Tonopah, Nevada, known as the "Queen of the Silver Camps," is approximately midway between Las Vegas and Reno. During the early 1900s, it gained recognition due to its silver and gold deposits. The high prices of precious metals, including lithium clays, have led to new mining projects in the area. … [Read more...]
Pioneertown Western Movie Town Yucca Valley
Pioneertown in Yucca Valley was built in the 1940s as an old Western movie set. Today, locals keep the West tradition alive, holding mock gunfights from April through October on Pioneer Town's Main Street. Pappy and Harriet's Palace offers live music, touring bands, and dancing in their saloon on … [Read more...]
Discover Nevada’s Fascinating Past at Ward Charcoal Ovens
The Ward Charcoal Ovens, which resemble beehives, were constructed in 1876 to produce charcoal for a pair of silver smelters in Ward, Nevada. At its peak, Ward was the biggest town in White Pine County, with a population 1500. Unfortunately, the remnants of the city now lie on private land. Ward … [Read more...]
Bodie Ghost Town California High Sierra Day Trip
There are still around 100 buildings left in Bodie Ghost Town, providing ample opportunities for hours of exploration. It is essential to bring your food and water, as no services are available in the area. As a thriving hub for gold mining, Bodie boasted the same amenities as larger towns, such … [Read more...]
Harmony Borax Works Death Valley
Harmony Borax Works is a popular attraction in Death Valley National Park. The site contains the remains of the processing plant and a few buildings that made up the mining camp of Harmony. Harmony Borax Works was only used to process Borax between 1882 and 1888. Today, the site is listed on the … [Read more...]
Belmont Ghost Town Nevada Day Trip
Like many things in Nevada, Belmont Ghost Town is in the middle of nowhere. Although the silver mining town of Belmont only prospered for about 20 years, a few notable points of interest exist, including the best-preserved building, the courthouse. This high desert town had two saloons, … [Read more...]
Bisbee Queen Mine Tour in Bisbee, Arizona.
Located in the Cochise County of Arizona, Bisbee, Arizona, is a town that came to be known for its mining of copper, gold, and silver in the 1800s, earning a befitting title of 'Queen of the Copper Camps.' Named after Judge DeWitt Bisbee, who was one of the owners of the neighboring Copper Queen … [Read more...]
Oatman Ghost Town Arizona Day Trip
Oatman is a boom town with a history dating back to the 1860s. The Discovery of rich ore body ore in 1915 brought on a gold rush that lasted ten years. The town attracted miners and prospectors from far and wide and grew to over 3,500 residents. In 1924 the town's primary mine shut down. Some mining … [Read more...]
Gold Point Nevada Ghost Town Day Trip
Gold Point, Nevada, has gone from a bustling mining town to just a few residents. If you love visiting a deserted location free from the constraints of the urban sprawl, then the old ghost town of Gold Point, Nevada, is the spot for you. Ranchers and miners first settled the town during the … [Read more...]
Goldfield Ghost Town Arizona Day Trip
Goldfield Ghost Town is situated in Apache Junction in the shadows of the Superstition Mountains. The city was founded in 1893 after the discovery of gold in the surrounding area. Goldfield boasted a population of about 4000 residents at the height of the gold rush. Like most gold rush towns, the … [Read more...]
Fort Churchill Nevada State Historic Park
Fort Churchill, Nevada, was built to protect the early settlers. Construction on the fort began in July 1860 and was completed the following year. The fort was a supply depot for the Union Army during the American Civil War, with 200 soldiers stationed there. Most of Fort Churchill was abandoned … [Read more...]
Malakoff Diggins State Park Gold Country Day Trip
If you have ever doubted the power of water, visit Malakoff Diggins Historical State Park and see what water can do ~ in grand style. Malakoff Diggins State Historical Park is the site of the largest hydraulic mine in California. It is 26 miles northeast of Nevada City, also known as the Gold … [Read more...]
Berlin-Ichthyosaur Park Day Trip Ghost Town and Dinosaurs
Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park is about 170 miles from Reno-Sparks, in a relatively remote stretch of desert overlooking Nevada's Ione Valley. Nevada Park is a great place to learn about the history of Silver State. With two ghost towns and the remains of millions of of-year-old creatures, there … [Read more...]
Day Trip to Pico Canyon Mentryville Ghost Town Santa Clarita
Named after California oil tycoon Charles Alexander Mentry and tucked away at the base of the chaparral-covered hills of Pico Canyon, Mentryville was one of the first oil boomtowns in the state and was home to over 100 families in the early 1930s. The settlement was built around its oil well … [Read more...]