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Drawbridge Ghost Town
Rating Details »
- Good for Kids:
- No
7 reviews for Drawbridge Ghost Town
FYI:
http://en.wikipedia.or...
http://www.ghosttown.i...
I always wondered about this place. Now, I know, 20 years later.
This town is pretty rad, and considering that it's the only ghost town in the bay area, it's totally worth checking out if you like abandoned buildings. Lots of great history here too.
The directions given by other reviewers are good, but I actually found a really easy way in, for those interested. Here's how it goes:
1. Park your car on Northport Loop W (http://maps.google.com...)
2. Walk around the corner to Cushing Road (http://maps.google.com...)
3. Follow the road (it's pretty long and zig-zags back and forth) until you see the train tracks, go along the tracks for a mile or so, then turn right onto the bridge. You will have to ignore the signs posted along the way that say not to enter.
4. Once you're on the bridge, you're basically there. You should see the buildings at this point. You will definitely want to watch out for the train, as other reviewers have said; it's really fast and pretty quiet (except for the horn of course) so it can kind of sneak up on you if you aren't careful.
I was encouraged to find this place after reading the reviews here and wanted to provide the knowledge that I and my friends gathered trying to find it. This really is the easiest and shortest way there, especially if you have a car. We didn't run into anybody while out there, but we also arrived at night and left pretty early in the morning, so take that as you will.
Be careful, bring your boots, and don't leave any trash.
I, like some of us here do not encourage you to break the law. But the information I will put down should help you out if you decide to go out there.
ok, the people that tell you its dangerous, you CAN disregard them. If you have common sense, you should be good. Wear closed toe shoes, a sweater if anything, some sturdy pants and be prepared to get dirty. If I were you, go out before the rain, or a week or 2 afterwards to prevent getting stuck in the wet marsh. The Train? The train comes one way, 15 minutes to drop off stuff, comes back, then waits roughly an hour after that to load shipment or so, depending on which train. The only thing you may have to worry about are the people who are there taking photos also. If anything, bring a friend or 2 to keep you company. The walk from fremont is about 30 minutes.
The buildings are quite a view. It's a small town but you should definitely check it out before its gone.
While I don't condone putting yourself or anybody else at risk, this post is for information only and not to be used a a guide.
I did the trek out to drawbridge back in October of 2006. There are still a few buildings standing and you can even walk up to a few of the old sheds on dry days. Most of the sightseeing is done from the train tracks that run through the middle of drawbridge. The train tracks are elevated but the rest of the area where the houses are is pretty muddy and you probably wont get very far in the marsh. Trains come over the tracks regularly, so anyone going must be alert be especially when crossing the bridge. There is plenty of space to stand at the bottom edges of the elevated area (about 10-15 feet away from where the train runs). The girlfriend and I both were carrying mountain bikes while at drawbridge and while crossing the bridge and we didn't have any problems.
Pics Included:
http://www.flickr.com/...
Drawbridge was a once thriving small community located toward the cusp of the bay in Fremont, California. The houses here were built on structures that kept them raised above the marsh. Some people lived in Drawbridge as a summer home, and some lived here throughout the year fishing and hunting.
As the houses were built on a marsh, the ground eventually began to subside and soon the structures began sinking into the ground. All who lived here were forced to evacuate as the living conditions and buidlings were no longer up to code. I believe the last man to leave left somewhere in the 70s. Since this time it has remained as a ghost town.
An eerie area where rooftops are parallel with the ground. Some buildings still remain above the marsh, but for the most part everything looks as if it has been demolished or damaged by fire.
Techincally you are not allowed to go here by foot, but you can get to Drawbridge following the railroad track from the Alviso Wildlife refuge. It is quite a walk, around 30-45 minutes. And since most of the buildings are gone some might find the sights not worthy of the journey.
Disclaimer: I am not encouraging anyone to break the law or put themselves in danger!!
Drawbridge is really cool, who would've thought that there's a ghost town so close to Fremont? I've been twice, and it's pretty cool. I drove to Auto Mall in Fremont and walked along the train tracks. It's a bit of a trek, but I thought it was worth it. And yeah, it's supposedly dangerous and illegal, but I've never had any difficulties. One of my friends got stopped there once, but they were just told turn around. The first time I went was right after the rain and all of the buildings were flooded, but the second time we could go into almost all of them. If old dilapidated buildings covered in graffiti don't interest you, or the possibility of getting hit by a train (even though this is very unlikely, there is only one short area where there's no room to walk along the side and you would be forced to jump into a sewage-filled bay if a train came along) or being fined for trespassing doesn't appeal to you, this isn't the trip for you.
I give Drawbridge three stars... two for the incredible interest factor involved in an actual ghost town located in the SF bay, and one for the fact that you can still see it from afar.
A lot of websites talk about the possibility of going to check out Drawbridge up close and in person, but I contacted SF Bay National Wildlife Refuge (Drawbridge is located inside of the refuge) and they strongly urged against it. I guess the only way to trudge out there is via railroad tracks that are among the busiest in California, with trains coming along at better than 70 miles per hour. If a train comes when you are on those tracks, you don't have anywhere to go except into the bay. On top of the danger of the trains, I was also informed that it is illegal to be out there on the tracks and you can earn yourself a fine if you are caught trespassing.
To see Drawbridge safely from across the slough, go to the Mallard Slough Trail and hike out to the water. The trailhead is at the Environmental Education Center in Alviso. Also, the SF Bay National Wildlife Refuge also offers a slide presentation about Drawbridge and its history once a quarter at their Visitor Center in Fremont. If you want to check it out, go to their website and check their calendar.
