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 | Death Valley National Park Other Points of Interest Reviews | 1 - 10 of 46 |  |
"We are at Barker's now, sneaked in at dusk. It feels good here all in one room, all in one circle. We're dusty brown and smoothly tough, with cactus cut hands of lizard scale and sun. The feeling is animal, of wind and rough ground under our feet, and real. We can't stay here at Barker's. There's too many of us. We are hunted. So tonight we dig. "
Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, 1969-Manson Family Killer
On the edge of Death Valley an intrepid traveller may find the Barker Ranch which is unoccupied but still remains on private land. It was here in 1969 that a group of 20 Hippie's belonging to the Charles Manson clan hid out from law enforcement. The above text is a journal entry written by a now imprisoned murderer about her stay at this remote shack in Death Valley. There are actually a few beds, a fire place, an old kitchen, and even a liabrary inside the home but nobody lives there. I imagine the stuff was left there by travellers who were passing through on a tour of the macabre. You can probably stay the night there if you are in Death Valley but don't let stories of the place being haunted scare you off. The stars are bright & glorious in the night sky but even that wont keep a vivid imagination at ease knowing that the Manson killers gazed upon the same night sky you now lay under. Leave a Comment
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The charcoal kilns stand in Wildrose canyon, in western Death Valley, at an elevation of 6,800 feet. They can be reached by a good dirt road where you can drive a regular car. In early April, there was still some snow remaining. When you arrive and discover the kilns, the view is stunning. What is that, is that a village ? Leave a Comment
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In 1897 Radcliffe mining produced 15,000 tons of gold ore from 1898-1903. Ballarat was named after Australian gold camp and home of 400 people. It boasted a community of 7 saloons, 3 hotels, Wells Fargo station, post office, school, and a morgue. It lacked a Church, oops! Soon like others started to decline when the mine ended its operation. Businesses folded up and people moved on, except those hardy inidividuals who were determine to continue mining on their own or just because they called it home like die hard Frank "Shorty" Harris who remained till his death in 1934 and Charles "Seldom Seen Slim" Ferge in 1968. The evil Manson family even left their mark here with some graffiti behind while hiding out at the Barker ranch just south of here.
There is a store here and its popular for the 4x4er's who like to use the trailer park.
Ballarat is privately owned and the only structures left are several adobe ruins and a cemetery, which is neat to explore.
It is located off a dirt road off of Panamint Valley road west of Death Valley Highway 178. Look for the Historical Markers Leave a Comment
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The Marker Reads:
3.5 miles east of this point lies Ballarat. Established in 1897 as a mining camp and supply center for gold and silver mines located on the western slope of the Panamint Mountains. It was named after a well known gold producting area in Australia boasting a population of nearly 500. It has Wells Fargo station, post office, school house, jail, morgue, 3 hotels, and 7 saloons. When the Ratcliff Mine suspended operations in 1905. Ballarat began to rapidly decline. After the post office closed in September of 1917 became a ghost town.
Billy Holcomb Plaques No. 102
It is located off a dirt road off of Panamint Valley road west of Death Valley Highway 178. Look for the Historical Markers Leave a Comment
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Approximately 10 miles up Warm Springs Canyon west of the West Side Road youll find these ruins at the Warm Springs. Native Americans brought ore down to the mill to have it reduced. Leave a Comment
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From Ballarat the World Beater Mine is found 3-4 miles due east up into Pleasant Valley Canyon.
High Clearance 4x4 Required. Leave a Comment
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Goler Canyon is an amazingly steep and rugged route into and out of Death Valley. Lined with mines and cactus from top to bottom, the 4.5 mile long canyon is worth a hike from the Ballarat entrance if you are without a 4x4. Leave a Comment
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Beatty, Nevada is about 40 miles from Furnace Creek or Stovepipe Wells. It's the closest town to stay outside Death Valley National Park. Walked around the blocks and I found the town was made of a dozen or so hotels/motels and a handful casinos. In the casinos I only saw local gamblers (not a good sign).
According to census, Beatty's population was 1,173 in year 2000. Imagine the ghost town Rhyolite, just outside Beatty, had the population of over 10,000 at one time... Leave a Comment
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In the northern part of Death Valley are great sand dune fields which can also be reached by car. YouŽll have to take the long way around, though. Leave a Comment
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Most tourists to Death Valley National Park probably won't come to this area. But if you want to visit Charcoal Kilns you are likely to take Emigrant Canyon Road. The photo shows Nemo Canyon near Emigrant Pass. It's a very pleasant drive. The road was paved, the canyon smooth, and the sky wide open. Don't be fooled. Once you enter Wildrose Canyon it's all dirt road. Leave a Comment
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