:33","date_gmt":"2017-05-09T04:04:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/oregon-sampler-trip-copy\/"},"modified":"2024-04-26T05:03:17","modified_gmt":"2024-04-26T05:03:17","slug":"ghost-town-trail-near-lone-pine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/ghost-town-trail-near-lone-pine\/","title":{"rendered":"Ghost Town Trail Near Lone Pine"},"content":{"rendered":"<!--themify_builder_content-->\n<div id=\"themify_builder_content-4773\" data-postid=\"4773\" class=\"themify_builder_content themify_builder_content-4773 themify_builder tf_clear\">\n                    <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row tb_eqfh439 tb_first tf_w\">\n                        <div class=\"row_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_2 tf_box tf_rel\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col3-2 tb_y4tz440 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_jeyw441    wow\" data-tf-animation=\"zoomIn\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p><strong>In the Owen\u2019s Valley, about a two hour drive north of Los Angeles near the town of Lone Pine, is a string of \u201calmost\u201d ghost towns that are fun to visit and explore.<\/strong>\u00a0 You\u2019ll also get to experience the views and vastness of Owens (Dry) Lake, the Sierra Nevada and Inyo Mountains \u2013 each can take your breath away. \u00a0You can spend anywhere from a half to an entire day taking this trip.\u00a0 It all depends on how much time you spend looking around each site.\u00a0<\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                    <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col3-1 tb_9bhn441 last\">\n                    <!-- module image -->\n<div  class=\"module module-image tb_s3pk441 image-top rounded drop-shadow  tf_mw wow\" data-tf-animation=\"fadeInRightBig\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div class=\"image-wrap tf_rel tf_mw\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"230\" height=\"190\" src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwin.jpg\" class=\"wp-post-image wp-image-4764\" title=\"GhostTownDarwin\" alt=\"GhostTownDarwin\">    \n        <\/div>\n    <!-- \/image-wrap -->\n    \n        <\/div>\n<!-- \/module image -->        <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row tb_v1mu440 tf_w\">\n                        <div class=\"row_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tf_box tf_rel\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col-full tb_2uj8442 first\">\n                    <!-- module callout -->\n<div  class=\"module ui module-callout tb_7dpu936 button-bottom-center red  rounded embossed shadow wow\" data-tf-animation=\"fadeInLeft\" data-tf-animation_delay=\"1\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n    \n    <div class=\"callout-inner\">\n    <div class=\"callout-content tf_left\">\n        <h3 class=\"callout-heading\"><\/h3>\n        <div class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n            <strong>Click image<\/strong> to watch Virtual Video Tour and see viewer comments.\nThen come back to get the rest of the story.        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <!-- \/callout-content -->\n        <\/div>\n    <!-- \/callout-content -->\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module callout -->\n<!-- module image -->\n<div  class=\"module module-image tb_oj8i166 image-center bordered  tf_mw wow\" data-tf-animation=\"lightSpeedIn\" data-tf-animation_delay=\"1.5\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div class=\"image-wrap tf_rel tf_mw\">\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=EcGVFoCMg_E\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">\n                   <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1223\" height=\"688\" src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/GhostTownLoneYouTube.jpg\" class=\"wp-post-image wp-image-7042\" title=\"GhostTownLoneYouTube\" alt=\"GhostTownLoneYouTube\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/GhostTownLoneYouTube.jpg 1223w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/GhostTownLoneYouTube-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/GhostTownLoneYouTube-1024x576.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/GhostTownLoneYouTube-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1223px) 100vw, 1223px\" \/>        <\/a>\n    \n        <\/div>\n    <!-- \/image-wrap -->\n    \n        <\/div>\n<!-- \/module image --><!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_64tg442   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <h3>Trip Specs<\/h3>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row tb_yqwe440 tf_w\">\n                        <div class=\"row_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_2 tf_box tf_rel\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col4-2 tb_lugy442 first\">\n                    <!-- module callout -->\n<div  class=\"module ui module-callout tb_x5c2442  yellow  rounded shadow wow\" data-tf-animation=\"fadeInUp\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n    \n    <div class=\"callout-inner\">\n    <div class=\"callout-content tf_left\">\n        <h3 class=\"callout-heading\">Length<\/h3>\n        <div class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n            36 miles (57.6 km) one-way        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <!-- \/callout-content -->\n        <\/div>\n    <!-- \/callout-content -->\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module callout -->\n<!-- module callout -->\n<div  class=\"module ui module-callout tb_5waq443  yellow  rounded shadow wow\" data-tf-animation=\"fadeInUp\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n    \n    <div class=\"callout-inner\">\n    <div class=\"callout-content tf_left\">\n        <h3 class=\"callout-heading\">Attractions<\/h3>\n        <div class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n            <ul>\n<li>Long scenic views<\/li>\n<li>Many historic sites<\/li>\n<li>Desert &#8220;artifacts&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Ghost towns<\/li>\n<\/ul>        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <!-- \/callout-content -->\n        <\/div>\n    <!-- \/callout-content -->\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module callout -->\n        <\/div>\n                    <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col4-2 tb_76zy443 last\">\n                    <!-- module callout -->\n<div  class=\"module ui module-callout tb_06jm443  yellow  rounded shadow wow\" data-tf-animation=\"fadeInUp\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n    \n    <div class=\"callout-inner\">\n    <div class=\"callout-content tf_left\">\n        <h3 class=\"callout-heading\">Difficulty<\/h3>\n        <div class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n            <ul>\n<li>Most of trip is on pavement<\/li>\n<li>Side trip to Cerro Gordo requires 4WD<\/li>\n<li>Make sure to purchase fuel in Lone Pine<\/li>\n<li>Remote areas &#8211; cell phones will not work<\/li>\n<\/ul>        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <!-- \/callout-content -->\n        <\/div>\n    <!-- \/callout-content -->\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module callout -->\n        <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row tb_919c440 tf_w\">\n                        <div class=\"row_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tf_box tf_rel\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col-full tb_sts3444 first\">\n                    <!-- module callout -->\n<div  class=\"module ui module-callout tb_wk8t444  orange  rounded gradient wow\" data-tf-animation=\"fadeInRightBig\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n    \n    <div class=\"callout-inner\">\n    <div class=\"callout-content tf_left\">\n        <h3 class=\"callout-heading\">How to find these places<\/h3>\n        <div class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n            If you would like to find these places on your own using your phone or mobile device, make sure to see the Trip Map section at the end of this post. We use <b>Gaia GPS<\/b> and our own loadable GPX file to pinpoint each location on a map.        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <!-- \/callout-content -->\n        <\/div>\n    <!-- \/callout-content -->\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module callout -->\n<!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_op58444   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p>Only a hundred years ago, this area was much different.\u00a0 The Owens Lake wasn\u2019t dry and was more like a large inland sea than a lake.\u00a0 This lake, along with the mining and agriculture that was going on then, supported a much larger population.\u00a0 Over time, the City of Los Angeles gulped the lake dry and the mines have played out.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Today, only a few people still live in these towns which are what keeps them from becoming true \u201cghost towns\u201d.\u00a0 Wind and time have left little evidence of those more prosperous times of the late 1890\u2019s and early 1900\u2019s.<\/p>\n<h3>Interagency Visitor Center<\/h3>\n<p>Our trip starts one mile south of Lone Pine at the Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center located at the junction of Highways 395 and 136.\u00a0 If you haven\u2019t stopped here before, you should.\u00a0 The center offers a wealth of information along with several well done interpretive displays that cover area subjects such as the L.A. Aqueduct and the topography of the Sierras.<\/p>\n<p>At the visitor center, reset your odometer, then head east on Hwy 136.\u00a0 You are now headed straight towards the mighty Inyo Mountains and the wide open expanse of Owens Lake on the right.\u00a0 Before leaving, make sure you filled up your tank full of gas in Lone Pine.\u00a0 You\u2019ll see some gas stations along our route but they haven\u2019t pumped gasoline for decades!\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>At 2.6 miles, you\u2019ll cross the Owens River.\u00a0 This once mighty river used to drain the Eastern Sierras and deposit that water into Owens Lake just to the right.\u00a0 If you look back and west at this point, you\u2019ll be rewarded with a grand view of the Sierras themselves.<\/p>\n<h3>Dolomite Loop<\/h3>\n<p>At 3.4 miles, as Hwy. 136 bears right, turn left onto Dolomite Loop.\u00a0 At about 5.7 miles, look for some very large holes in the mountain to the left.\u00a0 Notice how much of this rock is white.\u00a0 This is the beginning of the huge Inyo Dolomite Quarry.\u00a0 High-quality dolomite limestone marble has been dug out of this site since 1862 and it\u2019s still being quarried today.\u00a0 Marble from this site was used in the construction of many famous California buildings including Los Angeles\u2019 City Hall and its International Airport.\u00a0 The marble was also used to create classic 1920\u2019s-era Terrazzo flooring.<\/p>\n<p>Continue on to a large, gated driveway at 6.7 miles.\u00a0 Behind this locked entrance is our first ghost town.\u00a0 About a quarter of a mile past the gate are the remains of several buildings that were once the company town for the dolomite quarry.\u00a0 In more productive years, company workers lived here and several of those buildings still stand today.\u00a0 None of these old buildings are used anymore having been replaced with the modern industrial buildings behind the ghost town.\u00a0 All of the buildings are on private property.<\/p>\n<p>At 7.9 miles, Dolomite Loop rejoins Hwy 136.\u00a0 Before turning left to get back on the highway however, notice the historical marker on the right that explains Dolomite.<\/p>\n<div class=\"g g-11\"><div class=\"g-single a-27\"><a class=\"gofollow\" data-track=\"MjcsMTEsNjA=\" title=\"Snap Shots West\" href=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/ssw\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-2382 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Ad-800x500-2a.gif\" width=\"800\" height=\"500\" \/><\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<h3>Tramway<\/h3>\n<p>At 8.9 miles, you\u2019ll see a small building off the road on the left.\u00a0 This is the site of \u201cTramway\u201d which was the terminus of the Saline Valley salt aerial tramway.