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Activities |
Camp | Camping
| Destinations | Desert
barker.ranch
a.k.a .
the Manson Cabin / Manson
HideOut
NEWS 2010: Barker Ranch has burnt down. Most of the stone structures are still in place, but the majority of wood work is now gone. Careless campers are to blame!!!
Sometimes graded Goler Canyon Road is 4WD recommended - although most high clearance SUVs can navigate fine. Each season storms can change the wild road drastically, so be prepared for just about anything, including rock slides.
Goler Wash
runs up the westside of the Panamint Range to Mengel Pass, then
drops down into main section of Death Valley National Park.
The ranch house might to be in pretty good shape for being
in the middle of nowhere. The property is lined with vegetation
& an extensive irrigation system is laid. The fruit trees
are abundant for being in such a desert enviroment & the
pomegranate bush in front sometimes has fruit hanging.
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Nearby areas:
Ballarat ghost town
Darwin, CA
Death Valley NP
Olancha CA
Panamint Springs
Randsburg CA
Trona Pinnacles
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located inside the boundaries of
Death Valley National Park
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Manson Family it ended here!
This notorious place is known as the last hideout of Charlie Manson
and his "family" during and after the gruesome LA murder
spree.
 The local county sheriff department & National Park law
enforcement captured Manson and his group in 1969. At the
time of his arrest, they were unaware of what they had on their
hands. They wanted to prosecute the persons responsible for vandalizing
a portion of the Park further north, not even knowing
that they had a mass murder suspect, plus a cult following of
druggie kids.
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Barker Ranch is located in a rock & boulder filled valley
near the top of the desert mountain range, lead to by sandy primitive
backroads. Streams feed this little valley and provide much vegetation.
There is a small one-room guest house located to the side of
the main house. There is also a primitive style swimming pool
made from cement and rock boulders towards the back of the property.
There is a gate that should be kept closed.
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nice lattice work |
the kitchen
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indoor fireplace |
Primitive Camping along Backroads
A good map of the dirt back roads is advised (see the one above). Goler Wash is the main way up to the ranch from the westside, Panamint Valley area. Camping on dirt road in the National Park may be limited to restrictions. Best spots for primitive road side camping is outside of park boundaries in Panamint Valley. There is plenty wide open areas to camp with RVs. Jeeps will prefer the numerous hidden canyons & camp sites.
