Lone Pine to Talc City - Journey with Interesting Discoveries -

We rose around 6:30 to the sun peeking over the outlying hills. Today we were in no hurry. Sitting, enjoying our coffee and the early morning scenery at Alabama Hills, we had an easy-going, slow-moving morning. After washing up and packing away, we prepared to go on the Lone Pine to Talc City Road Trip.

Very tall mountain looms in the distance with small rock pile hills and dirt road are seen in the foreground near the start of Lone Pine to Talc City — Alabama Hills

Our first stop of the morning was to treat ourselves to coffee and a smoothie. Both were delish, and we recommend stopping by the Lone Star Bistro on Main Street.

With the tank filled, we started our journey at the Lone Pine visitors centre. Zeroing the trip miles, we began the road trip from Lone Pine to Talc City

the dolomite loop

Our first turn off of HWY 136 was Dolomite Loop. This road takes you past an old quarry and the original route to Virginia City over 290 miles away. That is a must-do for another time.

Desert landscape with rolling hills in the background and desolate desert in the foreground on Lone Pine to Talc City — A quarry on the Dolomite Loop

The quiet road continues towards the town of Dolomite, for which this stretch of tarmac is named. You can’t get close to it today, however, as it’s on private property owned by the quarry which is still in operation. Some of the original buildings intertwined with new structures are visible from the road.

Old wood buildings in the distance at the base of the mountains on the journey from Lone Pine to Talc City — Some of the original structures of Dolomite remain

At the junction to rejoin Highway 136, there is a historical marker on your right next to the stop sign. This explains about Dolomite marble mine, which is the largest in the US at seven miles long and 1,400 feet deep and is still in operation.

Very large piece of Dolomite used to place a plaque with information about the area on the trek from Lone Pine to Talc City — Dolomite Marker

Saline Valley Salt Tramway

Getting back onto the 136 we pulled over about one mile later for the next roadside attraction. The Saline Valley Salt Tramway remains.

Remnants of what used to be an aerial tramway at the base of the mountains on the desert landscape on the trip from Lone Pine to Talc City — Foundation of the Saline Valley Salt Tramway

On top of the hill is one of the old towers that held the cables for the trams. The remaining foundations lay on the sandy ground just off the road.

Wooden remain on the top of a mountain used to be the base for the cable mount for the aerial tramway on the trip form Lone Pine to Talc City — The Saline Valley Salt Tramway

Spotting some interesting items at the base of the mountain, we went to explore. There were remnants from the mining days scattered including two truck cabs—obviously the result of a horrendous flood.

Cab of an old truck sits rusting away with bullet holes on the desert landscape with large looming mountain rage across a dry lake bed in the background on Lone Pine to Talc City — Remains of an old truck

SWANSEA ghost town

A few more miles along the road are the minimal remains of the town of Swansea.

Stone historic marker with plaque to mark what was once a townsite at the edge of lake Owen that is now dry on the trip from Lone Pine to Talc City — Owens Lake silver-lead furnace marker at Swansea ghost town

The decent structures are inside a fenced-off private property. The few you can get to are a historical marker and two stone buildings in disrepair.

Remnants of what used to be a cabin now is just crumbling stone walls with a wood door and frame the roof has long gone on Lone Pine to Talc City — Swansea ruins

Last remains of what used to be a tn behind a fence with a water tower behind a tree no on private property on the trip from Lone Pine to Talc City — Swansea ghost town

Just outside Swansea, we noticed another road heading off into the distance and a manmade stone wall, so we had to investigate.

Man wearing a cowboy hat is stooping over inside a mine looking at the camera and smiling — Exploring a mine near Swansea ghost town

On closer inspection, we believe it was an exploratory adit as it didn’t go in more than maybe 50 to 75 feet.

Woman wearing a hat is holding a light and looking at the ground as she walks inside of an old mine tunnel — It was an exploratory adit which went back approximately 50ft

A REMINDER – Mines and shafts can be hazardous -false floors, cave-ins, bad air, unexploded dynamite, to name a few. Please be extremely cautious when exploring. Better still – Stay out, stay alive!

keeler – Half way from lone pine to talc city

The town of Keeler was next and did not disappoint. For such a small place, there is a lot of historical structures to see. The population of about 2,500 in its heyday has dwindled to 50 today.

Huge steamships, such as the Bessie Brady and the Mollie Stevens once docked at, what was then known as Cerro Gordo Landing. This was when Owens Lake was full of water, and Keeler was a bustling mining community.

Today the lake is dry, leaving many of the towns which depended on it, abandoned or almost deserted.

Faded out writing on the side of a concrete wall that still stands though the building around it has long gone — Ghost sign on the side of a building in Keeler

Train Depot c1883

We parked the car by a ghost sign painted on the ruins of, what was once I guess a bar or hotel.

This road used to be the railway line which was decommissioned in 1960. The tracks were removed one year later.

Two story wooden building on a street corner surrounded by tall trees along the front and left side — Keeler Train Depot

Directly opposite was the old train depot. Built in 1883 as part of the Carson and Colorado Railroad, Keeler being the end of the line. After closure, it was used as a residence for many years. Now, sadly, it is left to the elements.

Large wooden platform extends out and around the old wooden building with a few boards missing was the old train depot — The Abandoned Train Depot

Lakeside Swimming Pool and Beach Club

Further along the road, we discovered the Lakeside Swimming Pool and Beach Club, which was popular with the Hollywood elite after filming in the Alabama Hills.

Very large abandoned swimming pool with the concrete along the edges crumbling is filled with dirty murky water and lots of sand blown in from the dry lake bed with two wooden buildings in the background — The Lakeside Swimming Pool c1920s

A wheel barrow sits in the dirty murky waters of an abandoned pool with a wooden fence and building in the background

The swimming pool and the Beach Camp date back to the mid-1920s.

A surfboard is mounted on top of two poles with a man gate in-between as the entrance to a small fenced off area next to a large dry lake bed — The Beach Camp

A small camper lays rusted and smashed to pieces inside a fenced off are next to a very large dry lake bed — Keeler Beach Camp

Maybe an Abandoned School-house

We came across, either an old church or school-house which sits overgrown and surrounded by a high chain-link fence.

Front entrance of an old boarded up building behind chain link fence and hidden by very large trees on all sides — An overgrown church or school-house

We weren’t able to find out anything about the history of this building, not even the date of construction.

Sierra Talc Mill

The Sierra Talc Mill is on private property, but we were able to walk into the grounds to snap a few photos.

Large abandoned mill made of wood and corrugated steel is boarded up in an old dirt lot — Sierra Talc Mill

From the early 1900s to 1942, this old mill processed talc from five different mines in California and Nevada.

Looking inside a high opening with no window shows many wooden levels of a tall mill building that is now abandoned — Sierra Talc Mill

Keeler Burial Ground

Getting back onto the main road, next to the Cerro Gordo turn-off, lies Keeler graveyard.

Metal sign reads Keeler Cemetery on the barren desert rocky landscape with a few gravestones that can be seen in the distance

The earliest burial documented is that of miner Phillip Pirman dated 12 Dec 1884. Out of the dozens of burial sites, very few remain due to flash floods. In 1945 heavy rains washed away many of the graves and their markers. Over the years Keeler Cemetery has almost been forgotten with little to no maintenance.

Handmade wooden cross fixed in a pile of rocks with some graves marked by small fences can be seen in the background

On leaving Keeler, you can take the side trip up to Cerro Gordo, or continue on to the next and final destination.

the last leg – from lone pine to talc city

The last leg of this very easy Lone Pine to Talc City Road trip is… Yes, you guessed it – Talc City.

This is a loop road that takes you around some of the numerous talc mines that dot the hillsides and a few fragments leftover from their heyday. In fact, the first thing we found deep down in an old quarry was the rusted and busted up shell of a vehicle.

Rusted out and burned shell of a vehicle sits at the bottom of a rock quarry — Rusted shell of a vehicle in a quarry

Tall wooden structure on the hillside leads up towards over turned earth from the remnants of a mine just above

We also came across the largest congregation of old tin cans we have ever seen at a mine site.

Woman standing in the middle of a large pile of old rusted tin cans with mountains in the background — Would you look at all those tins. And this was just one pile!

This too is a wonderful loop road that is really easy and fun to do, plus the roads were in excellent shape.

Artwork out in the middle of the desert made out of debris and large barrels left behind from the mining days — Some Trash Art at the old mine site

This trip ends at the junction with highway 190 heading into Death Valley, and yet again it’s decision time. Do you head back home, or has this little 36-mile road trip inspired you to find more out there?

our takeaway on Lone Pine to Talc City road trip

One item on this trip that we missed was a stop and see some petroglyphs. Due to a technical hiccup, we weren’t able to access the notes that we had set aside to find them. Oh well, it’s good to keep some mysteries out there.

