Dolomite - California Ghost Town

DOLOMITE

NAME: Dolomite
COUNTY: Inyo
ROADS: 2WD
GRID #(see map): 3
CLIMATE: Mild winter with, hot summer.
BEST TIME TO VISIT: Winter, Spring, Fall.

COMMENTS: On the southern tip of the Inyos. 2 large new Quanset huts on the site and the road is gated and posted no trespassing.
REMAINS: A few buildings.

Dolomite was named after the minerals that were mined there. Located at the southern tip of the Inyo Mountains, there are still several buildings standing today, including the saloon. Some current mining activity has been reported. I would also like to add a bit of trivia in regards to the site of Dolomite California in the Owens Valley if I may. In 1955, a movie called,"Bad Day At Black Rock", was filmed in part there. The IMDB filming location only lists, Lone Pine,Ca and The Alabama Hills. I began spending a lot of time Rock Hounding in that part of the state back in 1975. My partner and I just happened to stumble into Dolomite one weekend and found more than 10 buildings still intact but abandoned. The SP Railroad tracks had not been removed yet. John Bennett	Remaining railroad crossing on the old state highway at Dolomite. These still embedded rails were part of the Dolomite spur from off the narrow gauge Southern Pacific Owens Valley Branch (ex Carson & Colorado Railroad) and is one of the few places where rails are still found on the abandoned branch (the line was abandoned in May 1960 after nearly 80 years of service). July 1998. Courtesy David A. Wright Great Basin Research View east along the Dolomite spur toward Dolomite. July 1998. Courtesy David A. Wright Great Basin Research Dolomite spur crossing of the old highway. View northwest toward the Sierra Nevada Range. July 1998. Courtesy David A. Wright Great Basin Research View north along the abandoned Southern Pacific Owens Valley Branch at Dolomite Spur switch. Note elongated ties used at the point where the spur began. Sierra Nevada Range at left and center background. July 1998. Courtesy David A. Wright Great Basin Research View southeast along the abandoned Southern Pacific Owens Valley Branch at Dolomite Spur switch. Dolmite at left. The somber Inyo Range forms the backdrop. July 1998. Courtesy David A. Wright Great Basin Research

Dolomite was named after the minerals that were mined there. Located at the southern tip of the Inyo Mountains, there are still several buildings standing today, including the saloon. Some current mining activity has been reported.

I would also like to add a bit of trivia in regards to the site of Dolomite California in the Owens Valley if I may. In 1955, a movie called,"Bad Day At Black Rock", was filmed in part there. The IMDB filming location only lists, Lone Pine,Ca and The Alabama Hills. I began spending a lot of time Rock Hounding in that part of the state back in 1975. My partner and I just happened to stumble into Dolomite one weekend and found more than 10 buildings still intact but abandoned. The SP Railroad tracks had not been removed yet. John Bennett

Remaining railroad crossing on the old state highway at Dolomite. These still embedded rails were part of the Dolomite spur from off the narrow gauge Southern Pacific Owens Valley Branch (ex Carson & Colorado Railroad) and is one of the few places where rails are still found on the abandoned branch (the line was abandoned in May 1960 after nearly 80 years of service). July 1998.
Courtesy David A. Wright
Great Basin Research

View east along the Dolomite spur toward Dolomite. July 1998.
Courtesy David A. Wright
Great Basin Research

Dolomite spur crossing of the old highway. View northwest toward the Sierra Nevada Range. July 1998.
Courtesy David A. Wright
Great Basin Research

View north along the abandoned Southern Pacific Owens Valley Branch at Dolomite Spur switch. Note elongated ties used at the point where the spur began. Sierra Nevada Range at left and center background. July 1998.
Courtesy David A. Wright
Great Basin Research

View southeast along the abandoned Southern Pacific Owens Valley Branch at Dolomite Spur switch. Dolmite at left. The somber Inyo Range forms the backdrop. July 1998.
Courtesy David A. Wright
Great Basin Research

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