Ghost Towns

Littered with the relics of a bygone mining era, Nevada's wild country hides many secrets hinting at the state's colorful past. From the dormant drills peering above the rooftops of old wooden saloons, to the forgotten railroad tracks once plundered by America's biggest gold prospectors during the 19th Century – this is the wild west of old that inspired many a cowboy movie. Eerie, empty and just that little bit creepy, Las Vegas ghost towns make for a sensational day trip, just a few miles beyond the flourishing Glitter Gulch.

Potosi Mine

Location: Arden, SW Nevada.

Huddled beneath the “Mountain of Lead”, less than 48 km (30 miles) South West of Las Vegas, Potosi represents the earliest town deserted in the wake of mine abandonment over 150 years ago. Concealed in part by the ragged scars and tors of the desert, there is little left of the Mormon settlement above ground. Beneath the surface of Nevada's oldest “ghost town” it's an entirely different story. Mile upon mile of interlinking tunnels and tracks map out what was once the largest lead mine in Nevada – a labyrinth of echoing passages channeling as far down as 200 feet. Empty barrows, tools and lamp casings are the only hints of the 1,000 strong workforce that helped shape the fortunes of this 19th Century boom town.

Goldfield Ghost Town

Location: Near Tonopah in Esmeralda County, Arizona.

With its columned facade and miniature balconettes, the Goldfield Hotel could easily be mistaken for an ambitious boutique development, built hot on the tail of a number of successful nearby enterprises. Along with the Municipal High School and fortress styled Courthouse, the Goldfield Hotel connotes the grandeur of a bygone era. It's not just the hotel that feels a little creepy. Goldfield's entire main street is crammed with old cafes, DIY stores and saloon bars, their curtains fluttering in the wake of desert draughts. For years, visitors have reported strange sightings in Goldfield, fueling its reputation as a town where not just the ghosts of buildings remain. The highlight is a trip down into the gold mine – the very chasm that earned the town $10,000 a day in revenue and ironically, also influenced its abandonment in 1919.

Chloride Mining Town

Location: Chloride, Arizona.

Silver Hill was the catalyst for Chloride's rapid growth during the 1860's, yielding rich ores of gold, lead, zinc and silver, along with semi-precious stone like turquoise. Connected by the Butterfield and Santa Fe railroads to Arizona's merchant towns, Chloride peaked over the course of fifty years, becoming a thriving mountain town with grandiose hotels and a slew of saloon bars to boot. Little changed since Chloride's abandonment in the 1940's, it is the buildings of the town that remain a popular draw for tourists – along with the ghostly tales that precede them. Amenities include a purpose-built visitor center and museum, where you can experience first hand, the lifestyles and legacies of Chloride's former inhabitants, as well as a renovated saloon, famed for its Texas style burgers and old American ales.

Rhyollite Ghost Town

Location: Amargosa Valley, Nevada.

Named after the very mineral that influenced its growth, Rhyollite Ghost Town stands today as one of Nevada's most famous open-air mining museums, boasting over thirty saloons and shops at its heart. Of course, they're all now deserted, abandoned when the banks gradually withdrew financial support for the mining efforts and rendered the place “past it”. None of the 10,000 inhabitants predicted this downfall, evident by the wealth of permanent buildings, hotels, shops and homes throughout. Tom Kelly's Bottle House (built with over 50,000 glass bottles) is a curious one, thought to have originally been constructed as a tourist saloon in 1905. Rhyollite Jail is also well worth ducking into – the cells surprisingly akin to those you see in the movies. Before you leave, head up to the hill on the North side of the town where you'll find artist Albert Szukalski's sculptured white guardians overlooking the town – just one of the few efforts to revive the “town built to last forever”.