Kelso Ghost Town

San Bernardino County, California35.0125, -115.6536

Can you visit?

Likely private land

Private or unlisted land · Ask the owner first

Nearest town
57 miSandy Valley, NV
Mild months
Feb–Nov8 of 12
Elevation
2,130 ft648 m
Kelso, California
Photo: Pierre Camateros, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Kelso is a ghost town in San Bernardino County, California. It lies at about 2,130 feet above sea level.

On the map

20 mi40 miKelso
  • BLM
  • National Park Service
  • Land trust
  • Private or unlisted

Star: Kelso. 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 Sandy Valley, NV, about 57 miles north in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Enterprise, NV, 73 miles away.

Ghost towns nearby

  1. Providence8.7 mi east
  2. Cima18 mi northeast
  3. Crucero29 mi west
  4. Essex30 mi southeast
  5. Ash Hill31 mi southwest
  6. Vanderbilt32 mi northeast
  7. Chambless32 mi south
  8. Amboy32 mi south

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: Mojave National Preserve. 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

0°20°40°60°80°100°5440Jan5541Feb6245Mar6850Apr7758May8769Jun9273Jul9172Aug8568Sep7457Oct6247Nov5340DecJan: 1.3 inFeb: 1.8 inMar: 1.6 inApr: 0.6 inMay: 0.2 inJun: 0.1 inJul: 1.1 inAug: 0.6 inSep: 0.7 inOct: 0.6 inNov: 0.5 inDec: 1.6 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 Mitchell Caverns. June to August bring 10 or more days at 90°F and up.

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from the Mitchell Caverns station (USC00045721), 7.7 miles away. The town sits about 2,200 feet lower than the station, so expect it to run warmer. About 10.7 inches of precipitation a year.

Facts

LocationSan Bernardino County, California
Coordinates35.01250, -115.65361
Elevation2,130 ft (648 m)
Also known asKelso, California, Kelso, CA
SourcesWikidata Q1738353 · Wikipedia article

Questions

Where is Kelso ghost town?

In San Bernardino County, California, at 35.0125, -115.6536. The closest town with more than 1,000 people is Sandy Valley, NV, about 57 miles north in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Enterprise, NV, 73 miles away.

Can you visit Kelso?

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: Mojave National Preserve. Ruins often spread across more than one owner.

When is the best time to visit Kelso?

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

Are there other ghost towns near Kelso?

Yes. Providence (8.7 mi), Cima (18 mi), Crucero (29 mi), Essex (30 mi).

More ghost towns in California

All 240 ghost towns in California · Ghost towns near Las Vegas · Ghost towns near Lake Havasu City · Ghost towns near Barstow