San Carlos

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

Mission San Carlos Borromeo del Río Carmelo (English: The Mission of Saint Charles Borromeo of the Carmel River), first built in 1771 (where the mission was moved to a year after its 1770 establishment in Monterey), is one of the most authentically restored Spanish missions in California in California. Located at the mouth of the Carmel River in Carmel, California, it is on the National Register of Historic Places and is a National Historic Landmark. From 1770 until 1833, the Monterey/Carmel mission was the headquarters of all Alta California missions.

The on-the-ground condition of San Carlos 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 San Carlos 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.

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.