Keeler was the highlight of the trip for us. In a way, it reminded me of Bombay Beach out on the edge of the Salton Sea, because at one point it was the place to be. Now there is a sad, haunting vibe that hangs over the place.

lone pine to talc city in a nutshell

The only part of this road trip which is on unpaved road is the Talc City loop. High clearance and 4×4 wouldn’t be necessary unless it has rained. In which case, I would avoid that part.
Starting point – Interagency Visitor Centre HWY 395 & 136 Lone Pine – set milage to zero
Head east on Hwy 136
3.4 miles turn left onto the Dolomite Loop (signposted)
5.6 miles is the quarry and the Virginia City turn-off
6.8 miles is Dolomite (viewed from the road)
8 miles is the historical marker and turn left to rejoin Hwy 136
9 miles – foundations of the Saline Valley Salt Tramway. (Left-hand side of the road.) Here you can stretch your legs and explore.
9.9 miles you arrive at Swansea ghost town.
13 miles you reach Keeler. Here you can explore to your heart’s content. There are no services in Keeler.
Cerro Gordo Road is on the left-hand side of Hwy 136. If you do decide to make this side trip, you will need a high clearance vehicle and 4×4
Keeler cemetery is next to the Cerro Gordo turn-off.

SECOND LEG OF THE JOURNEY

Zero the milage again for the second part of your journey.
14.6 miles turn left then immediately right, onto Talc City Road. (This is an unmaintained road and not advised in wet weather)
You will see mines dotted throughout the hillside.
17 miles keep straight (left) at the fork
17.5 miles keep right. The road does a 180-degree turn
17.9 miles is an abandoned site where the tin can pile is. We spent about 10 minutes exploring this area
18.3 (approx) is where talc was loaded onto trucks
18.6 miles keep left and continue until the road dead-ends at SR190.
Opposite is the road to the ghost town of Darwin,

As Always….

Please remember to respect all Posted and Private Property signs.
Follow the Leave No Trace Policy – Pack it in, Pack it out. Take only photos, leave only footprints.
Always watch for snakes and other bities. (We didn’t see any.)
No cell service
Be prepared – fill up with petrol/gas at Lone Pine, and take snacks and plenty of water with you as there are no services on this route.

I’d like to thank Cliff & Ilene Bandringa of Back Roads West. Their help made this blog possible.

location map

Screen shot Ariel view of google maps showing the location of Lone Pine to Talc City — Location Map

Explore, have fun and put another Pin In The Atlas!

See you at our next location.

For more exciting places to explore in this area, click the links below.

EXPLORING DEATH VALLEY

CERRO GORDO GHOST TOWN

Road Trip Essentials Check List

Water: This is probably the most critical item to place in any vehicle. Make sure you have plenty at all times.

Water Purifier: In the instance, you have gone through all your water, you may need to collect some to purify.

Snacks: Bring your favs.

Camera: You’re going to see some incredible things document it all with a camera.

Coolbox or Mini Fridge: Keeping your cold items cold, allows you to open up the menu when you are away for extended periods of time.

Jumper Cables: For those nights you dance in the headlight beams for a little too long.

Automotive Toolkit: With some necessary tools to help you out in any situation.

Spare Tire: Having a spare with a fully inflated tire is a must if you go offroad.

Tire Pump: Maybe your spare tire wasn’t as fully inflated as you initially thought, or perhaps you let the air out of your tires for better traction.

Hire Car: If you’ve planned your road trip in a rental car, check to see if that company still covers you if you go off-roading.

Folding Shovel: You never know when roads may require you to do some digging. Or if your way out in the wilderness and there are no bathrooms.

Extra Clothes: This should be a no brainer, but also bring clothes for any situation. Weather can change quickly.

Bedding: This depends on where you plan to catch some zzz’s. If it’s in a tent, have a sleeping bag. If it’s in your vehicle, adjust accordingly to how much space you have and how warm or cold it is.

Safety: This topic will mean different things for different people. We have a few items we carry in case we run into some unsavoury character or vicious wild animal and its a life or death situation.

First Aid Kit: Scrapes and cuts can happen in your own home so you should have a kit ready for going outside.

Sense of Adventure: Apart from water and being sensible, I think this is one of the essential aspects. Have an open mind, enjoy seeing the unknown, expand your world and have a damn good time doing it!

Camping Stove: Especially if it is cold out, there is nothing better than a nice hot, hearty meal to warm you up.

Propane Bottles: Make sure you bring enough propane, so you’re always ready for an improvised cup of tea or meal.

Lone Pine to Talc City – Journey with Interesting Discoveries

the dolomite loop

Saline Valley Salt Tramway

SWANSEA ghost town