Description: The two ruins of former coal kilns are located on the south side of Owens Lake near Cartago. They are similar to the nearby Panamint Charcoal Kilns in Death Valley. They are traditional stone-built charcoal kilns built to convert wood from trees in Cottonwood Canyon above the lake into charcoal. This charcoal was then used to power the silver and lead smelters at the Cerro Gordo mines on the other side of the lake. The ruins are reached by a good dirt road from Scenic Highway 395. The kilns are fenced off and cannot be explored in detail.

Coordinates:
Turn off Scenic Road 395: Latitude 36.417929, Longitude -118.028691
Coal kilns: Latitude 36.415078, Longitude -118.011976

Our rating: This is a location that you can safely skip. Except for the two ruins behind a high fence, there is not much to explore. If you're in the area and have 20 minutes to spare, it's a nice little stop to stretch your legs, but certainly not a must see.