Hopeton (formerly Forlorn Hope and, later, Hopetown) is an unincorporated community in Merced County, California.

[1] It is located 10.5 miles (17 km) north-northeast of Atwater,[2] at an elevation of 184 feet (56 m).

[1] Hopeton is located in the Merced River bottom west of Snelling.

A church was present at the townsite as early as 1852, and by 1881 the town had a population of over 1000.

[3] The first name of the place was Forlorn Hope, after a battle term.