You’ll find several fascinating ghost towns within 90 minutes of Riverside, each preserving different chapters of California’s mining history. Calico Ghost Town, a restored 1880s silver mining settlement, offers the most developed visitor experience with original buildings and tours. Eagle Mountain, a 1948 company town housing 4,000 workers at its peak, stands abandoned after mine closure in 1983. Pioneertown blends Hollywood history with frontier authenticity, while Randsburg maintains active businesses alongside its gold rush heritage. Route 66 relics like Amboy showcase roadside Americana’s decline. The surrounding Mojave Desert conceals numerous lesser-known camps that reveal the region’s extensive mineral extraction past.
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11.1 Are Ghost Towns Near Riverside Safe to Explore Alone?…