At the turn of the century, one of the country's largest gold deposits was found in Goldfield, which is located almost exactly in between Carson City and Las Vegas on scenic U.S. Highway 95 (155 mi/250 km northwest of Las Vegas). It quickly became Nevada's largest city and a major railroad hub. Today it stands as a good example of a pioneer mining town, with antiques shops and historic ruins. And like many mining towns, it is no longer large.
The old Esmerelda County Courthouse is still in use and open to visitors, as is the town cemetery, where some of the graves are marked with wooden crosses and Joshua trees. Be sure to have a drink at the Santa Fe Saloon (still serving something to wet your whistle, as it has since the early 1900s) and take a look at the classic Goldfield Hotel (closed since 1946 but still worth seeing). Locals claim that both the saloon and hotel are haunted, and it has been featured on many television shows about ghosts.
To request access to the full version of this destination guide, please provide your email address below. Your email address will only be used for verification purposes and will not be used for marketing purposes.