Calico Ghost Tours
Tourist attraction · San Bernardino County ·

Calico Ghost Tours

Tourist attraction · San Bernardino County ·

Reconstructed 1880s ghost town with shops, train ride, gold panning

mystery shack
ghost town
fun for kids
tour guide
great value
old west
calico
friendly staff
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by Avoiding Regret (Sandi Hemmerlein)
Calico Ghost Tours by Avoiding Regret (Sandi Hemmerlein)
Calico Ghost Tours by Pierre Andres LeClercq on Wikimedia (WikiCommons)
Calico Ghost Tours by Orange County Archives on Flickr (Public Domain)
Calico Ghost Tours by stephagoogle (Atlas Obscura User)
Calico Ghost Tours by elviajebarato (Atlas Obscura User)
Calico Ghost Tours by hoursvary (Atlas Obscura User)
Calico Ghost Tours by stephagoogle (Atlas Obscura User)
Calico Ghost Tours by ccesare (Atlas Obscura User)
Calico Ghost Tours by ccesare (Atlas Obscura User)
Calico Ghost Tours by Pierre Andres LeClercq on Wikimedia (WikiCommons)
Calico Ghost Tours by Orange County Archives on Flickr (Public Domain)
Calico Ghost Tours by Dr Alan P Newman (Atlas Obscura User)
Calico Ghost Tours by Justin Ennis on Flickr (Creative Commons)
Calico Ghost Tours by Dr Alan P Newman (Atlas Obscura User)
Calico Ghost Tours by Avoiding Regret (Sandi Hemmerlein)
Calico Ghost Tours by Lampshade1660 (Atlas Obscura User)
Calico Ghost Tours by amandams1147 (Atlas Obscura User)
Calico Ghost Tours by hoursvary (Atlas Obscura User)
Calico Ghost Tours by CGP Grey on Flickr (Creative Commons)
Calico Ghost Tours by FraeuleinS (Atlas Obscura User)
Calico Ghost Tours by Tracy on Flickr (Creative Commons)
Calico Ghost Tours by stephagoogle (Atlas Obscura User)
Calico Ghost Tours by Avoiding Regret (Sandi Hemmerlein)
Calico Ghost Tours by Avoiding Regret (Sandi Hemmerlein)
Calico Ghost Tours by stephagoogle (Atlas Obscura User)
Calico Ghost Tours by Lampshade1660 (Atlas Obscura User)
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null
Calico Ghost Tours by null

Information

36600 Ghost Town Rd, Yermo, CA 92398 Get directions

Restroom
Credit card accepted
Debit card accepted
Wheelchair accessible entrance
Wheelchair accessible parking lot

Information

Static Map

36600 Ghost Town Rd, Yermo, CA 92398 Get directions

+1 760 985 5347
calicoghosttours.com
Calicoghosttours

Features

•Restroom
•Credit card accepted
•Debit card accepted
•Wheelchair accessible entrance
•Wheelchair accessible parking lot
•Wheelchair accessible restroom

Last updated

Jan 14, 2026

Powered By

You might also like

Terms of Use • Privacy Policy • Cookie Policy
 © 2026 Postcard Technologies, Inc.
@atlasobscura
4,908 Postcards · 2,018 Cities

