This is such a cool stop if you're passing through Nevada! The historic town of Rhyolite is only 10 minutes from the town of Beatty and about 1hr 40min from Vegas. I love history like this so I was super excited. I came here for the Tom Kelly Glass House. When you first walk up, there is a sign explaining the history of the house. Next to it, there is a sign in sheet so you can see where people have travelled from to checkout the house. I was amazed by how many people had recently been there! It's a short stop, just walk up and take a few pictures of the house. Look inside. Take in the history. I would definitely recommend adding this stop to your trip if you're passing through! Ohhh also, the Goldwell Museum is only a minute drive from the Tom Kelly Bottle House. Check out that place too and be respectful of the artwork! read more

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Everything displayed was excellent. I had a wonderful time walking the area and feeling the joy of the items on display. read more

Rhyolite Ghost Town - The Bottle House was the last item observed on our way home. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Beatty, Nevada

Great stop on our way to Death Valley National Park. I always look for ghost towns whenever we visit a new place, and Rhyolite is one of the best preserved I've seen. Really interesting history here - Rhyolite was a gold rush town and is a perfect example of "Boom to Bust". One of the town's multi-story buildings cost $90,000 to build back in the early 1900's, so you can imagine how magnificent it must have been. Unfortunately, the town of Rhyolite only lasted 15 years before it was completely abandoned. I really liked viewing the buildings and reading the signs accompanying each one. The Tom Kelly bottle house was particularly fascinating. Wish it was open to go inside, but I did peek in the windows. Keep in mind that all of the buildings are fenced off s you can just view them from the outside, but Rhyolite is worth 5 stars as the buildings are mostly still standing and it is definitely a good stop while in the area. read more

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Meh. This Ghost Town kind of reminded me of visiting grandmas house where there were no go rooms and the furniture was always covered. The "Ghost Town" is more of a movie set than anything else. While the history is interesting a majority of the building are fenced off. Having visited many actual ghost towns, the only thing I found interesting was Tom Kelly's Bottle House. The adjacent open air museum covered in a separate review. Also, a few maps / nav show an alternate route through the back of the town to the highway. While I am adept at driving off road, about 1/4 miles from the town to the (2016 MDX) was all but impassable unless you have a serious off road (not just AWD) vehicle read more

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A Road Trip to Rhyolite, a Ghost Town in Death Valley In 2016, I took my mom on a road trip through Death Valley National Park. We spent a week exploring the park's many corners, and one of our favorite stops was the ghost town of Rhyolite. Rhyolite was a gold boomtown that sprang to life in 1905 after prospectors discovered gold ore in the area. At its peak, Rhyolite had a population of over 5,000 people and boasted electric lights, water mains, telephones, newspapers, a hospital, a school, an opera house, and a stock exchange. However, the financial panic of 1907 caused the gold mines to close, and by 1916, Rhyolite was a ghost town. Today, