Abandoned in California

Discover 55 abandoned places in California.

New Idria

Paicines, California

New Idria Ghost Town

After the nearby mercury mine shut down, this town was abandoned and declared a Superfund site.

Los Angeles, California

Lincoln Heights Jail

Once the central jail for Los Angeles, this building housed inmates like Al Capone, those arrested from the Zoot Suit and Watts Riots, and individuals imprisoned for their sexuality.

Permanently Closed

Lobby interior.

Oxnard, California

Casa Sirena Seaside Resort

Abandoned in 2009, this once popular resort destination now stands frozen in time.

Hacienda Heights, California

Gates of Hell Hacienda Heights

This mysterious and creepy location instills a strong sense of foreboding in all visitors.

Keller House

Malibu, California

Keller House

The stone walls of a home built to withstand a California wildfire still stand after more than a century.

Elsinore Naval and Military School.

Lake Elsinore, California

Elsinore Naval and Military School

This stately structure has been abandoned for half a century.

The ghost town.

Keeler, California

Cerro Gordo

A lawless town deep in Death Valley was famous for its riches and death rate.

All that remains of the S.S. Garden City are its paddle wheel hub and boilers.

Crockett, California

Wreckage of the S.S. Garden City

The remains of a deserted steamboat sit rusting beside an old ferry pier and an abandoned train platform.

Oakland, California

Kaiser Quarry Ruins

An abandoned car and strange wooden debris are among the scattered remains of the old sand and gravel quarry.

Richmond, California

Nike Missile Radar Site

An abandoned Cold War missile radar site.

Saltdale

Cantil, California

Saltdale

Salt is slowly eating away this abandoned saltworks town in the desert.

The Mansion Belle.

Sacramento, California

Spirit of Sacramento

Before it was abandoned and left to rust alongside the road, this riverboat starred in a John Wayne movie.

Former Post Office.

San Bernardino County, California

Kelso Ghost Town

The abandoned train depot now doubles as a well-placed rest stop for those who take the road less traveled.

Carlsbad, California

Copper Creek Falls and Mine

The overgrown ruins of a once thriving World War I-era copper mine.

The snow sheds.

Truckee, California

Donner Pass Summit Tunnels

The now-abandoned tunnels were built for the transcontinental railroad on the route where the first wagon train entered California.

It sits behind chain link and barbed wire

Goleta, California

Barnsdall-Rio Grande Gas Station

This little gem of Spanish Colonial architecture has been abandoned since the 1950s.