Golden Ghost Town
Josephine County, Oregon42.6828, -123.3300
Can you visit?
Likely private land
Private or unlisted land · Ask the owner first
- Nearest town
- 12 miMerlin, OR
- Mild months
- Mar–Oct6 of 12
- Elevation
- 1,620 ft495 m
Golden is an abandoned town in Josephine County, Oregon. It lies at about 1,620 feet above sea level. The site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
On the map
- Private or unlisted
Star: Golden. 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 Merlin, OR, about 12 miles southwest in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Medford, OR, 34 miles away.
Ghost towns nearby
- Greenback2.3 mi southeast
- Placer3.6 mi south
- Leland6.4 mi southwest
- Rock Point21 mi southeast
- Tiller26 mi northeast
- Persist37 mi east
- Sterlingville37 mi southeast
- Kerby37 mi southwest
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 point we have for this town is not on any public or protected parcel in PAD-US, the national map of public land. That usually means private land. Ruins on private land are off limits without the owner's permission, even when no fence or sign is visible. Look from the public road. Another parcel starts within a quarter mile: Medford Grants Pass Field Office, Golden Townsite State Heritage Site. Ruins often spread across more than one owner.
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
Mild months here run March to June, September to October, judging by NOAA normals from Grants Pass. July to August bring 10 or more days at 90°F and up.
NOAA 1991–2020 normals from the Grants Pass station (USC00353445), 18 miles away. About 31.4 inches of precipitation a year.
Facts
| Location | Josephine County, Oregon |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 42.68280, -123.33000 |
| Elevation | 1,620 ft (495 m) |
| Protected as | National Register of Historic Places (NRHP 02000825) |
| Also known as | Golden, Oregon, Golden Historic District, Golden, OR |
| Sources | Wikidata Q5579058 · Wikipedia article · NPS register file |
Questions
Where is Golden ghost town?
In Josephine County, Oregon, at 42.6828, -123.3300. The closest town with more than 1,000 people is Merlin, OR, about 12 miles southwest in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Medford, OR, 34 miles away.
Can you visit Golden?
Likely private land. The point we have for this town is not on any public or protected parcel in PAD-US, the national map of public land. That usually means private land. Ruins on private land are off limits without the owner's permission, even when no fence or sign is visible. Look from the public road. Another parcel starts within a quarter mile: Medford Grants Pass Field Office, Golden Townsite State Heritage Site. Ruins often spread across more than one owner.
When is the best time to visit Golden?
Mild months here run March to June, September to October, judging by NOAA normals from Grants Pass. July to August bring 10 or more days at 90°F and up.
Are there other ghost towns near Golden?
Yes. Greenback (2.3 mi), Placer (3.6 mi), Leland (6.4 mi), Rock Point (21 mi).
