New Idria, Ghost town in San Benito County, California, US
New Idria is a ghost town in San Benito County, California, set in the remote Diablo Range at around 2,600 feet (800 meters) above sea level. More than a hundred old structures still stand across the site, including houses, workshops, and parts of the former ore processing plant.
The site was opened after cinnabar was found there in 1854, and the mercury mine grew to become one of the largest in the country, second only to a mine near San Jose. The operation shut down in the 1970s, after which the town was abandoned.
New Idria was a company town where nearly everything belonged to the mining operation. The remaining buildings, including workers' houses and a school, show how daily life was organized around the mine.
The site is reached by unpaved roads through a remote area, so a vehicle with good ground clearance is recommended. There are no facilities on site, so bring water and supplies, and pay attention to any posted safety warnings about mercury contamination in the area.
New Idria introduced the Gould Rotary Furnace, a type of ore-processing equipment that changed how mercury was extracted around the world. The surrounding hills are also one of the very few places on earth where benitoite, a rare blue gem, is found naturally.
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