We love finding old highways to explore, and when we heard about Abandoned Highway 80 we were really excited.
Originally stretching 2,726 miles from Savannah, Georgia to San Diego and boasting to be the first coast-to-coast all-weather road. However, the unfortunate fad of today is, many old highways like this one, have huge portions swallowed up. All in the name of progress by the superhighway or the reroute or the even more shameful, decommission and then forgotten about. There are only 20 miles still in existence in California. Though there are more sections across other states.
Desert View Tower
Leaving the I-8 westbound behind, we took the exit for In-Ko-Pah Road, Jacumba Hot Springs and headed for Desert View Tower and Boulder Park. Built as a roadside attraction by a real estate developer, Bert Vaughn, between 1922-28 with salvaged wood from the old road. He built the four-story cut-stone structure to commemorate the pioneers who struggled across the arid desert. Vaughn also owned the town of Jacumba at the time.
desert tower slideshow
Inside the tower, there is a museum and gift shop to mooch around in. At the centre is the steep wooden stairs that take you up each level until you reach the top of the tower. Here an observation deck awaits where you can see for miles out into the desert. On this day it was clear enough to see the Salton Sea.
inside the tower slideshow
Boulder Park
Boulder Park is a jumble of weathered rocks, some of which are sculpted by human hands into animals and reptiles. Created in 1933 by Merle Ratcliff, it’s a great place to explore. We found a trail which took us past many of the carvings. Further up, we crept underneath and in between some of the wonderful wind and
This also happens to be the location of Millers Springs that sits high in the mountain. Apparently it’s a natural spring, which is a climb from the greenhouses. We didn’t do the hike to the springs but the trailhead is situated by the communication tower.
slideshow of boulder park
Camping is available here in the Boulder Park area, but you need to book through HIPCAMP.COM which I had never heard of. By all accounts, it’s like AIRB&B.
Coyote’s Flying Saucer Repair
Coyote’s Flying Saucer Repair (which you would have passed on route to the tower) is just a few hundred feet down the road. Honestly, our opinion is, that it’s just a pile of junk on the side of the road with a flying saucer made out of odds and sods. You can get in it for a photo, although the owner (who was dozing in his car at the time) would like a donation.
There are also ruins of an old garage and a cafe further south of Coyote’s Flying Saucer repair.
cafe and garage ruins slideshow
Mountain Meadows Dairy (Kethum Ranch)
Back in the van and further south, we drove towards the next item on the list. I wasn’t able to find much information about the next stop, Mountain Meadows Dairy (Kethum Ranch) which is also now derelict.
We saw these old ruins, of what we believed to be the dairy farm, another victim along Abandoned Highway 80, so we snapped some pictures. There are No Trespassing and Posted signs on the gate, and because the border patrol plane was soaring overhead, we decided it best to stay within the law and not enter. Besides, in this area, you never know if you are going to come across some illegals or smugglers. Best to STAY SAFE!
Jacumba Hot Springs
Jacumba means “healing waters” and once drew Kumeyaay Indians, who wintered here being drawn by the warm mineral waters. On entering the small township of Jacumba Hot Springs, I wondered why the town, once attracting Hollywood actors such as Clark Gable and Marlene Dietrich was left to ruin. Most of the buildings which once thrived in this bustling village have been left to rot, and the streets were deserted.
pics of jacumba hot springs
Bathhouse at jacumba springs
The old Thomas Health Institute bathhouse destroyed by fire was a place for relaxation and pampering in times gone by. Some of their treatments included mud packs, massages and dips in one of the mineral pools. Now it sits solemnly silent and alone filled with its own scorched debris. Overgrown where Nature is in the throughs of battle to reclaim again what is rightfully Hers.
slideshow of the old bathhouse
Hotel Vaughn
Across the road are the ruins of the formally plush Hotel Vaughn, built in 1925. At the time it boasted 65 rooms, a swimming pool and spa. Also known as the Jacumba Hotel, this too succumbed to fire by arson in 1983 and was demolished in 1991. All that sits in the lot today are the chimney and some sparse remnants of the once swanky building.
once the plush hotel vaughn slideshow
Railway Yard
At the intersection of Seeley Avenue and Railroad Street you will come across Carrizo Gorge Railway yard. This was the main depot in Jacumba built in 1919. It still carried passengers until 1951 when it was permanently closed after a series of natural disasters. Leaving the once proud passenger cars stranded to let their former glamour fade back into the dust thats blowing away their memories.
Carrizo gorge railway yard slideshow
The carriages are all on private property and surrounded by POSTED signs. I did manage to sneak a peak at the old wooden cars, but not the ones on the other side of the track. They seem to be inhabited by more than chitter-chatter of past travellers and desert creatures looking for relief from the elements.
old wooden carriages pictures
On leaving the town you can see remnants of the original concrete road and the old railway line, and just a few feet away the border wall.
remnants of jacumba slideshow
Boulder Oaks Campground
Bankhead Springs, Boulevard and Manzanita are all small hamlets with very little to see being ghosts on Abandoned Highway 80.
The PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) crosses at Boulder Oaks which has several campgrounds. This is where we decided to pull in for the night. We got out the Coleman’s stove opened up the wine and cooked some food I’d packed. Heinz Baked Beans, imported from England, potatoes and some sausages, all topped off with a nice glass of Merlot.
campground at boulder oaks – slideshow
Buckman Springs
Buckman Springs is said to have lots of paranormal activity, but there isn’t much left to haunt. The only buildings that now remain are ruins of Amos Buckman’s homestead and parts of the Buckman bottle plant. It is rumoured that his grave has been lost and is somewhere along the fence by the freeway, they think. We however, were unable to find it.
Guatay
The next few towns you drive through are Pine Valley and Pine Creek (there’s a 1916 bridge which is on now private property and is a good hike to get to) and lastly Guatay.
Guatay is a small town with no cell reception and no TV service unless you have cable, no restaurant and just a few stores. It’s one of those really quiet escape it all “Nothing” towns.
guatay slideshow
And here endeth the Californian section of Abandoned Highway 80.
In A Nutshell
- Boulder Park and Desert View Tower
- Address: In-Ko-Pah Rd, Jacumba, CA (dead-end road)
- Admission to Boulder Park $6.50 per person.
- Tickets from Desert View Tower
- Open 9 am – 5 pm daily
- Free parking and toilets
- Camping available from HIPCAMP.COM
- Coyote’s Flying Saucer Repair – donations welcome
- Jacumba Hot Springs
Rattle snake statue – 44605 Old Highway 80 – free admission
- Carrizo Railway yard At the intersection of Railroad Street and Seeley Avenue sit about ten abandoned train engines and cars
- Public Baths – 1111 Jacumba St, Jacumba Hot Springs, CA
Location Map
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