Self-Guided Visit
Pioneer Cemetery Daytime Visit
Visit the small foothill cemetery founded by pioneer Sands Baker, who set the land aside before 1900 and is buried here. A Fresno County historical marker documents its history.
- Duration:
- 30 min
Aerial survey · USDA NAIP · public domain Cemetery / Burial Ground
Dunlap Cemetery
A small rural public cemetery in the Sierra Nevada foothills of Fresno County, founded on land set aside before 1900 by pioneer Sands Baker, and the focus of persistent local ghost lore involving shadow figures and disembodied voices.
39560 Sans Baker Road, Dunlap, CA 93621
Research updated May 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
Free
No admission fee; this is an active public cemetery district — visit respectfully during daytime hours.
Access
Limited Access
Rural foothill cemetery grounds with uneven ground and oak trees
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1900 · Pioneer foothill cemetery founded by Sands Baker · Fresno County historical marker site · Public cemetery district established 1941
Dunlap Cemetery is located on Sans Baker Road in the small unincorporated community of Dunlap, in the Sierra Nevada foothills of eastern Fresno County, California. Its origins trace to pioneer Sands Baker, who arrived in Fresno County around 1870 and acquired land at the base of what became Baker's Mountain.
Before 1900, Baker set aside a few acres of his property for use as a cemetery. He died on April 13, 1918, and is buried on the grounds he established. The road serving the cemetery is named Sans Baker Road in his honor — a misspelling of "Sands" that appeared on a county map more than eighty years ago and has persisted ever since.
The Dunlap Cemetery District was formally organized as a public cemetery district in 1941 by resolution of the Fresno County Board of Supervisors, and it continues to operate as a public district today. A Fresno County historical marker on Sans Baker Road, located about 0.2 miles north of Sand Creek Road, documents the cemetery's pioneer history.
The cemetery's rural, oak-shaded foothill setting and its scatter of older and unmarked graves give it the isolated character common to small Gold Country and foothill burial grounds, and have contributed to the folklore that has attached to it.
Sources
- https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=147608
- https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2187087/dunlap-cemetery
- https://www.weirdfresno.com/2016/12/small-fresno-county-town-said-to-have.html
Shadow figuresCold spotsPhantom footstepsEVP / disembodied voices
Dunlap Cemetery has a strong regional reputation as a haunted site, appearing in Fresno-area folklore coverage and haunted-places roundups. The reported phenomena are concentrated around the cemetery's oak trees and unmarked graves.
Witnesses describe cold spots felt near some of the unmarked graves and footsteps heard behind them while walking through the middle of the cemetery toward the entrance. According to accounts on the Shadowlands Haunted Places Index, three tall shadowy figures have been seen standing by large oak trees within the cemetery. In one account, witnesses recorded a strange voice chanting something repeatedly, along with a second voice resembling an elderly man saying 'Leave us alone' — phenomena reported as audible only on a tape recorder, an EVP-style claim, all occurring over a single night.
Local folklore documented by Weird Fresno adds an older layer: a legend that, sometime in the mid-1800s, a small shack on the outskirts of town served as a meeting place for a local cult said to perform dark rituals, and that deceased members asked to be buried in unmarked graves at Dunlap Cemetery even after most no longer lived in the area. This cult tradition is presented as unverified local legend rather than documented history.
The phenomena and the cult story are folklore — atmospheric and persistent in the region's lore — and are not corroborated by any historical record. Visitors are reminded that this is an active public cemetery to be visited respectfully and only during daytime hours.
Notable Entities
Three tall shadow figuresThe elderly man's voice
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dunlap Cemetery family-friendly?
A small, historic rural cemetery suitable for respectful daytime visits. The ghost lore is atmospheric folklore. Uneven ground and rural setting warrant care with young children. Overall family fit: Moderate.
How much does it cost to visit Dunlap Cemetery?
No admission fee; this is an active public cemetery district — visit respectfully during daytime hours. This location is free to visit.
Do I need to book in advance?
No advance booking is required, but checking availability is recommended.
Is Dunlap Cemetery wheelchair accessible?
Dunlap Cemetery has limited wheelchair accessibility. Terrain: Rural foothill cemetery grounds with uneven ground and oak trees.