Providence

Tucked into San Bernardino County, California, Providence was a mining town that came and went within a single decade. It emerged around 1880, sustained by mining activity, and had been largely abandoned by 1886 — a lifespan brief even by the standards of the American West's boom-and-bust settlements.

Today it qualifies as a ghost town, meaning visitors are coming to read the landscape rather than enjoy developed amenities. Expect sparse remains and a remote desert setting typical of this corner of California. There are no facilities, so self-sufficiency is essential.