22 of America's Best Preserved Ghost Towns

"Calico in Southern California is the ghost of an Old West mining town that boomed in the 1880s, and went bust only 12 years later when the price of silver plummeted. At its height, this town in the Mojave Desert had 3,500 residents, over 500 silver mines, and produced over $20 million in silver. That’s well over half a billion dollars in today’s dollars. The name of Calico came from the patchwork of colors in the surrounding mountains. The town was established deep in the Mojave Desert with the opening of a post office in 1881. Silver was the name of the game in this boomtown, and boom it did – boasting at one time three hotels, five general stores, butchers, bars, at least three restaurants, and a boarding house. There was a newspaper, a schoolhouse, a Wells Fargo office, a sheriff, lawyers, and doctors. And lest they feel cut off from the rest of the world, Calico was bustling enough to have its own telephone and telegraph service. But the boom-times didn’t last long, and after only 12 years, as the bottom fell out of the price of silver, the bottom fell out of Calico too. They tried to hold on, and borax for a time substituted for the shiny metal that had made Calico’s fortunes. But the Borax also gave out eventually, and by the turn of the 20th century the town was completely deserted. Several of the buildings were moved to nearby Barstow, and for several decades not much happened. But in the 1950s along came a man with a vision for Calico, and Walter Knott (of Knott’s Berry Farm fame) bought up the whole place. He restored the town to mostly how it was, in certain cases rebuilding some of the old structures as they were back in the 1880s. Since the rebuild by Knott, the old ghost town has been open to the public as a county park and museum of the Old West, frozen in time as it once was. Now a registered Historical Landmark, and a reminder of the hope of people who once followed their dreams to the frontier." - ATLAS_OBSCURA

https://www.atlasobscura.com/lists/americas-best-preserved-ghost-towns
Justin Ennis on Flickr (Creative Commons)
Calico Ghost Tours

Gina P

Google
A lot more to do here than we thought! If it isn't hot, definitely worth it to stop at least once on your way to or from Vegas or Laughlin. It's got quite a few interesting buildings to walk into and view, not sure if I would recommend the mine tour, but we felt we were supporting the place at least. Unfortunately the train was not operational due to recent rains.

ǝʇʎu

Google
Awesome little town to visit. Feels like a Renaissance faire if it was western. I took some amazing pictures at the cemetery and my only recommendation is to prepare to take a hike if you want to go to the top. I have difficulty walking and it did become a bit tricky to walk at a point. But I totally recommend this place

Edward Z.

Google
Passed by many many times on the way from LA to Las Vegas but never visited the town. Finally get a chance stopped by with scouts outings last week. Well restored historic site and displays many old wagons and steam engines. Camped there for one night, enjoyed the scouts activities and stars. Great experience!

Xochitl V.

Google
Never been to a ghost town until this one and Im glad we did. They have plenty of parking, camping grounds, tours, train rides, activities, shops, bathrooms, restaurants. Plenty to do for the family, couple or single visitor. There is a cover charge very rich in history! Staff is super friendly and they also have interactive shows. Make sure you take water, comfortable shoes, comfortable clothes as it is an uphill walk to the different buildings.

01geek

Google
Very cool ghost town that has souvenir shops and restaurants within the original buildings. Lots of history at this place. Definitely take your kids and let them experience life before technology. There are not alot of ghost towns left and any that are still in operation. I didnt attend a tour and visited on my own by car. It's $8 per adult for admission with plenty of free parking. Stop by and support this place to keep American history in the forefront. These days its overshadowed by opinions.

Yvette

Google
This place is out of the way, but once you find it, it's alot of fun. We went during Halloween weekend, lots of activities and at night it turns into a Haunted ghost town, really fun. It reminds me of a small Knotts Berry Farm, without rides. It was created by Walter Knott, so that can probably be why it resembles Knotts Berry Farm. If you are on your way to Vegas, it's a nice little place to visit to see the little shops, and a bit of nostalgia. O, my favorite was the illusion house, you have to lean over to keep your balance, but it's pretty interesting.

Ray F.

Google
Rebuilt by Walter Knott in the 50s, the ghost town is now a San Bernardino Regional Park. Affordable fun and history for the whole family. We went on a weekday so it wasn't very crowded and we could take our time, spending around 3-4 hours. The Maggie Silver Mine tour ( an extra) is worthwhile to learn the basics of mining in the 1800s.

Joshua N.

Google
Really interesting history, cheap entry, very friendly staff. Would recommend a visit. Extra fee to enter the mines, but worth doing.
google avatar

Melissa V.

