Horseshoe Bend Ghost Town

Mariposa County, California37.6760, -120.2316

Can you visit?

Public land, open access

Lake McClure (Exchequer Reservoir) · Open to visitors

Nearest town
7.6 miLake Don Pedro, CA
Mild months
Feb–Nov8 of 12
Next ghost town
2.9 miNewtown
Illustration of a forest landscape
Illustration of the landscape type, not a picture of Horseshoe Bend. No free-licensed photo yet.

Horseshoe Bend is an abandoned town in Mariposa County, California.

On the map

20 mi40 miSonoraJamestownPine Mountain LakeColumbiaHorseshoe Bend
  • BLM
  • National Forest
  • National Park Service
  • Other federal
  • City, county
  • Private or unlisted

Star: Horseshoe Bend. 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 Lake Don Pedro, CA, about 7.6 miles west in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Merced, CA, 28 miles away.

Ghost towns nearby

  1. Newtown2.9 mi northeast
  2. Bagby6.9 mi southeast
  3. Ridleys Ferry7 mi southeast
  4. Cat Town8.1 mi east
  5. Quartzburg9.6 mi south
  6. Second Garrotte10 mi north
  7. Merced Falls12 mi southwest
  8. Mount Ophir14 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

City or county land: Lake McClure (Exchequer Reservoir)

PAD-US places this spot on Lake McClure (Exchequer Reservoir), land managed by a regional agency. 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°5331Jan5532Feb6035Mar6538Apr7344May8351Jun9156Jul9155Aug8550Sep7442Oct6035Nov5231DecJan: 7.2 inFeb: 6.9 inMar: 6.3 inApr: 3.0 inMay: 2.2 inJun: 0.4 inJul: 0.0 inAug: 0.1 inSep: 0.3 inOct: 2.1 inNov: 3.5 inDec: 6.6 inrain
Mild month (average high 55–88°F, low above 28°F) 32°F, freezing Rain and snow water, inches

Mild months here run February to June, September to November, judging by NOAA normals from Groveland 2. July to August bring 10 or more days at 90°F and up; snow is normal in March.

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from the Groveland 2 station (USC00043669), 12 miles away. About 38.6 inches of precipitation a year.

Facts

LocationMariposa County, California
Coordinates37.67600, -120.23160
SourcesWikidata Q14946651 · Wikipedia article

Questions

Where is Horseshoe Bend ghost town?

In Mariposa County, California, at 37.6760, -120.2316. The closest town with more than 1,000 people is Lake Don Pedro, CA, about 7.6 miles west in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Merced, CA, 28 miles away.

Can you visit Horseshoe Bend?

Public land, open access. PAD-US places this spot on Lake McClure (Exchequer Reservoir), land managed by a regional agency. 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 Horseshoe Bend?

Mild months here run February to June, September to November, judging by NOAA normals from Groveland 2. July to August bring 10 or more days at 90°F and up; snow is normal in March.

Are there other ghost towns near Horseshoe Bend?

Yes. Newtown (2.9 mi), Bagby (6.9 mi), Ridleys Ferry (7 mi), Cat Town (8.1 mi).

More ghost towns in California

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