If you’ve taken a look at my Titus Canyon post in Death Valley National Park, you would know by now it’s in my top 10 favorite places on earth. About halfway through that epic drive is Leadfield Ghost Town, a 100-year old abandoned settlement with a whole lot of history to tell.
Where is Leadfield Ghost Town?
Leadfield Ghost Town is located in the northeast section of California’s Death Valley National Park, just over the Nevada border. From Beatty, Nevada, find the entrance to Titus Canyon Road from CA-374. Leadfield is 16 miles into that 27 mile drive, the main proponent behind why this road was made.
Read more about Titus Canyon Road – The Most Epic Adventure in Death Valley
About Leadfield Ghost Town
Established as a settlement for mining copper and lead, the area around Leadfield began attracting miners in the early 1900s. Because of high costs for transporting ore to smelters, the attempts to mine ceased.
In the year of 1926, an investor by the name of Charles C. Julian saw potential in the area. He began to promote the mine for the Western Lead Mines company with “wild and distorted” advertisements. To fix transportation issues, he constructed the 27 mile-long Titus Canyon Road.
Attempting to get the buzz going about Leadfield, he rented over 100 private cars to bring nearly 1000 investors and buyers to the area for a private luncheon. Newspapers and even politicians around the country caught on to the excitement, essentially driving the company stock up from 10 cents to $3.30 a share.
Scores of hopeful entrepreneurs began showing up to Leadfield. Having more than 1700 lots ready to be built on, a post office was established in August of 1926.
As fast as the town sprung up, it died. Lead deposits became scarce and Charles Julian went bankrupt, amid claims of fraud. In February of 1927, the post office closed which essentially led to the end of Leadfield, leaving it as a ghost town nearly 100 years later.
Exploring Leadfield Ghost Town
After descending from Red Pass 16 miles into the drive on Titus Canyon Road, a pull out appears on the right and signage suggests we’re now in Leadfield. On this side of the road are remnants of where various buildings stood like the cafe, the Pioneer Club, a general store and the Western Lead Mining company offices.
Want more info on driving Titus Canyon Road? Click here!
Walking along the other side of the road and over the dry creek basin, we arrive to a vast area scattered with mines, dumps and tin buildings.
Tips for Visiting Leadfield Ghost Town
- To drive the Titus Canyon Road and access Leadfield, you will need a high clearance vehicle with good tires and sometimes 4-wheel drive.
- If storms are brewing, don’t attempt the drive to Leadfield as flash floods can happen in an instant. Check the NPS website here for any alerts before driving to Leadfield.
- Leadfield is a historic place so be sure to follow the Leave No Trace principles while visiting.
- Some of the mine entrances are open to explore at your own risk. Be sure to have the necessary hiking essentials if you enter the mines.
- The temperatures in Death Valley can reach insane heights. Bring plenty of water with you for the drive and exploring Leadfield.
- Watch out for rattlesnakes in this area.
Be sure to check out my Death Valley archive here for more first-hand tips for exploring!
Before heading into historic places, it’s imperative that you’re familiar with the “Leave No Trace” principles.
Read More: Leave No Trace: The 7 Rules of the Backcountry
Learn more about Leave No Trace on their website here.
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