Yermo, California: Calico Ghost Town

Awesome spot to explore for a few hours.

The RV park is packed full. 30 amps only. Tight spaces. Only worth a one night stay for the kitsch of it all.

Loved this place! So much fun. Everyone working there was super nice and the camping/"bunkhouse" facilities were very clean. Plus no one batted an eye when our dog went everywhere with us, even in the Mystery Shack.

Overnight camping at Calico includes admission to the Ghost Town for up to six people. We didn't learn this until it was too late. Oh well, it's only money, and we were there for the buffalo burgers and the bottle house. Oops. Even though this was September 28, we felt like we had arrived in the off-season. The Lucy Lane Museum was closed, there were no shoot-outs in the street, and we couldn't get our buffalo burgers because the restaurant was closed to prepare for a tour group. Worst of all, the bottle house was closed and undergoing some type of construction. On the bright side though, it was a miserably -- but not unbearably -- hot day. And we did end up enjoying our visit.

We have since learned that the shoot-outs in the street are not a regularly scheduled event. They are done by a group volunteers who come from out of the area to preform and are most likely to occur on a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday.

And the bottle house? Well the inside is now open to the public. Pits. Pits. Pits. I so wanted that experience of seeing of the sun come through the colored bottles. When visiting, keep in mind that there are additional charges to enter the museum, the mine, the mystery house, or to ride on the train.

Bring cash for all the fun activities, especially the Mystery Shack.....except those susceptible to vertigo.

Educational, historical, live gun shows, mines, train and sarsaparilla! Hiking shoes are better, as there is a lot of hiking either in town or if you want to camp out. They also have an on-site RV camp and cabins for rent. Extremely dog-friendly too!