Vaca Adobe

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

Vaca Adobe or Vaca Dugout is a former settlement in what was then Tulare County, now Kings County, California. It was located at a stopping place on the eastern route of the El Camino Viejo about 3 miles north of the site of what is now Kettleman City close to the shore of Tulare Lake. The adobe at the site was known as the Vaca Dugout, and was built in 1863 by vaqueros Juan Perria and Pablo Vaca. In 1863, California was in the midst of the severe 1863-64 drought that would kill most of the cattle in the southern part of the state.

The on-the-ground condition of Vaca Adobe 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 Vaca Adobe 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.