Ridleys Ferry Ghost Town

Mariposa County, California37.6097, -120.1358

Can you visit?

Public land, open access

Lake McClure (Exchequer Reservoir) · Open to visitors

Nearest town
12 miMariposa, CA
Mild months
Feb–Nov8 of 12
Next ghost town
0.2 miBagby
Illustration of a forest landscape
Illustration of the landscape type, not a picture of Ridleys Ferry. No free-licensed photo yet.

Ridleys Ferry is a former settlement in Mariposa County, California, listed among the ghost towns of California.

On the map

20 mi40 miMercedJamestownMono VistaPine Mountain LakeRidleys Ferry
  • BLM
  • National Forest
  • National Park Service
  • Other federal
  • City, county
  • Private or unlisted

Star: Ridleys Ferry. 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 Mariposa, CA, about 12 miles southeast in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Merced, CA, 28 miles away.

Ghost towns nearby

  1. Bagby0.2 mi north
  2. Cat Town3.5 mi northeast
  3. Quartzburg6.1 mi southwest
  4. Horseshoe Bend7 mi northwest
  5. Newtown7.2 mi northwest
  6. Mount Ophir7.6 mi southeast
  7. Briceburg9.2 mi east
  8. Agua Fria11 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. 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°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), 17 miles away. About 38.6 inches of precipitation a year.

Facts

LocationMariposa County, California
Coordinates37.60970, -120.13580
Also known asRidleys Ferry, California
SourcesWikidata Q7333028 · Wikipedia article

Questions

Where is Ridleys Ferry ghost town?

In Mariposa County, California, at 37.6097, -120.1358. The closest town with more than 1,000 people is Mariposa, CA, about 12 miles southeast in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Merced, CA, 28 miles away.

Can you visit Ridleys Ferry?

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. 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 Ridleys Ferry?

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 Ridleys Ferry?

Yes. Bagby (0.2 mi), Cat Town (3.5 mi), Quartzburg (6.1 mi), Horseshoe Bend (7 mi).

More ghost towns in California

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