Forest Ghost Town

Sierra County, California39.4914, -120.8531

Can you visit?

Public land, open access

Tahoe National Forest · Open to visitors

Nearest town
19 miNevada City, CA
Mild months
May–Oct6 of 12
Elevation
4,590 ft1,398 m
Forest, California
Photo: Mrgooseskin at English Wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Forest, in Sierra County, California, is a ghost town. It lies at about 4,590 feet above sea level. The site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

On the map

20 mi40 miGrass ValleyAlta SierraLake of the PinesLake WildwoodNevada CityKelly RidgeLoma RicaForest
  • National Forest
  • State
  • Private or unlisted

Star: Forest. 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 Nevada City, CA, about 19 miles southwest in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Lincoln, CA, 49 miles away.

Ghost towns nearby

  1. Moores Flat5 mi south
  2. Woolsey Flat5.6 mi south
  3. North Bloomfield8.9 mi south
  4. Gibsonville17 mi north
  5. Red Dog19 mi south
  6. You Bet20 mi south
  7. Jamison22 mi northeast
  8. Westville24 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

National Forest: Tahoe National Forest

PAD-US places this spot on Tahoe National Forest, land managed by the U.S. Forest Service. PAD-US marks it as open to the public. Park rules, fees and seasonal closures can still apply.

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°4629Jan4728Feb4930Mar5533Apr6440May7347Jun8254Jul8154Aug7751Sep6642Oct5434Nov4529Dec
Mild month (average high 55–88°F, low above 28°F) 32°F, freezing Rain and snow water, inches

Mild months here run May to October, judging by NOAA normals from Bowman Dam.

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from the Bowman Dam station (USC00041018), 11 miles away. The town sits about 800 feet lower than the station, so expect it to run warmer.

Facts

LocationSierra County, California
Coordinates39.49139, -120.85306
Elevation4,590 ft (1,398 m)
Protected asNational Register of Historic Places (NRHP 96000942)
Also known asForest, California, Forest, CA
SourcesWikidata Q5468767 · Wikipedia article · NPS register file

Questions

Where is Forest ghost town?

In Sierra County, California, at 39.4914, -120.8531. The closest town with more than 1,000 people is Nevada City, CA, about 19 miles southwest in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Lincoln, CA, 49 miles away.

Can you visit Forest?

Public land, open access. PAD-US places this spot on Tahoe National Forest, land managed by the U.S. Forest Service. PAD-US marks it as open to the public. Park rules, fees and seasonal closures can still apply.

When is the best time to visit Forest?

Mild months here run May to October, judging by NOAA normals from Bowman Dam.

Are there other ghost towns near Forest?

Yes. Moores Flat (5 mi), Woolsey Flat (5.6 mi), North Bloomfield (8.9 mi), Gibsonville (17 mi).

More ghost towns in California

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