Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
Balkans road trip
Bosnia and Herzegovina • 9 days, 8 nights
Balkans Road Trip: Serbia, Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The Sea Water Distilling Plant.
Sea Water Distilling Plant
Contemplative paths.
Ayo Rock Formations
Parking Lot Shoeprints
Dewey Square Pylon & Bent 38
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Alresford Spy Toilet
This Public Bathroom in a Sleepy English Village Was an Epicenter for Cold War Espionage
about 24 hours ago
Manhattan Well
The Manhattan Well: How Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton United to Solve a Murder Mystery
2 days ago
Beneath downtown Minneapolis, Schieks Cave has surprisingly warm groundwater, evidence of a subterranean heat island.
Schieks Cave Below Minneapolis Contains a Lake of Warm Sewage
3 days ago
Athenaeus described various kinds of Greek drinking vessels, like the deep, rounded skyphos and wide, flat kylix.
The Ancient Greek Guide to Succeeding at Dinner Parties
4 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States California Bodfish Silver City Ghost Town
AO Edited

Silver City Ghost Town

This ramshackle ghost town is comprised of mining-era buildings collected from around the region.

Bodfish, California

Added By
tseelie
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Silver City Ghost Town   tseelie / Atlas Obscura User
Silver City Ghost Town   tseelie / Atlas Obscura User
Silver City Ghost Town   tseelie / Atlas Obscura User
Silver City Ghost Town   tseelie / Atlas Obscura User
Silver City Ghost Town   tseelie / Atlas Obscura User
Silver City Ghost Town   tseelie / Atlas Obscura User
Silver City Ghost Town   tseelie / Atlas Obscura User
Silver City Ghost Town   tseelie / Atlas Obscura User
Silver City Ghost Town   tseelie / Atlas Obscura User
Silver City Ghost Town   tseelie / Atlas Obscura User
Silver City Ghost Town   tseelie / Atlas Obscura User
Silver City Ghost Town   tseelie / Atlas Obscura User
Silver City Ghost Town   tseelie / Atlas Obscura User
Silver City Ghost Town   tseelie / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Just south of Lake Isabella in Bodfish, California sits a collection of old mining buildings arranged around a large courtyard. These ramshackle structures date as far back as the 1850s. They hail from an era when gold fever struck the region. The towns all quickly became abandoned as gold deposits dried up. The various buildings were collected by the Dave and Arvilla Mills family and were relocated to this site.

The ghost town has been accessible to the public for various periods, most recently reopening in 1992. It exists in a stage of "arrested decay," and visitors can see the various buildings housing artifacts and a few creepy mannequin stand-ins. There's even a town jail to visit that has been rumored to be the site of paranormal activity. There are historical notices posted around the town that describe the various buildings and detail their origins. 

One of the buildings on the road hosts a little antique shop with some very unique finds. Admission is $5.50 for adults, $4.50 for children five to 12, kids five and under get in for free. 

Related Tags

Gold Rush Boomtowns Mining Ghost Towns

Know Before You Go

Open 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. every day.

Community Contributors

Added By

tseelie

Edited By

Martin, Avoiding Regret

  • Martin
  • Avoiding Regret

Published

March 26, 2021

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Silver City Ghost Town
3829 Lake Isabella Blvd
Bodfish, California, 93205
United States
35.597568, -118.491367
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Remington Hot Springs

Bodfish, California

miles away

Tehachapi Loop

Tehachapi, California

miles away

Tehachapi Wind Farm

Tehachapi, California

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Bodfish

Bodfish

California

Places 2

Nearby Places

Remington Hot Springs

Bodfish, California

miles away

Tehachapi Loop

Tehachapi, California

miles away

Tehachapi Wind Farm

Tehachapi, California

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Bodfish

Bodfish

California

Places 2

Related Stories and Lists

24 of America's Best Preserved Ghost Towns

List

By Jonathan Carey

Related Places

  • Stamp mill hoppers.

    Hawthorne, Nevada

    Aurora

    This Gold Rush ghost town was once the subject of a territorial dispute between California and Nevada.

  • Lordsburg, New Mexico

    Shakespeare Ghost Town

    Some of the Old West's most notorious outlaws frequented this mining town.

  • An old storefront in Molson.

    Molson, Washington

    Okanogan Highland Ghost Towns

    This former mining hub holds a surprising abundance of undisturbed relics from the Old West.

  • Aerial view of Fort Egbert.

    Eagle, Alaska

    Fort Egbert

    This remote fort on the Yukon River is a vestige of the wild Alaska gold rush.

  • Welcome to Bodie, Ca

    Bridgeport, California

    Bodie State Historic Park

    Standing in a state of "arrested decay," this ghost town allows for a detailed peek into Gold Rush life in an unusually harsh climate.

  • Mogollon, New Mexico

    Mogollon Ghost Town

    Once a mining boom town, Mogollon’s well-preserved buildings are tucked away in the mountains of the Gila National Forest.

  • Quesnel Forks, British Columbia

    Quesnel Forks

    A lonely cemetery holds the history of a gold mining town turned ghost town.

  • Masonic

    Bridgeport, California

    Masonic

    Bodie's 20th-century rival was a paragon of respectability and calm—but the mines eventually ran dry.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.