\u00a0 Not really a town, it was a cluster of buildings and a siding along the Carson &amp; Colorado Railroad (more on that later).<\/p>\n<p>This aerial tramway was an engineering masterpiece when it was built in 1912.\u00a0 It transported the salt that was mined in Saline Valley, the next big valley to the northeast, and stretched 13.5 miles over the Inyo Mountains.\u00a0 From Saline Valley, the tramway climbed up 7,500 feet and then descended 5,000 feet down into Owens Valley.\u00a0 Salt was dumped from the tram buckets and then loaded onto train cars.\u00a0 This all occurred between the road and the foot of the mountain.\u00a0 You can still see the first tramway tower on the hill above.\u00a0 The tramway operated on and off until 1933.<\/p>\n<h3>Petroglyphs<\/h3>\n<p>Our next stop is to see some unusual Native American petroglyphs that may mark the site of a very old ghost town.\u00a0 Look for a faint dirt road on the left at 9.4 miles.\u00a0 Go up this road a short distance and park your vehicle.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Walk over the open desert to the northwest, paralleling the highway back to Lone Pine.\u00a0 Soon, you\u2019ll come to a steep ridge.\u00a0 Follow the ridgeline to the right and you\u2019ll see the petroglyphs.<\/p>\n<p>Most petroglyphs are drawn on dark, almost black, rocks but these are on beige rocks.\u00a0 This is what makes them unusual as well as a little difficult to see.\u00a0 When you\u2019re done looking, return to the highway and continue your trip.<\/p>\n<h3>Swansea<\/h3>\n<p>In 9.8 miles, you will arrive at the old smelting town of Swansea.\u00a0 This town sprung up in 1869 when a company built several blast furnaces here to process silver from a large mine high up in the Inyo Mountains named Cerro Gordo.\u00a0 A year later, Swansea became a port on the Owens Lake where a steam boat docked to load silver ingots for transport to the town of Cartago on the south end of the lake.<\/p>\n<p>A single building on the left, now a residence, marks the site of the town site of Swansea.\u00a0 Once there were many wooden buildings behind the residence but over the years they have disappeared.\u00a0 Park on the right side of the road to see the historical marker and the remains of the smelter.\u00a0 The smelter itself, which is a small pile of eroded red bricks located just beyond the marker, is unfortunately disappearing into the desert sand.\u00a0 It was much bigger just two decades ago.<\/p>\n<h3>Keeler<\/h3>\n<p>At 12.8 miles, turn right onto Malone Street and into the heart of Keeler.\u00a0 This rather interesting town sprung up to support the large increase in activity at the Cerro Gordo silver mines mentioned earlier.\u00a0 The 1872 Lone Pine earthquake disabled the port at Swansea so a new one was built in what was then called Hawley.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Renamed Keeler in 1880, it started out as a supply town and transportation hub for Cerro Gordo and other area mines.\u00a0 Silver from Cerro Gordo would later supply the funding for the growth of a small village named Los Angeles.\u00a0 Cerro Gordo was the mine that changed the \u201ctide of money\u201d which, back then, usually flowed to San Francisco but was now flowing to Los Angeles since it was much closer.<\/p>\n<p>The narrow gauge Carson and Colorado Railway reached Keeler in 1883.\u00a0 The 300 mile line started near Virginia City, Nevada, and ended in Keeler. \u00a0Decreasing the costs of shipping ore, the railroad brought even more commerce to Keeler as other mines needed to ship various salts, borax, talc and dolomite.\u00a0 In 1900, the line was sold to the Southern Pacific and continued to thrive due to increased mining activity further to the north in Tonopah and Goldfield.\u00a0 The line continued to serve Keeler until 1960.\u00a0 One of the gems of Keeler is its surviving train depot.<\/p>\n<p>Believe it or not, Keeler experiences the worst air pollution in California.\u00a0 After Owens Lake dried up in the 1940s, the wind began blowing large plumes of alkaline dust through Keeler making it impossible to breath.\u00a0 Recently, a multi-billion dollar lawsuit was won and the City of Los Angeles is now flooding the lake bed once again to remedy the dust problem.<\/p>\n<p>According to the 2010 census, 66 people call Keeler home.\u00a0 This is evident when you take a swing through town.\u00a0 You\u2019ll find a collection of old and eclectic buildings as well as collections of various old artifacts from a once booming mining town.<\/p>\n<p>More&#8230;<\/p>\n<div class=\"a-single a-8\"><a title=\"BackRoadsWest Travel Guides\" href=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/brw\/death-valley\/\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-2382 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/AdDeathValley3.gif\" width=\"665\" height=\"200\" \/><\/a><\/div>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text --><!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_w1v2445   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <h3>Pictures<\/h3><p>Below are some pictures of what you will see along the way.<\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text --><div  class=\"module themify_builder_slider_wrap tf_clearfix module-slider tb_u7e7445  slider-caption-overlay  \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div class=\"themify_builder_slider tf_carousel tf_swiper-container tf_rel tf_overflow\" data-lazy=\"1\"        data-visible=\"1\"\n        data-tab-visible=\"\"\n        data-mob-visible=\"\"\n        data-scroll=\"1\"\n                            data-auto=\"4000\"\n            data-controller=\"0\"\n            data-pause_hover=\"1\"\n                data-speed=\"normal\"\n        data-wrapvar=\"1\"\n        data-slider_nav=\"1\"\n        data-pager=\"1\"\n        data-effect=\"scroll\" \n        data-height=\"variable\"\n        data-css_url=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/pinboard\/themify\/themify-builder\/css\/modules\/sliders\/carousel,http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/pinboard\/themify\/themify-builder\/css\/modules\/sliders\/slider\"\n                    >\n        <div class=\"tf_swiper-wrapper tf_lazy tf_rel tf_w tf_h tf_textc\">\n                         <div class=\"tf_swiper-slide\">            <div class=\"slide-inner-wrap\">\n                                    <div class=\"tf_rel tf_lazy slide-image\">\n                                                                            <img src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%27http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%27%20width='800'%20height='450'%20viewBox=%270%200%20800%20450%27%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" loading=\"lazy\" data-lazy=\"1\" data-tf-not-load=\"1\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(to right,#cad3dc 25%,#dbe3e6 25% 50%,#d1dadf 50% 75%,#d2dadc 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#978e89 25%,#828960 25% 50%,#9198a0 50% 75%,#748fad 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#bbb8a5 25%,#b3ae9a 25% 50%,#827d69 50% 75%,#a2a08b 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#8b8a78 25%,#9d9787 25% 50%,#a1a08c 50% 75%,#7a7766 75%)\" decoding=\"async\" data-tf-src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr1-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"tf_svg_lazy wp-post-image wp-image-4765\" title=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr1\" alt=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr1\" data-tf-srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr1.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr1-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr1-768x432.jpg 768w\" data-tf-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-tf-not-load data-no-script src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr1-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"wp-post-image wp-image-4765\" title=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr1\" alt=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr1\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr1.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr1-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr1-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/noscript>                                            <\/div>\n                \n                                    <div class=\"slide-content tb_text_wrap\">\n                        \n                                                    <div>Starting our trip on Hwy 136 at the Interagency Visitor Center<\/div>\n                                            <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>                     <div class=\"tf_swiper-slide\" style=\"content-visibility:hidden\">            <div class=\"slide-inner-wrap\">\n                                    <div class=\"tf_rel tf_lazy slide-image\">\n                                                                            <img src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%27http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%27%20width='800'%20height='450'%20viewBox=%270%200%20800%20450%27%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" loading=\"lazy\" data-lazy=\"1\" data-tf-not-load=\"1\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(to right,#d6e6f3 25%,#e7f5fe 25% 50%,#ddeffd 50% 75%,#c7dbf3 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#26240b 25%,#807b53 25% 50%,#998560 50% 75%,#625741 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#3a2d1c 25%,#9e977d 25% 50%,#4b4d48 50% 75%,#221d17 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#6e6c5f 25%,#9b9585 25% 50%,#a1926b 50% 75%,#9a968d 75%)\" decoding=\"async\" data-tf-src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr2-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"tf_svg_lazy wp-post-image wp-image-4766\" title=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr2\" alt=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr2\" data-tf-srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr2.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr2-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr2-768x432.jpg 768w\" data-tf-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-tf-not-load data-no-script src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr2-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"wp-post-image wp-image-4766\" title=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr2\" alt=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr2\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr2.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr2-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr2-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/noscript>                                            <\/div>\n                \n                                    <div class=\"slide-content tb_text_wrap\">\n                        \n                                                    <div>Stone building ruins near Swansea&#8217;s smelter<\/div>\n                                            <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>                     <div class=\"tf_swiper-slide\" style=\"content-visibility:hidden\">            <div class=\"slide-inner-wrap\">\n                                    <div class=\"tf_rel tf_lazy slide-image\">\n                                                                            <img src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%27http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%27%20width='800'%20height='450'%20viewBox=%270%200%20800%20450%27%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" loading=\"lazy\" data-lazy=\"1\" data-tf-not-load=\"1\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(to right,#78b5f6 25%,#84bbf1 25% 50%,#a9d3fd 50% 75%,#8abef8 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#d4e5f5 25%,#573529 25% 50%,#846e7b 50% 75%,#e9f6ff 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#767243 25%,#92846a 25% 50%,#616b74 50% 75%,#aa988c 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#959387 25%,#95908a 25% 50%,#adb3b3 50% 75%,#a3aeb4 75%)\" decoding=\"async\" data-tf-src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr3-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"tf_svg_lazy wp-post-image wp-image-4767\" title=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr3\" alt=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr3\" data-tf-srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr3.