Chinese Camp Ghost Town

Tuolumne County, California37.8703, -120.4333

Can you visit?

Private land, lived-in town

Private or unlisted land · Streets public, lots private

Nearest town
6.2 miJamestown, CA
Mild months
Jan–Dec10 of 12
Elevation
1,270 ft388 m
Chinese Camp, California
Photo: Cary Bass, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Chinese Camp sits in Tuolumne County, California. People call it a ghost town, though 90 residents were counted in 2020. It lies at about 1,270 feet above sea level. The largest census count on record is 126 people in 2010. The site is a California Historical Landmark.

On the map

20 mi40 miSonoraCopperopolisAngelsChinese Camp
  • BLM
  • National Forest
  • National Park Service
  • Other federal
  • City, county
  • Private or unlisted

Star: Chinese Camp. Dots: other ghost towns within 40 miles, colored by land manager. Squares: towns over 1,000 people. Rings are straight-line distance. Live map: © OpenFreeMap, OpenMapTiles, OpenStreetMap contributors.

The closest town with more than 1,000 people is Jamestown, CA, about 6.2 miles north in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Turlock, CA, 34 miles away.

Ghost towns nearby

  1. French Flat7.3 mi north
  2. Melones10 mi north
  3. Sawmill Flat11 mi north
  4. Martinez11 mi north
  5. Carson Hill12 mi north
  6. Second Garrotte13 mi east
  7. Telegraph City17 mi west
  8. Horseshoe Bend17 mi southeast

Distances are straight lines. Roads to ruins are often dirt, and a 20-mile hop can take an hour.

Who owns the land

Private or unlisted land

The town center is not on any public or protected parcel in PAD-US, the national map of public land. People still live here, so streets are open while buildings and lots belong to their owners. Ask before you step onto a property.

The point is the town location from Wikidata, and the land record is from PAD-US 3.0 (USGS). Ruins can spread past that point, and land changes hands faster than the database. How we read PAD-US.

Weather by month

0°20°40°60°80°100°5633Jan5834Feb6237Mar6740Apr7646May8551Jun9357Jul9256Aug8751Sep7643Oct6336Nov5532DecJan: 6.3 inFeb: 5.5 inMar: 5.4 inApr: 3.0 inMay: 1.5 inJun: 0.3 inJul: 0.0 inAug: 0.1 inSep: 0.2 inOct: 1.6 inNov: 3.2 inDec: 5.5 inrain
Mild month (average high 55–88°F, low above 28°F) 32°F, freezing Rain and snow water, inches

Mild months here run September to June, judging by NOAA normals from Sonora. June to September bring 10 or more days at 90°F and up.

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from the Sonora station (USC00048353), 7.2 miles away. About 32.6 inches of precipitation a year.

Facts

LocationTuolumne County, California
Coordinates37.87028, -120.43333
Elevation1,270 ft (388 m)
Census counts2010: 126 · 2020: 90
Protected asCalifornia Historical Landmark
Also known asChinese Camp, CA
SourcesWikidata Q582753 · Wikipedia article

Questions

Where is Chinese Camp ghost town?

In Tuolumne County, California, at 37.8703, -120.4333. The closest town with more than 1,000 people is Jamestown, CA, about 6.2 miles north in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Turlock, CA, 34 miles away.

Can you visit Chinese Camp?

Private land, lived-in town. The town center is not on any public or protected parcel in PAD-US, the national map of public land. People still live here, so streets are open while buildings and lots belong to their owners. Ask before you step onto a property.

When is the best time to visit Chinese Camp?

Mild months here run September to June, judging by NOAA normals from Sonora. June to September bring 10 or more days at 90°F and up.

Are there other ghost towns near Chinese Camp?

Yes. French Flat (7.3 mi), Melones (10 mi), Sawmill Flat (11 mi), Martinez (11 mi).

More ghost towns in California

All 240 ghost towns in California · Ghost towns near Sacramento · Ghost towns near Fresno