Barker Ranch, Mining ranch in Death Valley National Park, United States
Barker Ranch is a five-acre property in the southern Panamint Mountains at 3,280 feet elevation, containing a main house, chicken coop, water troughs, and swimming pool. The structures sit at the end of Goler Wash surrounded by boulders and narrow passages.
Bluch and Helen Thomason founded the property in 1940 as a storage facility for mining work. The Barker family purchased it in 1956 and gave it its current name.
The property reflects how people moved to California deserts between the 1930s and 1950s seeking distance from cities and simpler living. Today visitors see the traces of this movement in the modest buildings and remote setting.
The property sits at the end of Goler Wash and requires experienced off-road driving to navigate boulder-filled terrain and tight turns. Visitors should have a sturdy vehicle and solid driving skills to safely reach the remote site.
The property gained national attention in 1969 when authorities discovered a fugitive hiding beneath a kitchen sink during a raid. This discovery became part of a major investigation of that era.
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