Narka

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

Narka is a former settlement in Inyo County, California. It was located on the Southern Pacific Railroad about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) south of the current settlement of Little Lake. Narka, also known as siding 20, was created in February 1909 to support construction of the Los Angeles Aqueduct camp at Soda Hill. Narka began as a railroad camp before Little Lake was settled. A post office operated at Narka from 1909 to 1913, when the service was transferred to Little Lake. Narka was abandoned on March 15, 1935.

The on-the-ground condition of Narka 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 Narka 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 Narka is roughly 35.8977, -117.9012 — 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.