Click this link for our 5-minute video tour of Goldfield, Nevada, and a look inside our shop.

And click this link for an article about the history of Goldfield including historical photos.

Make a vacation out of your trip! There are many great places to see in Esmeralda County, Nevada.

Goldfield, Nevada

Gold was discovered here in 1902. Within a few years this was the largest town in Nevada, estimated at over 30,000 people in 1906 - when Las Vegas had only 400. Today, about 300 people call Goldfield home, in addition to a small population of ghosts. Unlike the fake, corny ghosts seen at theme parks, our ghosts are real, and they’re out to git you, should you become a bother to them.

Many historic buildings from Goldfield’s glory days are still standing today, including the 105-year-old Santa Fe Saloon (left). Goldfield is one of America’s best-preserved and most accessible “ghost towns,” a town steeped in history, character and lore. Wyatt Earp and his brother Virgil once lived here; in fact, Virgil Earp was a deputy sheriff here and died here in 1905. Read Virgil’s story at this page .

The famous Goldfield Hotel (right), completed in 1908, was the largest and most luxurious lodging between Denver and San Francisco. You’re welcome to live it up there, as long as you’re dead. Since the end of the second World War, ghosts are the only guests allowed in. A chilly reception - from both able-bodied and disembodied beings - awaits anyone who attempts to enter the building. The Santa Fe Saloon and Motel is now the only hotel in Goldfield open for us mortals, and features the 2nd oldest saloon in Nevada. The Meanest Bartender in Nevada is ready and waiting there to kick your ass all the way to Tonopah.

Stop by the Goldfield Historical Society on Highway 95 between Euclid and Columbia, for a free guidebook and detailed map of a walking tour of the town.

Or, you can download the guidebook by clicking this or clicking the cover image at left. For a condensed version of the walking tour, click this and for an aerial view map click this.

The world’s longest prize fight took place here on September 3, 1906, when Joe Gans defeated Oscar Nelson in 42 rounds, to retain his title as World Lightweight Champion. Over 20,000 people witnessed the fight. A monument commemorating the fight is next to the courthouse.

The 1907 Esmeralda County Court House building (left) is more than just a court house; it’s the Esmeralda County seat. So go on in and take a seat. The judge will be along shortly to set you free. In the meantime, stroll around the beautiful interior, view the displays of artifacts and historic documents, and relive the hopes and dreams of the fine people whose life stories played out here a century ago. Esmeralda County web site.

A devastating flood on September 13, 1913 washed away a huge swath of the town, including most of the red light district of tiny “sporting houses” (brothels) and opium dens. Thus ended Goldfield’s golden age of iniquity. The flood also carried away hundreds of gold coins, many of which have never been found, making the whole area a prime location for treasure hunters.

An equally devastating fire on July 6, 1923 leveled 25 square blocks of Goldfield, killing two men and injuring several, while destroying much of the town’s business district. A second fire on September 29, 1924 caused further damage. With the end of the gold rush, as well as the flood and fires, Goldfield would never regain the status, popularity, political power and economic clout of its heyday. The Goldfield Hotel did continue in business until the end of World War II.

But there are still local businesses in operation: Goldfield Fireworks, Outlier Studios, Enigmata Esoterica, Hidden Treasures Trading Post, Myers Gallery of Fine Arts, Gems of the Great Basin, The Mozart Club, Burro Express, Santa Fe Saloon and Motel, Larry’s Motor Bikes, The Warehouse Museum & Orchard Company and Vanderford’s Gold Strike, where you can learn to pan for gold! See the Goldfield Chamber of Commerce for more information.

Over 4 million ounces of gold have been mined here, and there’s still more. Yes indeedy, there’s more. Some of it’s under the highway, though. If you’re feeling lucky, learn the art of prospecting, buy a claim and get diggin’. Just don’t set foot onto my claim, and we’ll all get along just fine.

Gold district tours are offered during Goldfield Days, a lively celebration held on the first weekend in August. Festivities includes a parade, a pet parade, live music & street dancing, antiques, crafts, food, beer garden, mock gunfights and assorted Old-West drama (and probably some current drama), miner’s liar contest, horseshoes, old-fashioned children’s games, a western BBQ, and a live land auction where you, too, could own a piece of Goldfield if you're the winning bidder!

The Goldfield Cemetery (right), just north of town, is well-worth a look, has a nice view of the town, and is divided by religious and social affiliations.

The International Car Forest of The Last Church (left), south of Crystal Avenue, is the last known remanining stand of native old-growth cars, with many named, mature specimens still surviving in their natural state. This is a popular attraction and gets many visitors from around the world. You can drive or walk through it.

