Imagine being one of the 300 miners who streamed into Leadfield Ghost Town in 1926, expecting to make a fortune. Picture being one of them less than a year later, when the town was abandoned to the desert. It was started and promoted by Charles C. Julian, who marketed the development across California as one of the last great mines of the Death Valley mining boom. Within a few months he was escaping to Shanghai to avoid claims that he had lied to investors.
Walk through the skeletal buildings that remain today, from the concrete foundations of the former mill to the metal buildings that briefly held expectant miners. Imagine the intoxicating possibilities that enraptured California for 100 years starting with the first Gold Rush. Look at the mineshafts, where the workers thought they would be able to make their fortunes by digging up lead ore, long after they had given up hope of finding gold. Spot the faint traces of the hundreds of lots that were planned out before it was realized that the site was not going to yield the minerals that were expected.
Explore the abandoned metal shacks and watch for the tunnels and dugouts that were excavated into the hillside. Take a moment to look at the stunning landscape of Titus Canyon itself, which is shot through with different colors of rocks. Spot the rusty frame of an old truck that has been reclaimed by nature. Leave with a new perspective on those exciting times.
Leadfield Ghost Town is in Titus Canyon, on the northeastern edge of Death Valley National Park. Drive here from the park’s eastern entrance in an hour or from Stovepipe Wells in 90 minutes. The western entrance is 45 minutes beyond that. Parking is available along the side of the road. Some hiking is necessary to get up to the site itself from the road, but it is relatively easy. A high-clearance vehicle is recommended for the road, as it can be rocky. Bring water and a good hat because the area has little shade.
