Calico Ghost Town is a historic ghost town and former silver mining community located in the Calico…read moreMountains of California's Mojave Desert. Founded in 1881 during the silver mining boom, the town prospered for over a decade before declining when silver prices collapsed. By 1907, most residents had left, and Calico was eventually restored and transformed into the county-operated attraction known today as Calico Ghost Town.   Situated just off Interstate 15, about 3 miles from both Barstow and Yermo, Calico has become a popular stop for travelers exploring Southern California or driving between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. We visited in February 2026 during our trip to Las Vegas and were impressed by the dramatic desert scenery, unique rock formations, and panoramic views from the surrounding hills.   Today, visitors from around the world come to experience the atmosphere of an authentic Old West mining town. The park offers a variety of amenities, including RV and group camping, cabins and bunkhouses, mountain biking trails, off-road vehicle areas, shops, and restaurants. Throughout the year, Calico hosts several special events such as Civil War reenactments, the Spring Festival with Americana music, Calico Days celebrations featuring burro races and mining-themed activities, and the popular Halloween Ghost Haunt in October.   Only minutes from Interstate 15 and a short drive north of Barstow, Calico Ghost Town makes an enjoyable roadside stop for food, shopping, sightseeing, and a glimpse into California's mining history. However, I would recommend visiting Calico Ghost Town during the spring or winter months rather than in the summer, when desert temperatures can become extremely hot and less comfortable for exploring the outdoor attractions and surrounding hills.

Whats happened to this place ? I am sad to say that Calico…read morehas seen better days. Ive been going here since the 1980s. I miss what it felt like, even 15ish years ago. Yes its an OLD run down ghost town but it truely feels OLD and run down now. Trash everywhere. Spiderwebs and dust everywhere. Its not the Calico look, its literally no one cleaning around here. It looks so unclean everywhere we went. Also...I dont feel many workers are in Character anymore. I miss that. If they are even dressed up they are just sitting around on their phones or talking to each ither. Zero interaction. Zero immersion... just so disappointed. We keep coming back but its just getting worse.

This campground has seen better days. Off a dirt road, a ways back in desert, you have to want to…read morego to this place. The campsites themselves are acceptable but the bathrooms are a mess, unkept and graffiti ridden. No water. $6 / night makes place low cost but it appears that $6 is for a reason. I would look elsewhere.

Pack your snacks + water and bring your dogs. Loved hiking here. Bring sunscreen it's the . Photos…read morecannot do it justice. You have to come see for yourself. I had a regular car and I had no issues making the drive to the campground. FREE. Clean ish. Felt safe here.

What a great time! I'm so happy to stumble across this…read moreplace.if you like camping isn't eh fort this is your spot! The beautiful big sky at night with all the stars, little cool in the evenings, but this is a great time if year during the day. It's perfect!

Great parks to camp out on as some offer, camping, activities, shooting spots, off road trail,…read morehiking trails, and much more. Didn't know they had that much to offer as I just got into to camping life etc, but I will be back for another trip soon.

Lake homes in a private subdivision. The Lake and home owners are incredible. Such a friendly close…read moreknit group who enjoy the lake and lake activities year round and off-roading in the cooler seasons.A hidden gem in the beautiful high desert community of Newberry Springs Ca.

We stayed there 2/1/26 on site 15. This morning when leaving, I did the disconnecting, I noticed…read morethe site was actually a bio hazard!!!!! There was old dried up toilet paper everywhere!!! It has obviously been there for quite some time.....absolutely disgusting!!!!!!

I came here renting a deluxe cabin. It was $229.18 ($164.18 plus $15 per free and $50 pet deposit)…read more The app does not add a pet fee even if you say that you have a pet. -blinds do not work, there's literally no privacy because you could see right through the very thin curtains when you're outside -chair is broken in cabin -bedding on 1 bed, but pillow cases on all pillows. make sure you bring sleeping bag -you can drive around back property/land if your bored -dog park is ok, nothing special, bench covered in bird poop. -no freezer, no ice at resort, even for sale

