Wingo

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

Plennie Lawrence Wingo (January 24, 1895 – October 2, 1993) was an American man who walked backwards from Santa Monica, California to Istanbul, Turkey, about 8,000 miles (13,000 km), from April 15, 1931 to October 24, 1932, at the age of 36. He remains the Guinness record holder for "greatest extent of reverse pedestrianism".

The on-the-ground condition of Wingo 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 Wingo 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 Wingo is roughly 38.2091, -122.4266 — 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.