Dunmovin

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

Dunmovin (formerly, Cowan Station) is an unincorporated community in Inyo County, California. It is located 4.8 km (3 mi) north of Coso Junction and 21.6 km (13.5 mi) south-southeast of Olancha, at an elevation of 3507 feet (1069 m). The Current population of Dunmovin as of the 2020 Census is of six, within Census Tract 8, block 2274 and Block 2332. Dunmovin is zoned for Rural Residential High density Retail Commercial on the eastern end of Dunmovin, and Natural Resources, which allows mining, on the Western end. A post office operated at Dunmovin from 1938 to 1941.

The on-the-ground condition of Dunmovin 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 Dunmovin 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 Dunmovin is roughly 36.0886, -117.9611 — 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.