Kaiser Steel's iron-mining company town near Joshua Tree housed 4,000 people before the mine closed in 1983, leaving intact streets, a school, and shopping center that later served briefly as a private prison until 2003. The entire town and pit were sold in 2021 to interests tied to the long-permitted Eagle Mountain pumped-storage hydro project, and the site is fenced, gated, and actively watched by caretakers and security. There is no legal public access — visitors are limited to views from the road — and the vast open pits, high walls, and prosecution-minded ownership make sneaking in a genuinely bad idea.
Vestige documents abandoned & historic places for education and preservation. Always obtain permission before visiting and follow local law.