The week before Easter was our Spring break so we took off for a 9 day road trip. Road trip, yay! It was a mini adventure – we rented an RV (never done that before) and decided to tour some of the most beautiful places in US – National Parks Zion and Bryce Canyon, and Escalante National Monument.

This post is about none of those places. Our first stop was unplanned. We just needed a break from driving (RV ride – not the most comfortable). If you have ever driven from LA to Las Vegas, you know that once you are out of the sprawl of LA, there is not much before you reach Las Vegas. So, looking at the map, I was surprised to find Calico Ghost Town, just past Barstow (going toward LV). We have driven this route at least 5 times, and I have never noticed it.

We decided to stop. It is not really a ghost town. It is very much populated, at least from 9 to 5. A lot of people. Very commercial. But fun for the kids. And we did see some of the original buildings (this was a mining town developed in the late 19th century during silver rush), and the original train tracks (of course we also took the short train ride). Did I take pictures…

Unfortunately the mines were closed for the day, but the train ride offered some views of the old mine:

some original buildings by the tracks…

and parts of the original mine tracks and cart used in the mine at one of the visible entrances.

The town itself is a mixture of stone buildings built closer the the mine, and mostly restored wooden buildings (town burned down twice during it’s brief history) in the center of town.

School tower. Also restored.

All in all, it wasn’t a waste of time.

Next… Zion. Soon.