Ghost Town "Whiskey Flat" and Lake Isabella / Sierra Nevada

On our way from Tulare to Ridgecrest, our overnight stay before heading to Death Valley, we passed by Lake Isabella. By chance, we learned that there is something special about the lake.

In the 19th century, there was a Western town called "Whiskey Flat" where the lake is now located. It was a Western town straight out of a picture book. For this reason, in the mid-1950s, after the gold rush and the residents had vanished, many Western movies were filmed there.

In 1953, a reservoir was built here by the government, which initially flooded "Whiskey Flat". After years of drought, the reservoir dried up and the ghost town "Whiskey Flat" resurfaced. Until last year, the reservoir had a fill level of only about 8%. After heavy snowfall in the mountains and the resulting melt, the lake filled up again to its highest level last year.

During our drive along the lake, we could clearly see what was once on land and has now submerged. At least you could tell from the trees. After all, where else do trees grow in a lake??? There were also paths leading into the lake, and they were not just for launching boats into the water...

So, "Whiskey Flat" has gone under once again. Let's see when the town will reappear. A true ghost town - unfortunately, hardly any - or even none - Western movies are made today...