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr3-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr3-768x432.jpg 768w\" data-tf-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-tf-not-load data-no-script src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr3-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"wp-post-image wp-image-4767\" title=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr3\" alt=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr3\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr3.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr3-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr3-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/noscript>                                            <\/div>\n                \n                                    <div class=\"slide-content tb_text_wrap\">\n                        \n                                                    <div>Train depot at Keeler is the end of the line for the Carson &#038; Colorado Railroad<\/div>\n                                            <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>                     <div class=\"tf_swiper-slide\" style=\"content-visibility:hidden\">            <div class=\"slide-inner-wrap\">\n                                    <div class=\"tf_rel tf_lazy slide-image\">\n                                                                            <img src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%27http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%27%20width='800'%20height='450'%20viewBox=%270%200%20800%20450%27%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" loading=\"lazy\" data-lazy=\"1\" data-tf-not-load=\"1\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(to right,#a7b0bf 25%,#bbe2dd 25% 50%,#8eceda 50% 75%,#41a2d5 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#765c37 25%,#8a6036 25% 50%,#7f5c40 50% 75%,#2078da 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#828186 25%,#887b75 25% 50%,#b19f89 50% 75%,#b79687 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#262f2e 25%,#475a6b 25% 50%,#596163 50% 75%,#3f434c 75%)\" decoding=\"async\" data-tf-src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr4-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"tf_svg_lazy wp-post-image wp-image-4768\" title=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr4\" alt=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr4\" data-tf-srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr4.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr4-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr4-768x432.jpg 768w\" data-tf-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-tf-not-load data-no-script src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr4-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"wp-post-image wp-image-4768\" title=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr4\" alt=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr4\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr4.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr4-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr4-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/noscript>                                            <\/div>\n                \n                                    <div class=\"slide-content tb_text_wrap\">\n                        \n                                                    <div>Well-kept buildings from the 1870s in Cerro Gordo<\/div>\n                                            <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>                     <div class=\"tf_swiper-slide\" style=\"content-visibility:hidden\">            <div class=\"slide-inner-wrap\">\n                                    <div class=\"tf_rel tf_lazy slide-image\">\n                                                                            <img src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%27http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%27%20width='800'%20height='450'%20viewBox=%270%200%20800%20450%27%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" loading=\"lazy\" data-lazy=\"1\" data-tf-not-load=\"1\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(to right,#b1d6f0 25%,#cce3f1 25% 50%,#dbe9f6 50% 75%,#e2ebf4 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#545255 25%,#3e4851 25% 50%,#beb5b0 50% 75%,#515659 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#8c8b89 25%,#515443 25% 50%,#7e9db1 50% 75%,#a1abb4 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#2a2a34 25%,#979183 25% 50%,#948b86 50% 75%,#454223 75%)\" decoding=\"async\" data-tf-src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr5-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"tf_svg_lazy wp-post-image wp-image-4769\" title=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr5\" alt=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr5\" data-tf-srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr5.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr5-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr5-768x432.jpg 768w\" data-tf-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-tf-not-load data-no-script src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr5-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"wp-post-image wp-image-4769\" title=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr5\" alt=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr5\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr5.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr5-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr5-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/noscript>                                            <\/div>\n                \n                                    <div class=\"slide-content tb_text_wrap\">\n                        \n                                                    <div>Miner housing at Darwin Mines<\/div>\n                                            <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>                     <div class=\"tf_swiper-slide\" style=\"content-visibility:hidden\">            <div class=\"slide-inner-wrap\">\n                                    <div class=\"tf_rel tf_lazy slide-image\">\n                                                                            <img src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%27http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%27%20width='800'%20height='450'%20viewBox=%270%200%20800%20450%27%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" loading=\"lazy\" data-lazy=\"1\" data-tf-not-load=\"1\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(to right,#cde3f8 25%,#dceefa 25% 50%,#f3fdfe 50% 75%,#f8fdf9 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#e1e5e8 25%,#d9b384 25% 50%,#7f9b9f 50% 75%,#75552c 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#8f8488 25%,#453a1c 25% 50%,#c6c1a3 50% 75%,#aaae97 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#a39d91 25%,#aba188 25% 50%,#bca586 50% 75%,#6e5a37 75%)\" decoding=\"async\" data-tf-src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr6-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"tf_svg_lazy wp-post-image wp-image-4770\" title=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr6\" alt=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr6\" data-tf-srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr6.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr6-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr6-768x432.jpg 768w\" data-tf-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-tf-not-load data-no-script src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr6-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"wp-post-image wp-image-4770\" title=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr6\" alt=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr6\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr6.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr6-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr6-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/noscript>                                            <\/div>\n                \n                                    <div class=\"slide-content tb_text_wrap\">\n                        \n                                                    <div>Buildings at downtown Darwin<\/div>\n                                            <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>                     <div class=\"tf_swiper-slide\" style=\"content-visibility:hidden\">            <div class=\"slide-inner-wrap\">\n                                    <div class=\"tf_rel tf_lazy slide-image\">\n                                                                            <img src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%27http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%27%20width='800'%20height='450'%20viewBox=%270%200%20800%20450%27%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" loading=\"lazy\" data-lazy=\"1\" data-tf-not-load=\"1\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(to right,#53653d 25%,#626c6d 25% 50%,#58623f 50% 75%,#2c3015 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#c0b1ac 25%,#aa9f99 25% 50%,#bab7a6 50% 75%,#a9a3a5 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#6e6a69 25%,#d7d3d0 25% 50%,#7e746a 50% 75%,#615a50 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#ac9e9d 25%,#908b87 25% 50%,#4c5155 50% 75%,#878f82 75%)\" decoding=\"async\" data-tf-src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr7-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"tf_svg_lazy wp-post-image wp-image-4771\" title=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr7\" alt=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr7\" data-tf-srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr7.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr7-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr7-768x432.jpg 768w\" data-tf-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-tf-not-load data-no-script src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr7-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"wp-post-image wp-image-4771\" title=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr7\" alt=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr7\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr7.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr7-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr7-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/noscript>                                            <\/div>\n                \n                                    <div class=\"slide-content tb_text_wrap\">\n                        \n                                                    <div>Darwin&#8217;s classic western-style cemetery<\/div>\n                                            <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>            <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row tb_v3so440 tf_w\">\n                        <div class=\"row_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_2 tf_box tf_rel\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col4-2 tb_yr4j445 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_gecs179   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gaiagps.com\/discounts\/?fp_ref=backroadswest\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"outline:none;border:none;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/d2gdx5nv84sdx2.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/ipoz1to3\/marketing_asset\/banner\/248\/gaia_gps_300x300.png\" alt=\"gaiagps\" border=\"0\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                    <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col4-2 tb_ndfb446 last\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_lvye887   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<!