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  Welcome to Backcountry Explorers

Barker Ranch


Charles Manson hide out at Barker Ranch, Death Valley
GPS:  35.859644°, -117.088508°

Charles Manson mug shot
The Barker Ranch was originally built around 1940 by retired Los Angeles police officer Butch Thomason and his wife Helen. After Butch died the property was sold in 1955 to Jim and Arlene Barker. The ranch just past Barker Ranch is the Meyers Ranch where the road now ends.

Barker Ranch is famous for Tate-Labianca mass murderer, Charles Manson, having moved his band of followers to the ranch in 1968. One of Charlie’s followers, Cathy Gillies, had gotten permission to camp on the site from her grandmother, Arlene Barker, who owned the ranch at the time. Charlie, along with his “family” and yellow school bus, stayed until their arrest during raids at the ranch by authorities on October 10-12th, 1969. Charlie was found hiding under a bathroom vanity. Charlie Died in prison in 2017.

The ranch house was burned in May of 2009 though it is not known at this time how it happened. The site has since been cleaned up with the roof and supports removed for safety reasons.

Barker Ranch entrance
Barker Ranch rock house shell
Charles Manson full body mug shot
Barker Ranch house foundation
Barker Ranch overlook
Barker Ranch rock house fireplace

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Death Valley National Park (National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map)

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Copyright  ©  2015  Laymon International LLC   21143 Hawthorne Blvd. #418 Torrance, Ca 90503 
  • Home
  • Our Adventures
    • Death Valley >
      • Artist Drive, Death Valley
      • Badwater, Death Valley
      • Ballarat Ghost Town, Death Valley
      • Broken Pick mine, Death Valley
      • Charcoal Kilns, Death Valley
      • Charles Manson Hide Out Barker Ranch, Death Valley
      • Chloride Cliffs, Death Valley
      • Corona Mine, Death Valley
      • Crater Sulfur Mine, Death Valley
      • Devils Golf Course, Death Valley
      • Geologist Cabin, Death Valley
      • Harmony Borax works, Death Valley
      • Ibex Springs Talc Mine, Death Valley
      • Inyo Mine, Death Valley
      • Keane Wonder Mine, Death Valley
      • Keystone Mine, Death Valley
      • Lost Burro Mine, Death Valley
      • Marble Bath, Death Valley
      • Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, Death Valley
      • Morning Glory Mine Camp, Death Valley
      • Racetrack, Death Valley
      • Rhyolite, Nevada
      • Russell Camp, Death Valley
      • Ryan, Death Valley
      • Scotty's Castle, Death Valley
      • Skidoo Ghost Town, Death Valley
      • Stella's - Mengel Cabin, Death Valley
      • Teakettle Junction, Death Valley
      • Titus Canyon, Death Valley
      • Ubehebe Crater, Death Valley
      • Warm Springs, Death Valley
      • Zabriskie Point, Death Valley
    • California Gold Country >
      • Alleghany, California
      • Big Springs, highway 49
      • Downieville, California
      • Forest City
      • Kenton Mine
      • Kentucky Mine and Museum
      • Love Falls Yuba River
      • Mountain House Henness Pass
      • Oregon Creek Covered Bridge
      • Poker Flat
      • Sierra Buttes Mine
      • Sierra City, Ca
      • Young America Mine
  • Story Blog
  • Our Company
  • Support