Agua Fria

California wrote the book on ghost towns, from Gold Rush tent cities to Owens Valley farm towns the aqueduct dried up.

Agua Fria (Spanish for "Cold Water") is an unincorporated community in Mariposa County, California. It is located 5.25 miles (8.4 km) northeast of Catheys Valley, at an elevation of 2001 feet (610 m). Agua Fria is the former county seat of Mariposa County located approximately three miles west of Mariposa, California.

The on-the-ground condition of Agua Fria is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.

Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.

Here's the honest truth: access to Agua Fria is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times. The mapped point for Agua Fria is roughly 37.4850, -120.0203 — use it as a starting point and cross-reference a current topographic map before leaving pavement.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.