-- Skyscraper160x600 --><br \/>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7400034802659664\" data-ad-slot=\"8100341909\" data-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins><br \/>\n<script>\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/p>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row tb_iam6440 tf_w\">\n                        <div class=\"row_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tf_box tf_rel\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col-full tb_i8kn446 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_twrt575   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<!-- Skyscraper160x600 --><br \/>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7400034802659664\" data-ad-slot=\"8100341909\" data-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins><br \/>\n<script>\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/p>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text --><!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_jux5447   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <h3>Cerro Gordo<\/h3>\n<p>Get back to Hwy 136 and turn right.\u00a0 Go a short distance and turn left onto Cerro Gordo St.\u00a0 Then pull over and stop.\u00a0 Located here is another historical marker about the ghost town of Cerro Gordo.\u00a0 High above you in the mountains, but not in sight, is the town and mines of Cerro Gordo.<\/p>\n<p>Continuing on this dirt road will take you to Cerro Gordo but should only be done in a 4WD vehicle.\u00a0 The road is not part of our suggested trip.\u00a0 It is very steep and not for someone that is afraid of heights.\u00a0 You can easily spend half day on this road alone.\u00a0 The ghost town is privately owned and sometimes welcomes visitors to its tiny museum.\u00a0 Along the way, look for the remains of an aerial tramway that used to stretch between Keeler and Cerro Gordo.\u00a0 In one spot, there\u2019s still an ore bucket dangling high on a cable above a canyon.<\/p>\n<p>Several mines were discovered and started by Mexican prospectors at the end of the Civil War and all of them had names reflecting their heritage.\u00a0 Cerro Gordo translates to \u201cFat Pig\u201d.\u00a0 By 1868, investors from afar heard of the quality silver ore and the rush was on.\u00a0 Two years later, furnaces were producing nine tons of pure silver per day!\u00a0 The ingots couldn\u2019t be shipped out fast enough.\u00a0 Miners seeking shelter literally built homes out of silver ingots, just like Eskimos build igloos out of ice blocks.<\/p>\n<p>Silver mining continued until about 1879 when pay dirt was played out and other booms were beginning, such as the one close by in Darwin (our last stop on this trip).\u00a0 New veins were discovered in 1907 and Cerro Gordo saw a revival.\u00a0 Mining continued until the mid-1930s.\u00a0 After World War II, various mining efforts in the surrounding mountains showed a lot of promise but not much materialized.\u00a0 If you\u2019re taking this side trip, retrace your route back to Hwy. 136.<\/p>\n<p>To continue the trip, reset your odometer at this junction and turn left onto Hwy 136.<\/p>\n<h3>Talc City<\/h3>\n<p>Our next stop, which will be the Talc City turnoff, is 14.6 miles from Cerro Gordo Road.\u00a0 At 4.6 miles, SR 190 joins in from the right.\u00a0 At this intersection, there is an interesting kiosk that explains some of the history of the area.\u00a0 Continue straight (southeast) on SR 190.<\/p>\n<p>As the name implies, Talc City is the location of a series of talc mines. \u00a0Although not a ghost town, several buildings were scattered in this small area that served as offices and houses for the miners, so it was close to being a \u201ctown\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Talc was first mined in Inyo County just after World War I.\u00a0 There are a series of many talc mines that lie in a 125 mile-long straight line, starting near Shoshone, through Death and Panamint Valleys, Talc City, Saline Valley and Owens Valley.\u00a0 This \u201cline\u201d was a major producer of talc from the 1920s until roughly 1980.\u00a0 Talc from the Death Valley area was shipped south to Victorville where it was milled.\u00a0 Talc from this area was shipped, often by rail from Keeler, to all over California.<\/p>\n<p>Talc, sometimes known as soapstone, has many uses.\u00a0 Its mineral name is magnesium silicate.\u00a0 Everyone has probably heard of talcum powder.\u00a0 It is used to absorb moisture, oils and odors.\u00a0 Talc is also used in the production of paint, ceramics, paper, cosmetics, tires, building materials and many other things.<\/p>\n<p>During World War II, high-tech war tools such as radios and radar were being developed and talc was needed for certain electronic components.\u00a0 Soon, miners realized that talc was the new gold.\u00a0 In fact, more money was earned from Inyo County talc mines than all other mines combined, including gold.<\/p>\n<p>By the 1970s, the need for talc was beginning to fade.\u00a0 In the electronics industry, other materials, such as silicon, were being used.\u00a0 The nail in the coffin for many talc mines in Inyo County was the introduction of much cheaper talc from China.\u00a0 By 1990, most talc mines were no longer operating.<\/p>\n<p>At 14.6 miles, turn left off SR 190 and make an immediate right.\u00a0 You will now be on Talc City Road. \u00a0Visiting Talc City requires a high-clearance vehicle.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t have one, keep going on SR 190 and turn right onto Darwin Road at 17.4 miles to continue this trip.<\/p>\n<p>A trip through Talc City will take you past several of the mine sites.\u00a0 Look for the first mine at 16.6 miles on the left.\u00a0 At 17 miles, keep left (straight) at the fork.\u00a0 At 17.4 miles, more diggings are passed on the right.\u00a0 At 17.5 miles, bear right and follow the main road as it makes a sweeping 180 degree turn back to the south.\u00a0 At 17.9 miles, another mine and several ruins are on the left.\u00a0 The flat area is where one of the company towns existed.\u00a0 At 18.2 miles, you will pass by an area where talc ore was loaded into haul trucks.\u00a0 You may see the remains of a few old trucks and skip loaders.\u00a0 Just down the road is another mine on the left.\u00a0 At 18.6 miles, bear left at the fork.\u00a0 Keep going until this road dead-ends at the pavement of SR 190.<\/p>\n<div class=\"g g-11\"><div class=\"g-single a-28\"><a class=\"gofollow\" data-track=\"MjgsMTEsNjA=\" title=\"Snap Shots West\" href=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/ssw\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-2382 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Ad-800x500-1b.gif\" width=\"800\" height=\"500\" \/><\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<h3>Darwin<\/h3>\n<p>At the end of the dirt from Talc City, cross over SR 190 and head east down paved Darwin Road.\u00a0 Roughly a half mile before reaching Darwin, look for the large Darwin Mines complex and company town (still active in 2016) on the left. \u00a0Downtown Darwin is reached at 5.7 miles from SR 190.\u00a0 Here you\u2019ll find another town that is \u201calmost\u201d a ghost town.\u00a0 As of the 2010 census, 43 people call Darwin home.\u00a0 Like Keeler, Darwin sports a post office that\u2019s still open.\u00a0 Darwin\u2019s opened in 1875.<\/p>\n<p>Rich silver-lead ore deposits were discovered here in 1874.\u00a0 By 1880, Darwin became a full-fledged mining town, complete with saloons, hotels, dance halls (aka brothels) and smelters to process the ore.\u00a0 Many of the businesses came over from Cerro Gordo, which by now was beginning to fade.\u00a0 With the new Darwin rush came the normal rough and ready people common at mining camps.<\/p>\n<p>Unlike other mining towns in the Southwest though, Darwin held on to life for a long time.\u00a0 By 1884, the easy surface mining was exhausted and the big rush faded.\u00a0 Plus, miners and businesses were being lured to the Bodie mining rush of the 1880\u2019s.\u00a0 Some miners at Darwin, however, kept digging and discovered that Ophir Mountain (to the north of Darwin) was rich with all kinds of minerals, mainly zinc, tungsten, antimony and others.\u00a0 When the two World Wars came along, demand for these minerals increased and so did mining activity at Darwin.<\/p>\n<p>By the late 1950\u2019s, mining slowed down.\u00a0 After decades of mining the combined minerals, Darwin experienced a total production of $35-40 million.\u00a0 When compared to other mining areas, this is considered very good.<\/p>\n<p>We were lucky to partake in a tour of the Darwin Mines complex.\u00a0 This site was the original Defiance Mine back in the 1880\u2019s and was later operated by the Anaconda Mining Corporation in the middle 1900\u2019s.\u00a0 Today it has been owned since the 1990s by husband and wife entrepreneurs that have big plans to bring more minerals out.\u00a0 Mining engineers say that valuable ore is reachable from the mine\u2019s massive, existing tunnel network.\u00a0 Since California\u2019s laws are so strict now, building any type of mill for processing the ore would be unthinkable.\u00a0 However, because of the mine\u2019s tunnels and caverns, much of the processing can be done underground, bypassing environmental regulations.\u00a0 Hopefully, they can make a go of it and breathe new life into this forgotten corner of the desert.<\/p>\n<p>Wandering the streets of Darwin (there aren\u2019t very many) is definitely a different experience than wandering around other old towns.\u00a0 Many of the old buildings are second generation, meaning they were not the original ones built in the 1880\u2019s.\u00a0 Many of the town\u2019s occupants have collected various antique odds and ends which are fun to look at.\u00a0 Remember that this is all private party, so enjoy looking at the artifacts from the street.<\/p>\n<p>The cemetery is the typical old style with big headstones and wood fences around some of the plots.\u00a0 Visiting it is worthwhile if you haven\u2019t seen an old western cemetery before.\u00a0 It is located by turning right on Main Street (at the stop sign) head southwest for a quarter of a mile, then turn right and continue for another quarter mile.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s it for our tour.\u00a0 From Darwin, either take the paved road back to SR 190 or, if you like 4WD adventure, go north on Main Street to explore China Garden Spring, Darwin Falls and the amazing canyon that they are both in.\u00a0 All are located inside Death Valley National Park.<\/p>\n<p><strong>See more places to visit around <a href=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/lone-pine\/\">Lone Pine<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>Trip Map<\/h2>\n<p>To help plan your trip, either use our interactive Google Map below or download our GPX file that points out the places to see that are mentioned in this chapter.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/blog\/gpx-files\/GhostTownTrail.gpx\" download=\"\">Click here<\/a> to download our GPX file for the Ghost Town Trail. We recommend using a GPS mapping app, such as Gaia GPS, to view these points on your computer or to locate them using GPS with your mobile device or phone. Click the ad below to purchase Gaia GPS using our discount code which offers up to a 50% discount.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a style=\"outline: none; border: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gaiagps.com\/discounts\/?fp_ref=backroadswest\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/d2gdx5nv84sdx2.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/ipoz1to3\/marketing_asset\/banner\/621\/gaia_gps_overlanding_728x90.png\" alt=\"gaiagps\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/map\/\">Learn more<\/a> about our maps.<\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text --><!