Day Trip: Barstow, California

Location
Barstow, San Bernardino County, California, on the Mojave River
Landmark
Casa del Desierto (Harvey House), Santa Fe depot-hotel built 1911, city-owned
Nearby park
Calico Ghost Town, 36600 Ghost Town Rd, Yermo, CA 92398
Calico hours
Daily 9am-5pm; closed Christmas Day
Calico admission
Adults $8, youth 4-11 $5, 3 and under free; attractions extra
City hall
220 E. Mountain View St, Suite A; Mon-Thu 8am-5:30pm

About

Barstow is a railroad city in the Mojave Desert. The city lists a BNSF railyard with Union Pacific access and nearby Marine Corps and Army installations among its defining features.

Among its historic buildings is the Casa del Desierto, a station and hotel built by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway in 1911. It replaced an 1885 depot that burned in 1908. The Santa Fe closed the station in 1973. The City of Barstow bought it and rebuilt it after heavy damage in a 1992 earthquake. The city describes a mix of Spanish Renaissance and Classical Revival styles, with arcades, red tile roofs and domed towers.

Calico Ghost Town, a San Bernardino County regional park in nearby Yermo, was a silver mining town from 1881 until the mid-1890s. Walter Knott bought it in the 1950s and restored it. It is State Historical Landmark 782.

What to expect

At the Harvey House you see the restored depot-hotel beside the rail line and the Mojave River. The city describes it as the finest remaining depot-hotel in California. Its arcades and colonnades were built to give shade from the desert sun.

At Calico, you walk a restored 1880s main street with nine shops, the Calico House Restaurant and Lil's Saloon. The free Lucy Lane Museum shows artifacts, photos and documents from Calico's early days. For a separate fee you can tour the Maggie Mine, ride the Calico Odessa Railroad, enter the Mystery Shack or pan for gold. The park also has camping, cabins, hiking, mountain bike trails and off-road trails.

Plan the trip

Good to know

  • Calico's attractions are run by a concessionaire and priced separately; the county points visitors to Calico Attractions at 760-254-3719.
  • Special-event weekends at Calico, such as Calico Ghost Haunt on Oct 23-25 and Oct 30-31, 2026, cost more: adults $15 and youth $10.
  • The county warns that mines around Calico are extremely hazardous and must not be approached.
  • Not every part of Calico is ADA accessible because of the town's historic buildings.
  • Calico's phone line was listed as down on Oct 1, 2026; the county's main number is 909-387-2757.
  • Camping, cabin or bunkhouse guests at Calico get free admission to the town.

Questions about Barstow, California

What is the Harvey House in Barstow?

It is the Casa del Desierto, a station and hotel the Santa Fe Railway built in 1911 to replace an earlier depot that burned. The railroad closed the station in 1973. The City of Barstow bought the building and rebuilt it after a 1992 earthquake. The city credits architect Francis W. Wilson, who also designed Harvey hotels in Williams, Arizona, and Needles.

How much does Calico Ghost Town cost?

San Bernardino County Regional Parks charges per person. Adults pay $8, youth ages 4 to 11 pay $5, and children 3 and under are free. Special-event weekends cost $15 for adults and $10 for youth. The mine tour, train ride, Mystery Shack and gold panning are run by a concessionaire and charged separately.

When is Calico Ghost Town open?

The county lists Calico as open daily from 9am to 5pm and closed on Christmas Day. The Lucy Lane Museum and the paid attractions keep the same 9am to 5pm hours. Evening hours apply on some event days, such as the Calico Ghost Haunt Saturdays in October 2026, which run until 10pm.

Where is Calico Ghost Town?

The park's address is 36600 Ghost Town Road, Yermo, CA 92398. It is part of the San Bernardino County Regional Parks system. The county says Calico was founded in 1881 and abandoned in the mid-1890s after silver lost its value, then restored by Walter Knott in the 1950s.

Can I stay overnight at Calico?

Yes. The county rents 10 heated and air-conditioned cabins that sleep four for $75 a night, plus a bunkhouse and a mini-bunkhouse at $160 a night. RV and tent sites run $35 to $55 a night depending on hookups and the day of the week. Linens are not provided, and overnight guests enter the town free.