Explore 7 Historic Mining Towns in Nevada on the Ultimate Ghost Town Road Trip

Thedailymiaminews– Take a drive through the historic ghost towns of Nevada.

You will come across deserted communities from the mining era all around Nevada. These ghost towns tell stories of sudden wealth and rapid loss during the golden age of the American West. These seven places are still worth visiting in 2025, even though their glory days are behind them.

Rhyolite

  • Location: Highway 374, Death Valley, Nevada
  • The town that is nearest to you is Beatty.

Rhyolite experienced a rapid rise and fall, more quickly than most mining communities. Gold was founded in 1905, and by 1907, it had a population of 5,000 residents.

They had everything: electric lights, running water, hotels, a hospital, and even a place to hear opera. The Cook Bank Building, which is the town’s showpiece, was built for $90,000 at the time. That would be around $2.8 million now.

The mine began to produce less gold in 1908, and by 1920, nearly everyone had departed the area. The desert is now only watched over by vacant structures.

Things to accomplish:

  • Investigate the remains of the Cook Bank Building and the Bottle House, which is constructed from bottles.
  • Go to the Goldwell Open Air Museum to check out one-of-a-kind sculptures.
  • Go on guided excursions of the nearby Death Valley National Park.

Gold Point

  • Location: Gold Point Road, Esmeralda County, Nevada
  • Goldfield is the nearest town.

The streets that were previously filled with 1,000 miners are now deserted.

In 1868, when silver was the most valuable metal, people referred to it as Lime Point. They changed the name to Gold Point after they discovered gold in 1908.

The post office continued to operate until 1968, which was longer than most other locations. There are almost 50 historic buildings that still standing in this desert.

When you enter the general shop, you will find items that were left behind when the town disappeared, including old cans, tools, and newspapers from the 1940s.

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You may crash in the old miners’ cabins (fixed up just enough to sleep in), check out the stamp mill that crushed gold ore, and peek in the sheriff’s office with its historic jail cell.

Things to accomplish:

  • Visit the Gold Point Museum and learn about local history by participating in storytelling sessions.
  • Spend the night in refurbished cottages that were once used by miners.

Goodsprings

  • The address is 375 W. Spring Street, Goodsprings, NV.
  • The nearest town is Las Vegas.

The town was established in 1904 when miners discovered lead and zinc, and the drills continued to operate until the 1960s. Unlike most ghost towns, Goodspring still has some tough souls that remained around and are still there today.

However, if you go around these streets, you will see that there are more empty buildings than occupied ones. The Pioneer Saloon, which was constructed in 1913, continues to be the center of the community. It is one of the oldest bars in Nevada that has never shut down.

If you look at the stamped tin walls and the old Brunswick bar, you might imagine what they would say if they could talk. They would tell you about Clark Gable, who came here in 1942 to drink while he waited for news about his wife’s plane accident.

Things to accomplish:

You may either take a ghost tour at the Pioneer Saloon or have their well-known Ghost Burger.
Take guided off-road tours in the area to discover the historic mines in the surrounding town.

Pioche

  • Address: Pioche, NV, Main Street
  • The town that is nearest to you is Panaca.

Pioche earned the nickname “the toughest town on earth” for a reason. In the 1870s, more people died from gunshot wounds than from old age in this area.

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Only four of the first 72 people they buried died of natural causes. The Million Dollar Courthouse provides a lot of information about this crazy town. A project that was supposed to cost $26,400 ended up costing $800,000 because of bad deals and dishonest building blueprints.

Take a ride on the aerial tramway, which used to transport silver ore, stroll through Boot Hill Cemetery, where all the gunslingers wound up, and visit the Lincoln County Museum. The ancient Victorian buildings are still standing tall, surrounded by mining equipment that is rusting away.

Things to accomplish:

  • Go to Boot Hill Cemetery and discover its notorious history by taking a self-guided tour.
  • Go to Pioche Days on Labor Day weekend, where you can enjoy street dances and live music.

Delamar

  • Location: Lincoln County, Nevada, Delamar Valley
  • The nearest town is Caliente.

For good cause, they referred to this area as “The Widow Maker.”

More miners died from the gold dust here than from cave-ins at any point in time. In 1897, 3,000 people called it home, even though the tiny particles of silica tore up their lungs.

The town had everything it needed: a hospital, an opera house, churches, and plenty of saloons. In order to get to what remains, you will want a rugged four-wheel drive vehicle today.

However, it is worth the trip. The stone buildings are still standing, the ancient mill’s foundations are spread out over the ground, and the cemetery reveals the genuine narrative of the terrible cost of mining.

Things to accomplish:

  • Take a trip off the road on neighboring trails.
  • Search for pieces of old glass, rusted metal, and mining equipment that are still scattered around the canyon floor.

Belmont

  • Belmont Road, Nye County, NV
  • The town that is nearest to you is Tonopah.
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In 1865, Belmont was brought to life by the silver mines. They referred to it as the county seat in 1867.

The courthouse from 1876 still looms over the deserted streets. It is one of the most well-preserved buildings in any ghost town in Nevada.

When there were 2,000 people living here, you might see children in school, shoppers in stores, and miners in a dozen saloons.

The courthouse walls are now covered in graffiti that is 150 years old, and the brick structure of the old Combination Mill glows in the light of the setting sun.

Visit at sunset, when the light in the desert makes the brick structures look golden. With that in mind, you can see the streets filled with horses, wagons, and miners returning home after a long day of working underground.

Things to accomplish:

  • Go visit the historic courthouse, which has been turned into a museum that displays local history and artifacts.
  • Take a photo tour in a ghost town.

Nelson

  • The address is Nelson Ghost Town Road, Nelson, NV.
  • The town that is nearest to you is Boulder City.

In 1775, gold was discovered here by Spanish explorers. Eighty-five years later, Americans arrived and excavated the well-known Techatticup Mine.

It ended up being the richest gold hole in Nevada. It continued to function until around World conflict II, when it stopped producing things because of constraints that were in place throughout the conflict.

You can take a guided tour of the ancient mine tunnels nowadays. The town is full with old, rusty cars, mining debris, and buildings that appear to be on the verge of collapsing.

Things to accomplish:

Take a guided tour of the Techatticup Mine, which is offered many times a day. You can also discover vintage vehicles located throughout the town for one-of-a-kind photo opportunities.

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