-- module maps pro -->\n<div  id=\"tb_4wwk447\" class=\"module module-maps-pro tb_4wwk447  tf_lazy\" data-zoom=\"10\" data-type=\"TERRAIN\" data-address=\"36.429942, -117.824498\" data-scrollwheel=\"1\" data-draggable=\"enable\" data-disable_map_ui=\"\" data-polyline=\"\" data-geodesic=\"\" data-polylineStroke=\"2\" data-polylineColor=\"\" data-trigger=\"\" data-mapid=\"\" data-legacymarkers=\"\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"maps-pro-canvas-container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"maps-pro-canvas\" style=\"width:100%;height:400px\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<template>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div data-address=\"36.579178, -118.056381\" data-image=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/icon-jeep.png\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tStart of our trip at the Interagency Visitor Center\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div data-address=\"36.429942, -117.824498\" data-image=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/icon-info.png\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tRoadside kiosk explains area history found here\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div data-address=\"36.553463, -117.945223\" data-image=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/icon-jeep.png\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tDolomite town site found behind locked gates on private property\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div data-address=\"36.528729, -117.909504\" data-image=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/icon-jeep.png\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tParking area to see unique petroglyphs etched on light-colored rock\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div data-address=\"36.532137, -117.917617\" data-image=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/icon-jeep.png\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tSite of \"Tramway\" - terminus of the Saline Valley salt tram\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div data-address=\"36.524358, -117.905071\" data-image=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/icon-jeep.png\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tSwansea historical marker and remains of smelter\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div data-address=\"36.490197, -117.871906\" data-image=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/icon-jeep.png\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tFirst turn-off into the town of  Keeler\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div data-address=\"36.488628, -117.873414\" data-image=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/icon-info.png\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tKeeler train depot\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div data-address=\"36.487604, -117.871990\" data-image=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/icon-info.png\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tHistoric Sierra Talc Mill\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div data-address=\"36.486384, -117.873713\" data-image=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/icon-info.png\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tKeeler's public swimming pool and \"beach camp\"\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div data-address=\"36.537705, -117.795059\" data-image=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/icon-jeep.png\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tCerro Gordo\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div data-address=\"36.336009, -117.665323\" data-image=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/icon-jeep.png\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tSite of Talc City\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div data-address=\"36.275827, -117.601386\" data-image=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/icon-jeep.png\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tDarwin Mines and dozens of old miners' homes\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div data-address=\"36.268080, -117.591857\" data-image=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/icon-jeep.png\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tDowntown Darwin\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div data-address=\"36.267679, -117.601118\" data-image=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/icon-jeep.png\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tDarwin cemetery\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div data-address=\"36.574356, -118.009989\" data-image=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/icon-jeep.png\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tHwy 136 crosses Owens River - great view of Sierras\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/template>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n<!-- \/module maps pro --><!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_flk017   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <div class=\"g g-11\"><div class=\"g-single a-17\"><a title=\"BackRoadsWest.com\" href=\"https:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/brw\/tour-planning\/\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-2382 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Ad-800x500-TripPlan2.gif\" width=\"800\" height=\"500\" \/><\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<h3>Comments<\/h3>\n<p>Read and leave comments about this post on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=EcGVFoCMg_E\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">YouTube<\/a>.<\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row tb_u21v440 tf_w\">\n                        <div class=\"row_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_2 tf_box tf_rel\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col4-2 tb_eopk447 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_a0di448   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <h3>Support Us<\/h3><p>Help us fill up our tank with gas for our next trip by donating $5 and we&#8217;ll bring you back more quality virtual tours of our trips!<\/p><p>Your credit card payment is safe and easy using PayPal. Click the [Donate] button to get started:<\/p><!-- Begin PayPal Donations by https:\/\/www.tipsandtricks-hq.com\/paypal-donations-widgets-plugin -->\n\n<form action=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/cgi-bin\/webscr\" method=\"post\">\n    <div class=\"paypal-donations\">\n        <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"cmd\" value=\"_donations\" \/>\n        <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"bn\" value=\"TipsandTricks_SP\" \/>\n        <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"business\" value=\"ilene@backroadswest.com\" \/>\n        <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"return\" value=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\" \/>\n        <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"item_name\" value=\"Help fund our travel cost to create more trips\" \/>\n        <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"item_number\" value=\"BackRoadsWest Blog Donation\" \/>\n        <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"amount\" value=\"5.00\" \/>\n        <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"rm\" value=\"0\" \/>\n        <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"currency_code\" value=\"USD\" 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tf_w\">\n                        <div class=\"row_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tf_box tf_rel\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col-full tb_vdux448 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_h2ff448   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>See all our comprehensive virtual tour guides at<\/em>:<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a title=\"BackRoadsWest\" href=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/brw\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-2382 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/BRWlogo-300x40.jpg\" alt=\"BRWlogo\" width=\"300\" height=\"40\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/BRWlogo-300x40.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/BRWlogo.jpg 438w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text --><!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_mokb448   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p><script src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\" async=\"\"><\/script><!-- 468x60, created 5\/19\/11 --> <ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 468px; height: 60px;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-9021992350535116\" data-ad-slot=\"7695972004\"><\/ins><script>\/\/ <![CDATA[\n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n\/\/ ]]><\/script><\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text --><!-- module callout -->\n<div  class=\"module ui module-callout tb_yrdz449 button-bottom red  rounded gradient shadow wow\" data-tf-animation=\"rubberBand\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n    \n    <div class=\"callout-inner\">\n    <div class=\"callout-content tf_left\">\n        <h3 class=\"callout-heading\">More Area Trips<\/h3>\n        <div class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n            Perhaps you would like to go on other trips near this area?        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <!-- \/callout-content -->\n                    <div class=\"callout-button tf_right tf_textr\">\n            <a href=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/category\/deathvalley\/\" class=\"ui builder_button rounded gradient shadow yellow\">\n                <span class=\"tb_callout_text\">See more road trips<\/span>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n    <!-- \/callout-content -->\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module callout -->\n        <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n<!--\/themify_builder_content-->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In the Owen\u2019s Valley, about a two hour drive north of Los Angeles near the town of Lone Pine, is a string of \u201calmost\u201d ghost towns that are fun to visit and explore.\u00a0 You\u2019ll also get to experience the views and vastness of Owens (Dry) Lake, the Sierra Nevada and Inyo Mountains \u2013 each can [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4764,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,7,25,10,12,26,15,17,19,20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4773","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-california","category-deathvalley","category-historic","category-mojave-desert","category-places","category-railroads","category-roadeasy","category-season-fall","category-season-spring","category-season-winter","has-post-title","has-post-date","has-post-category","has-post-tag","has-post-comment","has-post-author",""],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO 4.9.9 - aioseo.com -->\n\t<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In the Owens Valley, about a two hour drive north of L.A. near the town of Lone Pine, is a string of \u201calmost\u201d ghost towns that are fun to visit and explore.\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"max-image-preview:large\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Cliff Bandringa\"\/>\n\t<meta name=\"keywords\" content=\"lone pine,california,road trip,owens valley,owens river,dolomite,keeler,swansea,cerro gordo,darwin\" \/>\n\t<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/ghost-town-trail-near-lone-pine\/\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"generator\" content=\"All in One SEO (AIOSEO) 4.9.9\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"BackRoadsWest Trips Blog | A new kind of travel guide for the 21st Century\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Ghost Town Trail Near Lone Pine | BackRoadsWest Trips Blog\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In 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03:39:26","updated":"2026-05-13 18:36:05","seo_analyzer_scan_date":null},"aioseo_breadcrumb":"<div class=\"aioseo-breadcrumbs\"><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\" title=\"Home\">Home<\/a>\n\t\t<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb-separator\">&raquo;<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/category\/california\/\" title=\"California\">California<\/a>\n\t\t<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb-separator\">&raquo;<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb\">\n\t\t\tGhost Town Trail Near Lone Pine\n\t\t<\/span><\/div>","aioseo_breadcrumb_json":[{"label":"Home","link":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog"},{"label":"California","link":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/category\/california\/"},{"label":"Ghost Town Trail Near Lone Pine","link":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/ghost-town-trail-near-lone-pine\/"}],"builder_content":"<p><strong>In the Owen\u2019s Valley, about a two hour drive north of Los Angeles near the town of Lone Pine, is a string of \u201calmost\u201d ghost towns that are fun to visit and explore.