Ballarat California is located in Panamint Valley, which sits parallel to the much larger Death Valley (to the east). There's not much out here, except off-roading trails, old mines & awesome desert scenery. If you wanna camp primitive in Death Valley, this is the perfect area to do it. 4x4 trails will lead you up dead end canyons & over ridges. Old mines everywhere. Plenty history in & around Balarat to explore, including the old green truck that Charles Tex Watson drove as he tried to escape. The Barker Ranch (or Manson Cabin) is just up the hill a piece.