I wanted to check out New Idria today. An old mining ghost town sounds like a must-see.

I followed directions from Google Maps and drove north on the I-5, exited Jayne and followed Coalinga Road for a long way. There were some pretty cool run-down places along the way.

Then the directions said to turn right onto Union Carbride Rd, but when I got there, a gate blocked the road, chained and padlocked along with a sign that said it was a private road.

Is it still possible to access New Idria from the north, or is that route blocked too?

I couldn't find much info online, except an article saying that a lot of the structures burned down a few years ago, which is a real shame. I still wanted to see if there was anything left worth checking out.

I also read that there's a sketchy family that sometimes spends weekends at the old schoolhouse.

Has anyone tried to visit New Idria recently?