PRICING - This particular RV park is pretty pricey, we paid $6 per night to stay here. If your a…read moresenior citizen then it's $3 per night. LOL!! CAMPING - The camping is very good for what it is. This place is set up for "Dry-Camping" and it's great. This location is run by the BLM and it's actually really nice. Each camp site has a table and a fire pit along with a structure that will provide shade. RESTROOMS & SHOWERS - The restrooms look really nice from the outside, new building and the construction is nice however don't let that fool you. There are no showers and the toilets are ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING!! Dirty, smelly and full of bugs. If you have to go potty use your own rig or go out in the desert. THINGS TO DO - Depending on the weather because it gets really hot here and it gets really cold herww we. We took walks and explored the local train tracks. There are two very old train bridges right near the campsite and we watched the trains go by a dozen times each day. We also went down and watched all the trucks cross the river. The campsite is located near the end of the Old Mojave Trail so lots of 4 wheel drive keeps and trucks come out of the canyon and cross the river. And last but nit least we explored Afton Canyon and the old Mojave Trial. We actually went and visited the Lava Tubes, the Mail Box, The Travelers Monument and the old train station out on Cima Road. OTHER CAMPERS - We have never seen any other campers other then a guy that took a nap in his car. CUSTOMER SERVICE - There really isn't any customer service. You drop your cash in a metal box and that's it. We did watch the video and then printed the fire-pit permit so I guess someone might stop in and ask for it but we never saw anyone that worked for the campsite or the BLM. OVERALL "5 STARS" At the end of the day this is a really nice BLM park and it's a great place to camp as long as your self contained. The train tracks are very close to the campsite and it's really fun listening to them go back and forth. Lots of wildlife so keep an eye on your puppies and Afton Canyon is beautiful. WARNING!! The road in and out of the campsite is usually maintained and is passionless if your driving a Class A, Class C and or if your pulling a 5th wheel or bumper trailer. We were in a 31' Toy Hauler and had 4WD so we were fine. If it was raining I think the trip out might be challenging so make sure your keep in eye on the weather.

I stayed there with some friends after finishing the Mojave Road (east to west). It's the desert so…read moreMay-September expect high temperatures, bugs, and a scorching sun. The trains are super cool, the scenery is beautiful and it's pretty chill. The sites are also huge: you can cram 5 trucks into one spot without trying too hard and still have room for tents. If I was in the neighborhood and it wasn't mid-summer I'd definitely stop by again.

Large site, beautiful surroundings. Only problem was that I couldn't get hot water in the shower!read more

This was our first time camping here after struggling to get a reservation after many years. We…read moredidn't have much of a choice for our campsite, but FWIW, the campsite was still pretty clutch. We were close to showers and bathrooms, and our neighbors on both sides were very polite and pretty quiet (or kept to themselves; not blasting music or being overly loud). We were close to the lake so we were able to walk and check it out. Camp hosts were around to keep the bathrooms clean and to be around for any questions. If you walk around, you might see a camp host selling firewood at their site, which was really helpful so you didn't have to drive all the way to the front to purchase more. Overall, loved our stay. I am not sure if we would camp here again, but still enjoyed our time here. Thank you!

Stopped here for an overnight stay headed towards Bakersfield. The sites aren't remotely close to…read morelevel, in addition to having large desert rocks to negotiate over. However, the big kicker for me was that roughly 80% of this park is straight uphill. There are some long timers here that keep to themselves. Bathhouse was relatively clean if you need the facilities.

Honestly, it was fine, it was $40 for an overnight stay. It's Barstow, so you don't expect much…read more Speaking of, don't expect the wi-fi to work, it doesn't. Also, don't expect the pool to be clean, it isn't. As a matter of fact, it was greener than the "fishing hole" right next to it. Probably be cleaner going for a dip in it than in the pool. The sites are pull through and they are reasonably level dirt spots, with a few green oleanders sprinkled about. The check in is easy and uncomplicated. It's Barstow, and did I mention it was only $40? Oh, their restaurant wasn't open so no comment there.

The staff were so nice and very helpful. We broke down and only had our camper. One of the owners…read moresaid we could take his truck to get propane. Lots of people live there. Bathrooms dated but we enjoyed our stay.

Manager is updating and working very hard to keep the grounds clear and clean…read more Great hosts. Very attentive, friendly and professional. Weekends can get very busy, so reservations are advised. Full hook-ups, 30 and 50 amp.

I was very surprised how quiet this campground was. Also clean. Had the beautiful experience of…read moretwo coyotes strolling through our campsite, not scared or aggressive just peaceful. The issues I had were people tying things to the trees leaving huge grooves in the bark, wood gathering, and too many cars and people in campsites. We had a group of about twelve next to us they did have two sites but all stayed at one site with 6 vehicles. Also no campground etiquette... please don't journey through my site. Teach your kids better... I will return as I did like the campground!

PINEKNOT FAMILY CAMPGROUND @ BIG BEAR…read more NOTE: bring hand soap, dish soap, etc! There are bathrooms provided but no sanitizing! Parking is available for only two spots in each lot you end up purchasing, it was super easy to park, our lot was 46, so it was a bit of a drive. It was a very friendly area, there was a fire place, a table, and even a stoned cabinet (to store food, etc). The place itself is very close to all the popular lakes and spots. The only downside was that you might not get a lot of sleep, there are many kids there who were keeping people up even at 5am... maybe it's the family itself! But definitely be aware there might be noises and loudness since it's very family friendly! Overall, i'd definitely come back, it was about $120 for two nights!