<\/strong>\u00a0 You\u2019ll also get to experience the views and vastness of Owens (Dry) Lake, the Sierra Nevada and Inyo Mountains \u2013 each can take your breath away. \u00a0You can spend anywhere from a half to an entire day taking this trip.\u00a0 It all depends on how much time you spend looking around each site.\u00a0<\/p>\n<img src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwin.jpg\" title=\"GhostTownDarwin\" alt=\"GhostTownDarwin\">\n<h3><\/h3> <strong>Click image<\/strong> to watch Virtual Video Tour and see viewer comments. Then come back to get the rest of the story.\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=EcGVFoCMg_E\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> <img src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/GhostTownLoneYouTube.jpg\" title=\"GhostTownLoneYouTube\" alt=\"GhostTownLoneYouTube\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/GhostTownLoneYouTube.jpg 1223w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/GhostTownLoneYouTube-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/GhostTownLoneYouTube-1024x576.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/GhostTownLoneYouTube-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1223px) 100vw, 1223px\" \/> <\/a>\n<h3>Trip Specs<\/h3>\n<h3>Length<\/h3> 36 miles (57.6 km) one-way\n<h3>Attractions<\/h3> <ul> <li>Long scenic views<\/li> <li>Many historic sites<\/li> <li>Desert \"artifacts\"<\/li> <li>Ghost towns<\/li> <\/ul>\n<h3>Difficulty<\/h3> <ul> <li>Most of trip is on pavement<\/li> <li>Side trip to Cerro Gordo requires 4WD<\/li> <li>Make sure to purchase fuel in Lone Pine<\/li> <li>Remote areas - cell phones will not work<\/li> <\/ul>\n<h3>How to find these places<\/h3> If you would like to find these places on your own using your phone or mobile device, make sure to see the Trip Map section at the end of this post. We use <b>Gaia GPS<\/b> and our own loadable GPX file to pinpoint each location on a map.\n<p>Only a hundred years ago, this area was much different.\u00a0 The Owens Lake wasn\u2019t dry and was more like a large inland sea than a lake.\u00a0 This lake, along with the mining and agriculture that was going on then, supported a much larger population.\u00a0 Over time, the City of Los Angeles gulped the lake dry and the mines have played out.\u00a0<\/p> <p>Today, only a few people still live in these towns which are what keeps them from becoming true \u201cghost towns\u201d.\u00a0 Wind and time have left little evidence of those more prosperous times of the late 1890\u2019s and early 1900\u2019s.<\/p> <h3>Interagency Visitor Center<\/h3> <p>Our trip starts one mile south of Lone Pine at the Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center located at the junction of Highways 395 and 136.\u00a0 If you haven\u2019t stopped here before, you should.\u00a0 The center offers a wealth of information along with several well done interpretive displays that cover area subjects such as the L.A. Aqueduct and the topography of the Sierras.<\/p> <p>At the visitor center, reset your odometer, then head east on Hwy 136.\u00a0 You are now headed straight towards the mighty Inyo Mountains and the wide open expanse of Owens Lake on the right.\u00a0 Before leaving, make sure you filled up your tank full of gas in Lone Pine.\u00a0 You\u2019ll see some gas stations along our route but they haven\u2019t pumped gasoline for decades!\u00a0<\/p> <p>At 2.6 miles, you\u2019ll cross the Owens River.\u00a0 This once mighty river used to drain the Eastern Sierras and deposit that water into Owens Lake just to the right.\u00a0 If you look back and west at this point, you\u2019ll be rewarded with a grand view of the Sierras themselves.<\/p> <h3>Dolomite Loop<\/h3> <p>At 3.4 miles, as Hwy. 136 bears right, turn left onto Dolomite Loop.\u00a0 At about 5.7 miles, look for some very large holes in the mountain to the left.\u00a0 Notice how much of this rock is white.\u00a0 This is the beginning of the huge Inyo Dolomite Quarry.\u00a0 High-quality dolomite limestone marble has been dug out of this site since 1862 and it\u2019s still being quarried today.\u00a0 Marble from this site was used in the construction of many famous California buildings including Los Angeles\u2019 City Hall and its International Airport.\u00a0 The marble was also used to create classic 1920\u2019s-era Terrazzo flooring.<\/p> <p>Continue on to a large, gated driveway at 6.7 miles.\u00a0 Behind this locked entrance is our first ghost town.\u00a0 About a quarter of a mile past the gate are the remains of several buildings that were once the company town for the dolomite quarry.\u00a0 In more productive years, company workers lived here and several of those buildings still stand today.\u00a0 None of these old buildings are used anymore having been replaced with the modern industrial buildings behind the ghost town.\u00a0 All of the buildings are on private property.<\/p> <p>At 7.9 miles, Dolomite Loop rejoins Hwy 136.\u00a0 Before turning left to get back on the highway however, notice the historical marker on the right that explains Dolomite.<\/p> <p>[adrotate group=\"11\"]<\/p> <h3>Tramway<\/h3> <p>At 8.9 miles, you\u2019ll see a small building off the road on the left.\u00a0 This is the site of \u201cTramway\u201d which was the terminus of the Saline Valley salt aerial tramway.\u00a0 Not really a town, it was a cluster of buildings and a siding along the Carson &amp; Colorado Railroad (more on that later).<\/p> <p>This aerial tramway was an engineering masterpiece when it was built in 1912.\u00a0 It transported the salt that was mined in Saline Valley, the next big valley to the northeast, and stretched 13.5 miles over the Inyo Mountains.\u00a0 From Saline Valley, the tramway climbed up 7,500 feet and then descended 5,000 feet down into Owens Valley.\u00a0 Salt was dumped from the tram buckets and then loaded onto train cars.\u00a0 This all occurred between the road and the foot of the mountain.\u00a0 You can still see the first tramway tower on the hill above.\u00a0 The tramway operated on and off until 1933.<\/p> <h3>Petroglyphs<\/h3> <p>Our next stop is to see some unusual Native American petroglyphs that may mark the site of a very old ghost town.\u00a0 Look for a faint dirt road on the left at 9.4 miles.\u00a0 Go up this road a short distance and park your vehicle.\u00a0<\/p> <p>Walk over the open desert to the northwest, paralleling the highway back to Lone Pine.\u00a0 Soon, you\u2019ll come to a steep ridge.\u00a0 Follow the ridgeline to the right and you\u2019ll see the petroglyphs.<\/p> <p>Most petroglyphs are drawn on dark, almost black, rocks but these are on beige rocks.\u00a0 This is what makes them unusual as well as a little difficult to see.\u00a0 When you\u2019re done looking, return to the highway and continue your trip.<\/p> <h3>Swansea<\/h3> <p>In 9.8 miles, you will arrive at the old smelting town of Swansea.\u00a0 This town sprung up in 1869 when a company built several blast furnaces here to process silver from a large mine high up in the Inyo Mountains named Cerro Gordo.\u00a0 A year later, Swansea became a port on the Owens Lake where a steam boat docked to load silver ingots for transport to the town of Cartago on the south end of the lake.<\/p> <p>A single building on the left, now a residence, marks the site of the town site of Swansea.\u00a0 Once there were many wooden buildings behind the residence but over the years they have disappeared.\u00a0 Park on the right side of the road to see the historical marker and the remains of the smelter.\u00a0 The smelter itself, which is a small pile of eroded red bricks located just beyond the marker, is unfortunately disappearing into the desert sand.\u00a0 It was much bigger just two decades ago.<\/p> <h3>Keeler<\/h3> <p>At 12.8 miles, turn right onto Malone Street and into the heart of Keeler.\u00a0 This rather interesting town sprung up to support the large increase in activity at the Cerro Gordo silver mines mentioned earlier.\u00a0 The 1872 Lone Pine earthquake disabled the port at Swansea so a new one was built in what was then called Hawley.\u00a0<\/p> <p>Renamed Keeler in 1880, it started out as a supply town and transportation hub for Cerro Gordo and other area mines.\u00a0 Silver from Cerro Gordo would later supply the funding for the growth of a small village named Los Angeles.\u00a0 Cerro Gordo was the mine that changed the \u201ctide of money\u201d which, back then, usually flowed to San Francisco but was now flowing to Los Angeles since it was much closer.<\/p> <p>The narrow gauge Carson and Colorado Railway reached Keeler in 1883.\u00a0 The 300 mile line started near Virginia City, Nevada, and ended in Keeler. \u00a0Decreasing the costs of shipping ore, the railroad brought even more commerce to Keeler as other mines needed to ship various salts, borax, talc and dolomite.\u00a0 In 1900, the line was sold to the Southern Pacific and continued to thrive due to increased mining activity further to the north in Tonopah and Goldfield.\u00a0 The line continued to serve Keeler until 1960.\u00a0 One of the gems of Keeler is its surviving train depot.<\/p> <p>Believe it or not, Keeler experiences the worst air pollution in California.\u00a0 After Owens Lake dried up in the 1940s, the wind began blowing large plumes of alkaline dust through Keeler making it impossible to breath.\u00a0 Recently, a multi-billion dollar lawsuit was won and the City of Los Angeles is now flooding the lake bed once again to remedy the dust problem.<\/p> <p>According to the 2010 census, 66 people call Keeler home.\u00a0 This is evident when you take a swing through town.\u00a0 You\u2019ll find a collection of old and eclectic buildings as well as collections of various old artifacts from a once booming mining town.<\/p> <p>More...<\/p> <p>[adrotate banner=\"8\"]<\/p>\n<h3>Pictures<\/h3><p>Below are some pictures of what you will see along the way.<\/p>\n<img src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%27http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%27%20width='800'%20height='450'%20viewBox=%270%200%20800%20450%27%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" loading=\"lazy\" data-lazy=\"1\" data-tf-not-load=\"1\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(to right,#cad3dc 25%,#dbe3e6 25% 50%,#d1dadf 50% 75%,#d2dadc 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#978e89 25%,#828960 25% 50%,#9198a0 50% 75%,#748fad 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#bbb8a5 25%,#b3ae9a 25% 50%,#827d69 50% 75%,#a2a08b 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#8b8a78 25%,#9d9787 25% 50%,#a1a08c 50% 75%,#7a7766 75%)\" decoding=\"async\" data-tf-src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr1-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" title=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr1\" alt=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr1\" data-tf-srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr1.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr1-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr1-768x432.jpg 768w\" data-tf-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><noscript><img data-tf-not-load data-no-script src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr1-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" title=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr1\" alt=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr1\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr1.