Ghost towns and ruins in Nevada are everywhere. During the Gold Rush era, boom towns popped up all over the state of Nevada to mine gold and silver, only to become abandoned as people stopped finding precious metals. Chance are, they the ghost towns will find you before you start looking for them. Follow these tips for exploring Nevada’s ghost towns.
In Most Cases, You Can Explore Around the Ruins – Since most Nevada ghost towns are very remote, it would be impractical to turn them into museums. In most cases, you will not find any locked gates or no trespassing signs. There are signs that say “preserve americas past”, which means no excavating and of course no vandalizing. But feel free to roam around the historic streets and ruins and take as many pictures as you can. The ruins in some ghost towns are private property, but you can still walk around and take pictures as long as you do not walk on private property. Avoid walking in or on top of old fragile structures, because you may put yourself in danger or cause damage.
The Dirt Roads Require Four Wheel Drive or ATVs – You will likely be driving on some treacherous dirt roads to access the most remote ghost towns. Once again, you will find no locked gates to stop your vehicle from driving on these roads, so you will have to use your own judgement. Coming across massive pools of mud, washed out sections of the road, and fording streams are common. Stay in your comfort zone and do not cross any obstacle that looks like you could get stuck in. It is possible you may not be able to get there in your car, even if the map says otherwise. But you can proceed by foot or with an ATV.
Many Nevada Ghost Towns Are Snowed in Until Early Summer – Especially in central and northern Nevada, the roads accessing the ghost towns could be snowed in until late June or even July. If you hit a snow patch on the road, turn around, because you may get stuck and have to dig yourself out. Even if it is hot and dry in the valley, the mountains could still be covered in snow.
If It Rains, Get Back to a Paved Road Immediately – The dirt roads in Nevada are only stable under dry conditions. When it rains, they will turn to mud, and you could easily get stuck driving on them. At the first sign of rain, drive back. Although most of Nevada is desert or semi arid, higher altitudes can have their own microclimates. The weather changes fast, so be prepared for a freak rainstorm or even a snowstorm during the summer, especially at higher altitudes.
Nevada Ghost Towns Are Extremely Remote – Have an emergency stash of water and food in your vehicle in case you get stuck. There is no cell phone service at most ghost towns in Nevada, and you may not see a soul for days at some ghost towns. Prevent yourself from getting in situations that you may not be able to get yourself out of. Always tell other people where you will be going and how long you plan to stay. That way, if you do not return, they can send help.
You Will Need a Guidebook, Detailed Atlas, or GPS to Find the Ghost Towns – Directions alone will not be enough. The reason for this is that there are so many forks in the road, and ATV roads, that you will not know which way to turn at any given fork. It is difficult to tell which way is the main road to the ghost towns and which way is just a ranching road or ATV road. You will need to have an advanced navigation method to find these lost ruins.