Yelp
Came here for the first time with my family of 10. It was summer so it was very hot, plan accordingly. They charge for admission at the parking booth per person. Walking is uneven for those in chairs or are tripping hazards. But for the typical people still watch your step. We did all the attractions. Mining, mystery house, cave, and the train. Some were silly, fun, and interesting. We laughed at our tour guide she was great and very friendly.
google avatar

Benzer V.

Yelp
First time visiting Calico and this place had a lovely charm, especially with the Halloween decor. The Mystery Shack tour was definitely a hoot to do with some funny history behind its name. Raul was very charismatic and inviting when it came to engaging with the mysteries of the place. Can't wait to visit this town again for the night events!
google avatar

Amanda B.

Yelp
We took the family to calico this month. We had never been before. We were so impressed. It was such a cool ghost town. It's theme park worthy. Everything was open. They have multiple stores multiple places to walk-through. They also have a mystery museum. We ate at their little restaurant for lunch. The food was OK but the Sassparilla soda was delicious. Everything is very low cost and affordable, especially if you are a family. Parking is free. Our kids did everything and I think it cost us about 40 bucks.
google avatar

Haily S.

Yelp
This was a fun little attraction! A house built on an incredibly awkward slope, full of corny jokes, and amazing gravity defying tricks! The kids thought it was a hoot! (Big fans of Gravity Falls, so of course they wanted to stop when they saw the Mystery Shack sign -- they were not at all disappointed that it wasn't Gravity Falls themed after walking through it lol) I do recommend avoiding this attraction if you have a bad back or knees, because - boy, was it hard to walk through! But it was totally worth the $4 it cost to go in!

Marcos B.

Yelp
Great time for the family. We did everything there: train, mine, etc. kids and adults loved it.
google avatar

Albert B.

Yelp
A favorite visit of my late father on the way to Vegas. The ghost town is locally supported. Very nice rock and mineral shop and good mining goodies/memorabilia. Nearby trails are nice to check out. Huge roundabout with nice desert scenery if you continue around the road before turning to the ghost town; a lot of Truck stop and rest area before enter the ghost town road.
google avatar

Gregory V.

Yelp
Hey this is the most entertaining attraction at calico yes all the shacks mysteries are easily explainable but thats not the point, the point of the shack is to have fun in a slanted house and just giggle at all the gags.....whatch out for the albino bats
google avatar

Nikki O.

Yelp
This was a lot of fun and reminded me of the old Mystery Shack in Knott's Berry Farm. It was a small fee to be bred the experience but our tour guide made it great. In the beginning, you may get a little dizzy like I did but it is still fun. Just be careful when walking through the experience. The tour guide had us cracking up he whole time and had us amazed many times throughout the tour. I definitely recommend everyone visiting Calico to take the time and check this experience out.
google avatar

Angela P.

Yelp
Heading towards Vegas we decided to stop and check out Calico Ghost town. This little tourist area is a must do at least once. While visiting Calico we went on the mystery tour. The "sheriff" sold us out tickets at the booth and he also was the tour guide. Usually there are a couple small groups on the tour - but we went on a weekday in early summer so it was only my family of four. We enjoyed our time! Warning- if you get motion sickness or have vertigo do not do this tour. We are a healthy family without health issues and each one of us experiences minimal dizziness at some point. It's nothing crazy. Just something to consider. Lots of hand railings make it easier to navigate through the buildings. We had lots of laughs and made memories together! I highly recommend this tour! $3 isn't too bad for a tourist area tour.

ML W.

Yelp
NOT VERY COVID 19 COMPLIANT. The town itself is larger than we thought, and we were actually surprised at how much was there. However, despite signs indicating that masks must be worn, literally the first two employees we encountered (at the drive up entrance/ticket booth) were not wearing masks. One of them was standing by our car smoking, and the guy selling tickets, who had to nearly stick his head in our car to make the transaction, was without a mask or gloves. About half of the patrons were wearing masks, and there seemed to be no one enforcing their own mask rule, or social distancing in gift shops or restaurants. All in all, the place is cool. But I have a hard time recommending anyone go there at this time due to the lack of masks, gloves or social distancing among the employees and patrons.
google avatar

Todd L.