We often see wild horses, wild burros, wild cattle and antelope in the outlying areas, often seen at watering holes near hot springs, such as at Alkali Hot Springs (right), which is 11 miles from Goldfield. It is private property, but you may visit if you are a good citizen and don’t litter.

Fish Lake Valley Heritage Center preserves and honors the 150-year history of this area. Learn about the pioneer families of Fish Lake Valley and their lifestyles. Interactive tours are offered. For more information on the Fish Lake Valley Heritage Center see this page.

The surrounding area of western Esmeralda County and the White Mountains, which form a border between California and Nevada, offer a wide variety of recreational opportunities, including:

• Springs to soak in: Fish Lake Valley Hot Well (hot spring, pictured above) and Pigeon Springs (cold). Also Alkali Hot Spring, near Goldfield.

• Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest (pictured at right), with the world's oldest trees

• Hiking in the Inyo National Forest, the White Mountains, Boundary Peak Wilderness and White Mountain Peak (only for experienced, fit and well-prepared hikers)

• Rock and gem hunting

• Horseback riding

• Off-roading, riding dirt bikes, quads, jeeps or ATVs.

• Exploring remote canyons and geological features such as Horse Thief Canyon or "the Sump" (a petrified swamp, which requires 4-wheel drive to reach)

• Fishing for rainbow trout at Trail Canyon Reservoir

• Exploring ghost towns and abandoned mining camps such as Gold Point, Pigeon Springs and Goldfield

• Hunting in season

Regional attractions: Mammoth Lakes, California is only a 2-hour drive from Fish Lake Valley, and the east entrance of Yosemite National Park (the Tioga Pass entrance) is only a 2.5-hour drive from Fish Lake Valley. Death Valley National Park is only a 2.5-hour drive south of Fish Lake Valley. Lake Tahoe is a 4-hour drive away.

Additional information about points of interest in Fish Lake Valley is shown at this page.

 Gold Point, Nevada

Gold Point (shown at left) is an authentic ghost town with 7 living residents. It is located in the southern end of Esmeralda County, only about 15 miles off of U.S. Highway 95. For more information on Gold Point, click this.

Silver Peak, Nevada

Silver Peak, Nevada was originally a silver and gold mining area founded in 1864. Today Silver Peak is the site of the largest lithium mine in the United States, the Albemarle Corporation Lithium Operation (which is, at the time of this writing the only lithium mine currently operating in the United States). If you're interested in lithium mining, Silver Peak is the place to visit.

Beyond Esmeralda County

We were planning to mention Area 51, which is not far away, but two intimidating men dropped by and told us to shut up about it. You can, however, arrange for tours of the Nevada Test Site, complete with the “Doom Town” built to demonstrate the effects of a nuclear blast. Tours are arranged by the National Atomic Testing Museum in Las Vegas.

Stargazing is at the world-class level in Goldfield. The clear, dry air, relatively high elevation, and lack of man-made light pollution make for ideal “dark sky” conditions to contemplate the Milky Way, count the shooting stars during a meteor shower, or watch for those UFOs that aren’t here.

Off-roading adventures in Esmeralda County include quests to the various abandoned ghost towns including Gemfield, Gold Point, Lida, Culprite, Diamondfield, Klondyke, Phillipsburg, Montezuma, Columbia, Stonewall and Alkali Springs. Don’t approach any mine shafts, though, as most of them drop straight down for several hundred feet, and you would never be seen again. Gemfield has jasper and agate. The small town of Silver Peak has the only lithium mine in the U.S.

The busy and historic silver mining town of Tonopah is an easy half-hour drive to the north (and don’t speed on the way there). The Central Nevada Museum there has the largest photograph ever taken and many historical exhibits, artifacts and books about the area. The unique Tonopah Historic Mining Park (right) has black light exhibits and offers a unique underground tour. Be sure to check out (or even stay at) the famous Clown Motel while in Tonopah!

Note that the speed limit in Goldfield is 25 miles per hour, and that’s anywhere in Goldfield. There is a rest area, with restrooms, on the north side of Highway 95, at First Street. Look for the sign that says, “Goldfield Visitor Center.” In case of emergency, dial 911 for help. The speed limit in Dyer, Nevada is 45 miles per hour. Sunset at Fish Lake Valley Hot Well, 85 miles from Goldfield, is shown at left.

There's a lot to see around here, and there’s no admission charge, so take a nice, relaxing break from the long drive, soak in the peaceful, quiet atmosphere, visit and support the town’s businesses, talk with locals and explore historic Goldfield, a living American museum and a living ghost town - in more ways than one.

Oh, and... don’t believe everything you read.