California Death Valley area

Skeltons of cabins in Shoshone that were originally miners' dwellings -- see also the nearby Dublin Gulch pictures.

Remnants from an old garage in Shoshone that was for trucks that were used in mining. Here also with the seemingly requisite modern abandoned car.

Cave dwellings in the mud hills, Shoshone, CA The cave dwellings were rapidly constructed residences when mining was booming in the area.

On the south end of Shoshone, next to the Shoshone cemetery, is the Dublin Gulch cave homes. These were reportedly occupied by miners and 'vagabonds,' from the early 1900's up into the 60's, primarily by miners. The cave homes are more elaborate than one might expect -- they were outfitted with front doors, stovepipes to exhaust smoke, and some had windows. Note that this picture is from before the cave homes were roped off. You can now walk between them, but you can no longer enter them.

Besides the cave homes right in Shoshone Dublin gulch, cave dwellings are scattered further across the area --these two are over the ridge behind the other one's pictured. See description in nearby picture of cave homes.

Death Valley High School in Shoshone. The school is the high school for kids from a very large area, including the children of ranges in Death Valley National park

Sculpture garden next to "C'est Si Bon" cafe (now closed) in Shoshone

Sculpture garden next to "C'est Si Bon" cafe (now closed) in Shoshone

Desert cemetery. This was relatively close to what I assumed to be the remains of the Silver Lake train stop. Some of the graves were comparatively recent, others seemed to be long abandoned.

Desert cemetery. This was relatively close to what I assumed to be the remains of the Silver Lake train stop. Some of the graves were comparatively recent, others seemed to be long abandoned.

Spanish Trail Road, near Tecopa, CA

Furnace Creek Road and CA 127, just west of Tecopa Hot Springs

A long-abandoned RV park in Tecopa.

Tecopa and the Amargosa River valley from the south, on Furnace Creek Rd.

Sunset on the mountains on the east side of Chicago Valley, which is between Shoshone, CA and Pahrump, NV on CA-178

A long-abandoned RV park in Tecopa.

An abandoned house and other buildings in a very remote area southeast of Tecopa.

One of my favorite photos -- I think I managed to capture the pathos of desert-rat culture here with the abandoned trailers and campers at Tecopa Hot Springs, CA