Woodfords Ghost Town

Alpine County, California38.7778, -119.8219

Can you visit?

Private land, lived-in town

Private or unlisted land · Streets public, lots private

Nearest town
9 miGardnerville Ranchos, NV
Mild months
Mar–Oct6 of 12
Elevation
5,620 ft1,712 m
Illustration of a mountain landscape
Illustration of the landscape type, not a picture of Woodfords. No free-licensed photo yet.

Woodfords sits in Alpine County, California. People call it a ghost town, though 150 residents were counted in 2000. It lies at about 5,620 feet above sea level. It was founded in 1847.

On the map

20 mi40 miSouth Lake TahoeJohnson LaneMindenKingsburyMeyersWoodfords
  • BLM
  • National Forest
  • Private or unlisted

Star: Woodfords. 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 Gardnerville Ranchos, NV, about 9 miles northeast in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Carson City, NV, 26 miles away.

Ghost towns nearby

  1. Silver Mountain12 mi south
  2. Ludwig32 mi northeast
  3. Como33 mi northeast
  4. Stone Cabin35 mi northeast
  5. Sutro37 mi north
  6. Washoe City38 mi north
  7. Virginia City38 mi north
  8. Pine Grove38 mi east

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 town center is not on any public or protected parcel in PAD-US, the national map of public land. People still live here, so streets are open while buildings and lots belong to their owners. Ask before you step onto a property. Another parcel starts within a quarter mile: Toiyabe National Forest. 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°4722Jan5125Feb5829Mar6333Apr7241May8248Jun9255Jul9053Aug8246Sep7036Oct5628Nov4622DecJan: 0.6 inFeb: 0.4 inMar: 1.1 inApr: 0.3 inMay: 0.6 inJun: 0.1 inJul: 0.3 inAug: 0.3 inSep: 0.2 inOct: 0.2 inNov: 0.7 inDec: 1.0 inrain
Mild month (average high 55–88°F, low above 28°F) 32°F, freezing Rain and snow water, inches

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

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from the Topaz Lake station (USC00268186), 17 miles away. About 5.8 inches of precipitation a year.

Facts

LocationAlpine County, California
Coordinates38.77778, -119.82194
Elevation5,620 ft (1,712 m)
Founded1847
Census counts2000: 150
Also known asWoodfords, CA
SourcesWikidata Q3475486 · Wikipedia article

Questions

Where is Woodfords ghost town?

In Alpine County, California, at 38.7778, -119.8219. The closest town with more than 1,000 people is Gardnerville Ranchos, NV, about 9 miles northeast in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Carson City, NV, 26 miles away.

Can you visit Woodfords?

Private land, lived-in town. The town center is not on any public or protected parcel in PAD-US, the national map of public land. People still live here, so streets are open while buildings and lots belong to their owners. Ask before you step onto a property. Another parcel starts within a quarter mile: Toiyabe National Forest. Ruins often spread across more than one owner.

When is the best time to visit Woodfords?

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

Are there other ghost towns near Woodfords?

Yes. Silver Mountain (12 mi), Ludwig (32 mi), Como (33 mi), Stone Cabin (35 mi).

More ghost towns in California

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