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr1-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr1-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/noscript> Starting our trip on Hwy 136 at the Interagency Visitor Center <img src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%27http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%27%20width='800'%20height='450'%20viewBox=%270%200%20800%20450%27%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" loading=\"lazy\" data-lazy=\"1\" data-tf-not-load=\"1\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(to right,#d6e6f3 25%,#e7f5fe 25% 50%,#ddeffd 50% 75%,#c7dbf3 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#26240b 25%,#807b53 25% 50%,#998560 50% 75%,#625741 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#3a2d1c 25%,#9e977d 25% 50%,#4b4d48 50% 75%,#221d17 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#6e6c5f 25%,#9b9585 25% 50%,#a1926b 50% 75%,#9a968d 75%)\" decoding=\"async\" data-tf-src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr2-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" title=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr2\" alt=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr2\" data-tf-srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr2.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr2-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr2-768x432.jpg 768w\" data-tf-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><noscript><img data-tf-not-load data-no-script src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr2-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" title=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr2\" alt=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr2\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr2.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr2-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr2-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/noscript> Stone building ruins near Swansea's smelter <img src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%27http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%27%20width='800'%20height='450'%20viewBox=%270%200%20800%20450%27%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" loading=\"lazy\" data-lazy=\"1\" data-tf-not-load=\"1\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(to right,#78b5f6 25%,#84bbf1 25% 50%,#a9d3fd 50% 75%,#8abef8 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#d4e5f5 25%,#573529 25% 50%,#846e7b 50% 75%,#e9f6ff 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#767243 25%,#92846a 25% 50%,#616b74 50% 75%,#aa988c 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#959387 25%,#95908a 25% 50%,#adb3b3 50% 75%,#a3aeb4 75%)\" decoding=\"async\" data-tf-src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr3-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" title=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr3\" alt=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr3\" data-tf-srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr3.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr3-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr3-768x432.jpg 768w\" data-tf-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><noscript><img data-tf-not-load data-no-script src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr3-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" title=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr3\" alt=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr3\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr3.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr3-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr3-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/noscript> Train depot at Keeler is the end of the line for the Carson & Colorado Railroad <img src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%27http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%27%20width='800'%20height='450'%20viewBox=%270%200%20800%20450%27%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" loading=\"lazy\" data-lazy=\"1\" data-tf-not-load=\"1\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(to right,#a7b0bf 25%,#bbe2dd 25% 50%,#8eceda 50% 75%,#41a2d5 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#765c37 25%,#8a6036 25% 50%,#7f5c40 50% 75%,#2078da 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#828186 25%,#887b75 25% 50%,#b19f89 50% 75%,#b79687 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#262f2e 25%,#475a6b 25% 50%,#596163 50% 75%,#3f434c 75%)\" decoding=\"async\" data-tf-src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr4-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" title=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr4\" alt=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr4\" data-tf-srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr4.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr4-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr4-768x432.jpg 768w\" data-tf-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><noscript><img data-tf-not-load data-no-script src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr4-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" title=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr4\" alt=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr4\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr4.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr4-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr4-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/noscript> Well-kept buildings from the 1870s in Cerro Gordo <img src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%27http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%27%20width='800'%20height='450'%20viewBox=%270%200%20800%20450%27%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" loading=\"lazy\" data-lazy=\"1\" data-tf-not-load=\"1\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(to right,#b1d6f0 25%,#cce3f1 25% 50%,#dbe9f6 50% 75%,#e2ebf4 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#545255 25%,#3e4851 25% 50%,#beb5b0 50% 75%,#515659 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#8c8b89 25%,#515443 25% 50%,#7e9db1 50% 75%,#a1abb4 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#2a2a34 25%,#979183 25% 50%,#948b86 50% 75%,#454223 75%)\" decoding=\"async\" data-tf-src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr5-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" title=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr5\" alt=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr5\" data-tf-srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr5.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr5-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr5-768x432.jpg 768w\" data-tf-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><noscript><img data-tf-not-load data-no-script src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr5-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" title=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr5\" alt=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr5\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr5.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr5-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr5-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/noscript> Miner housing at Darwin Mines <img src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%27http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%27%20width='800'%20height='450'%20viewBox=%270%200%20800%20450%27%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" loading=\"lazy\" data-lazy=\"1\" data-tf-not-load=\"1\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(to right,#cde3f8 25%,#dceefa 25% 50%,#f3fdfe 50% 75%,#f8fdf9 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#e1e5e8 25%,#d9b384 25% 50%,#7f9b9f 50% 75%,#75552c 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#8f8488 25%,#453a1c 25% 50%,#c6c1a3 50% 75%,#aaae97 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#a39d91 25%,#aba188 25% 50%,#bca586 50% 75%,#6e5a37 75%)\" decoding=\"async\" data-tf-src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr6-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" title=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr6\" alt=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr6\" data-tf-srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr6.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr6-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr6-768x432.jpg 768w\" data-tf-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><noscript><img data-tf-not-load data-no-script src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr6-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" title=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr6\" alt=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr6\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr6.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr6-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr6-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/noscript> Buildings at downtown Darwin <img src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%27http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%27%20width='800'%20height='450'%20viewBox=%270%200%20800%20450%27%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" loading=\"lazy\" data-lazy=\"1\" data-tf-not-load=\"1\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(to right,#53653d 25%,#626c6d 25% 50%,#58623f 50% 75%,#2c3015 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#c0b1ac 25%,#aa9f99 25% 50%,#bab7a6 50% 75%,#a9a3a5 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#6e6a69 25%,#d7d3d0 25% 50%,#7e746a 50% 75%,#615a50 75%),linear-gradient(to right,#ac9e9d 25%,#908b87 25% 50%,#4c5155 50% 75%,#878f82 75%)\" decoding=\"async\" data-tf-src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr7-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" title=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr7\" alt=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr7\" data-tf-srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr7.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr7-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr7-768x432.jpg 768w\" data-tf-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><noscript><img data-tf-not-load data-no-script src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr7-800x450.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" title=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr7\" alt=\"GhostTownDarwinSldr7\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr7.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr7-300x169.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/GhostTownDarwinSldr7-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/noscript> Darwin's classic western-style cemetery\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gaiagps.com\/discounts\/?fp_ref=backroadswest\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"outline:none;border:none;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/d2gdx5nv84sdx2.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/ipoz1to3\/marketing_asset\/banner\/248\/gaia_gps_300x300.png\" alt=\"gaiagps\" border=\"0\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><br \/> <br \/> <ins style=\"display:block\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7400034802659664\" data-ad-slot=\"8100341909\" data-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins><br \/> <\/p>\n<p><br \/> <br \/> <ins style=\"display:block\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7400034802659664\" data-ad-slot=\"8100341909\" data-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins><br \/> <\/p>\n<h3>Cerro Gordo<\/h3> <p>Get back to Hwy 136 and turn right.\u00a0 Go a short distance and turn left onto Cerro Gordo St.\u00a0 Then pull over and stop.\u00a0 Located here is another historical marker about the ghost town of Cerro Gordo.\u00a0 High above you in the mountains, but not in sight, is the town and mines of Cerro Gordo.<\/p> <p>Continuing on this dirt road will take you to Cerro Gordo but should only be done in a 4WD vehicle.\u00a0 The road is not part of our suggested trip.\u00a0 It is very steep and not for someone that is afraid of heights.\u00a0 You can easily spend half day on this road alone.\u00a0 The ghost town is privately owned and sometimes welcomes visitors to its tiny museum.\u00a0 Along the way, look for the remains of an aerial tramway that used to stretch between Keeler and Cerro Gordo.