Rhyolite Ghost Town
If you're hoping to find yourself a spook to take home, then you should probably visit another town. Kidding! This little ghost town does have plenty of signs from the past. A quick, two hour drive from Vegas, Rhyolite is perfect for history buffs and adventurers alike!
**Please be aware that this is a historic site. Do not trespass or cross any fences. Leave everything you find**
Taking the 95 North out of Vegas, enjoy the mountainous views on this easy drive. If you're lucky, you might see a Drone flying around as you drive past Creech Air Force Base. They take off and land most days from just next to the road. Indian Springs is the last gas station until you pass the Nevada National Security Site. Some ways away from the NNSS, you’ll find the Area 51 Alien Center. They have snacks, a decent bathroom, and plenty of alien memorabilia. We stopped here to use the restroom before continuing on, as any Rhyolite bathrooms were also left in the past and don’t include running water.
Depending on your GPS, you can either turn off at the Beatty Airport road, or continue into Beatty. If you choose the path taking you through Beatty, you come across a cute little jerky stand! They have some really good dried fruit, jerky, and pickled veggies. We didn't stop today, but most trips through Beatty I like to stock up on snacks.
The town itself is surrounded on three sides by mountains. There's one main road that eventually turns into a dirt road. We stopped to take some photos in the middle of the road (safely!) before driving to the back of the town. This ghost town has limited cell phone service, so keep that in mind! Someone had actually dialed 911 while we were out there, and the Nye County Sheriff came through to check on things, but wasn’t able to find who it was that had called.
Where the pavement ends, there's a small structure still standing, a one room house! We peered in through the windows and tried to imagine living in such a small space. The springs of the mattress were still present on the floor. It's incredible that this building is still standing. It was in the low 90s when we were there, but I can't imagine being in this house in the middle of Amargosa Desert 110 degree heat. This part of Nevada also gets rather chilly, and even snows in the winter. The roof sure didn't look like it kept the rain out either!
Rhyolite formed during the Gold Rush era, in 1905. Gold was discovered in the neighboring mountains, where it still exists today, and drew thousands of people in for their chance at the riches. At its peak, Rhyolite had 5000 people living in this tiny town, flourishing and booming. Sadly, within five years, the rush was gone, as were most of the people. By 1911, there were less than one thousand people living in the town. Electricity to the town was shut off in 1916.
When you scan the desert ground for critters in the brush, you actually see trash, littered and left behind over 100 years ago. These cans and items are a reminder to us today to not litter, but also offer a glimpse of the past. Piles of cans, empty barrels, and old wheels help historians understand what daily life was like for those that lived here. Be careful walking around so you don't step on anything rusty!
was there a frat party here in 1906?
In almost immaculate condition, the train depot was used as a casino in the 1930s. the old caboose across the way had been transformed into a gas station when tourism erupted in the area at the same time.
The shell of the three story bank built in 1908, cost $90,000 to build. To me, this building is the most impressive to still exist. This building also housed the town's post office, as well as a brokerage office.
After photographing the bank, we moved on to the Overbury Building. This building does not have a fence around it. I spoke with an Assistant Field Manager of The Bureau of Land Management from the Tonopah office. He confirmed that if there is no fence, and you're not doing anything inherently dangerous, or detrimental to the ruins, then you are able to walk farther in. I had a rather scary experience with a man who claimed to be a volunteer with the BLM, who threatened us, and then left the area, to later return and circle around where we were. Do not hesitate to call the police if you ever feel unsafe, in any location, not just here. This man wasn't a volunteer, and so BLM Law Enforcement actually filed a report about this incident.
We looked at a few more of the ruins, and honestly, I was fascinated by them. It's such an incorporeal experience to think about the existence of peoples' lives in this town over a hundred years before I stepped foot here. I imagine what their day-to-day might be like, if they packed their lunches with tuna fish or ham. The school building that was able to house 200 children has four walls still standing, reminding me of the times when children learned arithmetic on hot September days.
After the collapse of the town, the many buildings that had been completely dismantled were mostly used to piece together homes and buildings in nearby Beatty. Luckily for us, they didn't take all of it. Paramount pictures used the town to film a movie here. In 1934, they completely restored the bottle house. Honestly, I'm wondering how much wine I would have to drink to build one of my own. (That joke was gold and you know it.)
I do believe, however, that the largest draw to this little town, is the cooky Coldwell Open Air Art Museum located here. I used to frequently see photos of the last supper, and they gave me chills. Robes draped around ghostly figures, telling their tales. The artist actually used live models to form his sculptures. While we have the eerie, we also have the crazy. The naked lady in the distance is exactly what you would expect to find in rural Nevada. The beautiful mosaic couch is a colorful reminder of the rich heritage of the southwest.
Overall, I would absolutely visit Rhyolite again, perhaps in the spring or fall months. California had just reopened parts of Death Valley National Park, so our drive home took us through the arid playas to finish off with a beautiful sunset at Zabriskie point.
Have you visited any ghost towns recently?