Yelp
If you're in the area I recommend stopping. The town is replicated. There are some kid activities and lots of hiking and some shops. I recommend eating before you go or bringing lunch with you. Prices are high. $8 per person to get in. I wanted a sarsaparilla and they were $3.25 for a bottle. I think I'll stop at a local store. Lots of fun history and photos.
google avatar

Fadia O.

Yelp
Interesting little part of History. Kids enjoyed it a lot. They were actually unhappy about the trip but ended up asking when we would return. Fun little day trip.
google avatar

Brittany S.

Yelp
We took our son here for his 8th birthday. Not over priced at all! The kids had a great day. The Mystery shack is really cool and they tell funny jokes. All of the employees that work in every shop including the train ride are such nice people and so good to the kids. I love this place. Cheap family fun.
google avatar

Cyndi R.

Yelp
Is it hokey, yes. We got there right at opening and were able to walk around and go to the Mystery Shack. The "Sheriff" ran the tour. He did a great job. The jokes were corney but he just went with it. My friend and I laughed quite a bit. It was only us on the tour too! We finished and decided to go gold panning. At this time school groups had arrived so we hurried to try to beat them. We arrived first and found two employees chatting and one was on their cell phone. She yelled at the guy to hurry because she needed to pee ... very professional. This poor girl did not like her job, I won't mention her name, but she told us 150 people were coming through so we needed to make room. And slushed our gold around, some kids joined us and were so excited and asking questions and she just wasn't having it. The other people put on quite a show, she should learn from them. Headed to the mine, the guy from before was now chatting up this lady, not sure what his job is, but man the other girl had to pee so I'm sure she wasn't happy. This girl was very pleasant and nice and answered questions. Hit up a few shops everyone nice. Upon leaving all the tour groups were arriving so glad we got there early!
google avatar

Cynthia M.

Yelp
Calico Ghost Town is fun. Make sure you visit the Mystery Shack. The tour guides are funny. The Shack is a display of gravity and optical illusion. It's been the same great show/tour for 15+ years. $3 per person. Pet friendly.
google avatar

Alex J.

Yelp
This a great place to visit, fun and nice get the felling of the Old West ... there's a few activities to do I will recommend this place especially for the kids !!!
google avatar

Ruth W.

Yelp
I came here when I was 12-13 years old and it just how I imagined if. Except better - museum has improved. This Mystery Shack Tour was pretty interesting & just mine boggling. It was inexpensive Tour ($3.00 per person). I highly recommend it!
google avatar

Karen L.

Yelp
I had never been to this place and we stopped by on the way to Laughlin. SUPER hot in summer months. I asked when is the best time to visit and they said October. I will be back. Great place to take kids!

Adriana W.

Yelp
It is really fun and neat. EVERYBODY will like this! Kids, teenagers, adults! Our tour guide on Thursday was so sweet and funny! She did a great job! Definitely worth the money!
google avatar

Bob M.

Yelp
This was a lot of fun for my family. The kids had fun for sure watching the tricks. We had a great tour guide on Saturday. He dressed and spoke the part, involved the crowd and told a lot of jokes. Very friendly workers in Calico! A definite recommendation if you want to make a day trip to the SoCal desert or stop on the way to Vegas off the 15. This tour lasts about 15 minutes, be prepared to hold onto rails, or balance for several minutes, but that was part of the fun.

Gloria S.

Yelp
So much fun! We bought the ticket pack which gave us access to almost all of the tours and activities such as the Mystery Shack, the Gold Panning, the tunnel.... We didn't have time to see everything so we'll have to come back. My kids are a bit older (teen and tween) but they still had loads of fun. The little train ride is the best we've been on. I highly recommend Calico Ghost Town. It was hot as heck, but well worth enduring it. And yes, pet friendly is an understatement. I think out little doggie was spoiled more than our kids! Great service and entertainment all around.