Calico is an old West mining town that has been around since 1881 and was abandoned in the mid-1890s after silver lost its value. The town that once gave miners a good living lost its hustle and became a “ghost town.”
Walter Knott purchased Calico in the 1950’s architecturally restoring all but the five original buildings to look as they did in the 1880’s. Calico received State Historical Landmark 782 and in 2005 was proclaimed by then Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to be California’s Silver Rush Ghost Town.
Today, Calico is part of the San Bernardino County Regional Parks system, which is visited by people from across the country and from all over the world. Along with its history and attractions, Calico Ghost Town has shops, restaurants and offers camping, hiking and off-roading.
Due to the historic nature of the town, not all areas are ADA accessible. CAUTION: Mines in the Calico area are extremely hazardous and must not be approached for any reason.
CALIFORNIA DAYS EVENT
San Bernardino County Regional commemorated the fourth annual California Days event at Calico Ghost Town over Presidents’ Day weekend on Feb. 15-16, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event celebrated early California history with a focus on California’s admission to the union as the nation’s 31st state on Sept. 9, 1850, and celebrated on February 22nd every year.
This family-friendly event highlights the people and culture of early California by hosting family activities, gunfighter shows by the Calico Mountain Volunteer Gunfighters, butter churning, and reenactments along with educational displays on the state’s Bear Flag, Pony Express Trail, and Butterfield Overland Trail.
Serving as a natural backdrop to the Old West, Calico traveled back in time with live music performances from Victorian Muse Theater at the Town Hall and classroom reenactment sessions from the 1800s at the schoolhouse as well as some Wild West street skits performed by the “Scoundrels Alley” Calico troupe.
The popular Dorsey Dog Delivery Game also returned with a doggie scavenger hunt where owners and their furry friends searched for clues throughout town to win the ultimate prize of a treat goodie bag and first-place ribbon from Dorsey’s Dog House.
Eventgoers enjoyed fair-style food lineup with for very hungry appetites. All the Calico attractions were open, including Maggie Mine and the Calico Oddessa Railroad. Attractions are an additional charge. For attraction prices, visit www.calicoattractions.com.
The event was sponsored by Equinox Gold, Mitsubishi Cement Corporation and Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers Restaurants. Equinox Gold and Mitsubishi Cement Corp.
Calico was open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Prices for the event were $10 per adult, $5 children ages 4-11, and 3 years and under are FREE.
For more details, visit parks.sbcounty.gov/calico-california-days.
Calico Ghost Town offers full and partial RV hookup camping. Reservations may be booked directly online at www.sbcountyparks.com or by calling 1-800-862-2542. Calico offers cabins, bunkhouses and RV trailers as rentals. Calico Ghost Town is located off I-15 at Ghost Town Road in Yermo, just 10 miles north of Barstow. Follow Calico Ghost Town on Facebook at for event photos and videos.
Calico Ghost Town
36600 Ghost Town Road
Yermo, CA 92398
909.387.2757
Open daily: 9 AM to 5 PM
Closed: Christmas Day
For admission and attraction fees, visit the Calico Ghost Town website.
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