Hart

Hart is a ghost town in San Bernardino County, California, tucked into the northeastern edge of Lanfair Valley near the New York Mountains in the Mojave Desert. It sprang up around 1908 as a gold mining town and was abandoned by 1915, leaving behind one of the more fleeting settlements in the region's history.

Today the site falls within Castle Mountains National Monument, managed by the National Park Service. Visitors drawn to Mojave Desert history will find a remote, austere landscape where the ghost town once stood. The monument setting means the area is protected, and the experience is defined more by open desert scenery and solitude than by dramatic standing ruins.

Access into this corner of the Mojave Desert requires planning. Desert heat makes spring and fall the most comfortable windows for a visit, while summer temperatures can be dangerous. Winter months may bring cold and road conditions that complicate access. Come prepared with water, a reliable vehicle, and an awareness that services are extremely limited in this remote stretch of San Bernardino County.