Melones Ghost Town

Calaveras County, California38.0125, -120.4986

Can you visit?

Public land, open access

New Melones · Open to visitors

Nearest town
4.8 miColumbia, CA
Mild months
Jan–Dec8 of 12
Elevation
950 ft291 m
Illustration of a forest landscape
Illustration of the landscape type, not a picture of Melones. No free-licensed photo yet.

Melones is a former settlement in Calaveras County, California, listed among the ghost towns of California. It lies at about 950 feet above sea level.

On the map

20 mi40 miCopperopolisPhoenix LakeAngelsEast SonoraMelones
  • BLM
  • National Forest
  • Other federal
  • City, county
  • Private or unlisted

Star: Melones. 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 Columbia, CA, about 4.8 miles east in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Modesto, CA, 38 miles away.

Ghost towns nearby

  1. Carson Hill1.2 mi north
  2. French Flat3.2 mi southeast
  3. Sawmill Flat6.4 mi east
  4. Martinez6.5 mi east
  5. Chinese Camp10 mi south
  6. Telegraph City14 mi west
  7. Greasertown19 mi northwest
  8. Second Garrotte21 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

Other federal land: New Melones

PAD-US places this spot on New Melones, land managed by the Bureau of Reclamation. PAD-US marks it as open to the public. Park rules, fees and seasonal closures can still apply. Another parcel starts within a quarter mile: Mother Lode Field Office. 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°5738Jan6140Feb6544Mar7046Apr7952May8959Jun9765Jul9664Aug9160Sep8052Oct6644Nov5738DecJan: 5.8 inFeb: 4.8 inMar: 4.8 inApr: 2.6 inMay: 1.5 inJun: 0.4 inJul: 0.0 inAug: 0.0 inSep: 0.2 inOct: 1.5 inNov: 2.9 inDec: 5.2 inrain
Mild month (average high 55–88°F, low above 28°F) 32°F, freezing Rain and snow water, inches

Mild months here run October to May, judging by NOAA normals from New Melones Dam Hq. June to September bring 10 or more days at 90°F and up.

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from the New Melones Dam Hq station (USC00046174), 0.9 miles away. About 29.7 inches of precipitation a year.

Facts

LocationCalaveras County, California
Coordinates38.01250, -120.49861
Elevation950 ft (291 m)
Also known asMelones, California
SourcesWikidata Q3305269 · Wikipedia article

Questions

Where is Melones ghost town?

In Calaveras County, California, at 38.0125, -120.4986. The closest town with more than 1,000 people is Columbia, CA, about 4.8 miles east in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Modesto, CA, 38 miles away.

Can you visit Melones?

Public land, open access. PAD-US places this spot on New Melones, land managed by the Bureau of Reclamation. PAD-US marks it as open to the public. Park rules, fees and seasonal closures can still apply. Another parcel starts within a quarter mile: Mother Lode Field Office. Ruins often spread across more than one owner.

When is the best time to visit Melones?

Mild months here run October to May, judging by NOAA normals from New Melones Dam Hq. June to September bring 10 or more days at 90°F and up.

Are there other ghost towns near Melones?

Yes. Carson Hill (1.2 mi), French Flat (3.2 mi), Sawmill Flat (6.4 mi), Martinez (6.5 mi).

More ghost towns in California

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