Muroc Ghost Town

Kern County, California34.9231, -117.8722

Can you visit?

Closed federal land

Edwards Air Force Base · No public entry

Nearest town
3.2 miEdwards AFB, CA
Mild months
Jan–Dec8 of 12
Elevation
2,280 ft696 m
Illustration of a desert landscape
Illustration of the landscape type, not a picture of Muroc. No free-licensed photo yet.

Muroc is a former settlement in Kern County, California, listed among the ghost towns of California. It lies at about 2,280 feet above sea level.

On the map

20 mi40 miLancasterPalmdaleRosamondLake Los AngelesCalifornia CityQuartz HillMuroc
  • BLM
  • National Forest
  • Military, DOE
  • Private or unlisted

Star: Muroc. 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 Edwards AFB, CA, about 3.2 miles southwest in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Lancaster, CA, 23 miles away.

Ghost towns nearby

  1. North Muroc6.4 mi northeast
  2. Gold Town18 mi west
  3. Reefer City19 mi west
  4. Tehichipa22 mi northwest
  5. Llano Del Rio29 mi south
  6. Atolia31 mi northeast
  7. Randsburg33 mi north
  8. Garlock33 mi north

Distances are straight lines. Roads to ruins are often dirt, and a 20-mile hop can take an hour.

Who owns the land

Military or DOE land: Edwards Air Force Base

This spot falls inside Edwards Air Force Base, land held by the U.S. Department of Defense. Sites like this are usually closed to the public.

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°5931Jan6234Feb6740Mar7345Apr8253May9162Jun9867Jul9865Aug9157Sep8046Oct6735Nov5830DecJan: 1.5 inFeb: 1.8 inMar: 1.0 inApr: 0.4 inMay: 0.1 inJun: 0.1 inJul: 0.1 inAug: 0.0 inSep: 0.1 inOct: 0.3 inNov: 0.4 inDec: 1.1 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 Lancaster Wm J Fox Fld. June to September bring 10 or more days at 90°F and up.

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from the Lancaster Wm J Fox Fld station (USW00003159), 23 miles away. About 6.9 inches of precipitation a year.

Facts

LocationKern County, California
Coordinates34.92306, -117.87222
Elevation2,280 ft (696 m)
Also known asMuroc, California, Rodriguez, Rod
SourcesWikidata Q6938814 · Wikipedia article

Questions

Where is Muroc ghost town?

In Kern County, California, at 34.9231, -117.8722. The closest town with more than 1,000 people is Edwards AFB, CA, about 3.2 miles southwest in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Lancaster, CA, 23 miles away.

Can you visit Muroc?

Closed federal land. This spot falls inside Edwards Air Force Base, land held by the U.S. Department of Defense. Sites like this are usually closed to the public.

When is the best time to visit Muroc?

Mild months here run October to May, judging by NOAA normals from Lancaster Wm J Fox Fld. June to September bring 10 or more days at 90°F and up.

Are there other ghost towns near Muroc?

Yes. North Muroc (6.4 mi), Gold Town (18 mi), Reefer City (19 mi), Tehichipa (22 mi).

More ghost towns in California

All 240 ghost towns in California · Ghost towns near Los Angeles · Ghost towns near Bakersfield · Ghost towns near Barstow