\u00a0 In one spot, there\u2019s still an ore bucket dangling high on a cable above a canyon.<\/p> <p>Several mines were discovered and started by Mexican prospectors at the end of the Civil War and all of them had names reflecting their heritage.\u00a0 Cerro Gordo translates to \u201cFat Pig\u201d.\u00a0 By 1868, investors from afar heard of the quality silver ore and the rush was on.\u00a0 Two years later, furnaces were producing nine tons of pure silver per day!\u00a0 The ingots couldn\u2019t be shipped out fast enough.\u00a0 Miners seeking shelter literally built homes out of silver ingots, just like Eskimos build igloos out of ice blocks.<\/p> <p>Silver mining continued until about 1879 when pay dirt was played out and other booms were beginning, such as the one close by in Darwin (our last stop on this trip).\u00a0 New veins were discovered in 1907 and Cerro Gordo saw a revival.\u00a0 Mining continued until the mid-1930s.\u00a0 After World War II, various mining efforts in the surrounding mountains showed a lot of promise but not much materialized.\u00a0 If you\u2019re taking this side trip, retrace your route back to Hwy. 136.<\/p> <p>To continue the trip, reset your odometer at this junction and turn left onto Hwy 136.<\/p> <h3>Talc City<\/h3> <p>Our next stop, which will be the Talc City turnoff, is 14.6 miles from Cerro Gordo Road.\u00a0 At 4.6 miles, SR 190 joins in from the right.\u00a0 At this intersection, there is an interesting kiosk that explains some of the history of the area.\u00a0 Continue straight (southeast) on SR 190.<\/p> <p>As the name implies, Talc City is the location of a series of talc mines. \u00a0Although not a ghost town, several buildings were scattered in this small area that served as offices and houses for the miners, so it was close to being a \u201ctown\u201d.<\/p> <p>Talc was first mined in Inyo County just after World War I.\u00a0 There are a series of many talc mines that lie in a 125 mile-long straight line, starting near Shoshone, through Death and Panamint Valleys, Talc City, Saline Valley and Owens Valley.\u00a0 This \u201cline\u201d was a major producer of talc from the 1920s until roughly 1980.\u00a0 Talc from the Death Valley area was shipped south to Victorville where it was milled.\u00a0 Talc from this area was shipped, often by rail from Keeler, to all over California.<\/p> <p>Talc, sometimes known as soapstone, has many uses.\u00a0 Its mineral name is magnesium silicate.\u00a0 Everyone has probably heard of talcum powder.\u00a0 It is used to absorb moisture, oils and odors.\u00a0 Talc is also used in the production of paint, ceramics, paper, cosmetics, tires, building materials and many other things.<\/p> <p>During World War II, high-tech war tools such as radios and radar were being developed and talc was needed for certain electronic components.\u00a0 Soon, miners realized that talc was the new gold.\u00a0 In fact, more money was earned from Inyo County talc mines than all other mines combined, including gold.<\/p> <p>By the 1970s, the need for talc was beginning to fade.\u00a0 In the electronics industry, other materials, such as silicon, were being used.\u00a0 The nail in the coffin for many talc mines in Inyo County was the introduction of much cheaper talc from China.\u00a0 By 1990, most talc mines were no longer operating.<\/p> <p>At 14.6 miles, turn left off SR 190 and make an immediate right.\u00a0 You will now be on Talc City Road. \u00a0Visiting Talc City requires a high-clearance vehicle.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t have one, keep going on SR 190 and turn right onto Darwin Road at 17.4 miles to continue this trip.<\/p> <p>A trip through Talc City will take you past several of the mine sites.\u00a0 Look for the first mine at 16.6 miles on the left.\u00a0 At 17 miles, keep left (straight) at the fork.\u00a0 At 17.4 miles, more diggings are passed on the right.\u00a0 At 17.5 miles, bear right and follow the main road as it makes a sweeping 180 degree turn back to the south.\u00a0 At 17.9 miles, another mine and several ruins are on the left.\u00a0 The flat area is where one of the company towns existed.\u00a0 At 18.2 miles, you will pass by an area where talc ore was loaded into haul trucks.\u00a0 You may see the remains of a few old trucks and skip loaders.\u00a0 Just down the road is another mine on the left.\u00a0 At 18.6 miles, bear left at the fork.\u00a0 Keep going until this road dead-ends at the pavement of SR 190.<\/p> <p>[adrotate group=\"11\"]<\/p> <h3>Darwin<\/h3> <p>At the end of the dirt from Talc City, cross over SR 190 and head east down paved Darwin Road.\u00a0 Roughly a half mile before reaching Darwin, look for the large Darwin Mines complex and company town (still active in 2016) on the left. \u00a0Downtown Darwin is reached at 5.7 miles from SR 190.\u00a0 Here you\u2019ll find another town that is \u201calmost\u201d a ghost town.\u00a0 As of the 2010 census, 43 people call Darwin home.\u00a0 Like Keeler, Darwin sports a post office that\u2019s still open.\u00a0 Darwin\u2019s opened in 1875.<\/p> <p>Rich silver-lead ore deposits were discovered here in 1874.\u00a0 By 1880, Darwin became a full-fledged mining town, complete with saloons, hotels, dance halls (aka brothels) and smelters to process the ore.\u00a0 Many of the businesses came over from Cerro Gordo, which by now was beginning to fade.\u00a0 With the new Darwin rush came the normal rough and ready people common at mining camps.<\/p> <p>Unlike other mining towns in the Southwest though, Darwin held on to life for a long time.\u00a0 By 1884, the easy surface mining was exhausted and the big rush faded.\u00a0 Plus, miners and businesses were being lured to the Bodie mining rush of the 1880\u2019s.\u00a0 Some miners at Darwin, however, kept digging and discovered that Ophir Mountain (to the north of Darwin) was rich with all kinds of minerals, mainly zinc, tungsten, antimony and others.\u00a0 When the two World Wars came along, demand for these minerals increased and so did mining activity at Darwin.<\/p> <p>By the late 1950\u2019s, mining slowed down.\u00a0 After decades of mining the combined minerals, Darwin experienced a total production of $35-40 million.\u00a0 When compared to other mining areas, this is considered very good.<\/p> <p>We were lucky to partake in a tour of the Darwin Mines complex.\u00a0 This site was the original Defiance Mine back in the 1880\u2019s and was later operated by the Anaconda Mining Corporation in the middle 1900\u2019s.\u00a0 Today it has been owned since the 1990s by husband and wife entrepreneurs that have big plans to bring more minerals out.\u00a0 Mining engineers say that valuable ore is reachable from the mine\u2019s massive, existing tunnel network.\u00a0 Since California\u2019s laws are so strict now, building any type of mill for processing the ore would be unthinkable.\u00a0 However, because of the mine\u2019s tunnels and caverns, much of the processing can be done underground, bypassing environmental regulations.\u00a0 Hopefully, they can make a go of it and breathe new life into this forgotten corner of the desert.<\/p> <p>Wandering the streets of Darwin (there aren\u2019t very many) is definitely a different experience than wandering around other old towns.\u00a0 Many of the old buildings are second generation, meaning they were not the original ones built in the 1880\u2019s.\u00a0 Many of the town\u2019s occupants have collected various antique odds and ends which are fun to look at.\u00a0 Remember that this is all private party, so enjoy looking at the artifacts from the street.<\/p> <p>The cemetery is the typical old style with big headstones and wood fences around some of the plots.\u00a0 Visiting it is worthwhile if you haven\u2019t seen an old western cemetery before.\u00a0 It is located by turning right on Main Street (at the stop sign) head southwest for a quarter of a mile, then turn right and continue for another quarter mile.<\/p> <p>That\u2019s it for our tour.\u00a0 From Darwin, either take the paved road back to SR 190 or, if you like 4WD adventure, go north on Main Street to explore China Garden Spring, Darwin Falls and the amazing canyon that they are both in.\u00a0 All are located inside Death Valley National Park.<\/p> <p><strong>See more places to visit around <a href=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/lone-pine\/\">Lone Pine<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p> <h2>Trip Map<\/h2> <p>To help plan your trip, either use our interactive Google Map below or download our GPX file that points out the places to see that are mentioned in this chapter.<\/p> <p><a href=\"\/blog\/gpx-files\/GhostTownTrail.gpx\" download=\"\">Click here<\/a> to download our GPX file for the Ghost Town Trail. We recommend using a GPS mapping app, such as Gaia GPS, to view these points on your computer or to locate them using GPS with your mobile device or phone. Click the ad below to purchase Gaia GPS using our discount code which offers up to a 50% discount.<\/p> <p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a style=\"outline: none; border: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gaiagps.com\/discounts\/?fp_ref=backroadswest\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/d2gdx5nv84sdx2.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/ipoz1to3\/marketing_asset\/banner\/621\/gaia_gps_overlanding_728x90.png\" alt=\"gaiagps\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p> <p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/map\/\">Learn more<\/a> about our maps.<\/p>\n<template> Start of our trip at the Interagency Visitor Center Roadside kiosk explains area history found here Dolomite town site found behind locked gates on private property Parking area to see unique petroglyphs etched on light-colored rock Site of \"Tramway\" - terminus of the Saline Valley salt tram Swansea historical marker and remains of smelter First turn-off into the town of Keeler Keeler train depot Historic Sierra Talc Mill Keeler's public swimming pool and \"beach camp\" Cerro Gordo Site of Talc City Darwin Mines and dozens of old miners' homes Downtown Darwin Darwin cemetery Hwy 136 crosses Owens River - great view of Sierras <\/template>\n<p>[adrotate group=\"11\"]<\/p> <h3>Comments<\/h3> <p>Read and leave comments about this post on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=EcGVFoCMg_E\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">YouTube<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>Support Us<\/h3><p>Help us fill up our tank with gas for our next trip by donating $5 and we'll bring you back more quality virtual tours of our trips!<\/p><p>Your credit card payment is safe and easy using PayPal. Click the [Donate] button to get started:<\/p><p>[paypal-donation]<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\">Subscribe<\/h3> <p>[mc4wp_form]<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>See all our comprehensive virtual tour guides at<\/em>:<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a title=\"BackRoadsWest\" href=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/brw\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/BRWlogo-300x40.jpg\" alt=\"BRWlogo\" width=\"300\" height=\"40\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/BRWlogo-300x40.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/BRWlogo.jpg 438w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p> <ins style=\"display: inline-block; width: 468px; height: 60px;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-9021992350535116\" data-ad-slot=\"7695972004\"><\/ins><\/p>\n<h3>More Area Trips<\/h3> Perhaps you would like to go on other trips near this area? <a href=\"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/category\/deathvalley\/\"> See more road trips <\/a>","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4773","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4773"}],"version-history":[{"count":42,"href":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4773\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7053,"href":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4773\/revisions\/7053"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4764"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4773"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4773"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4773"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}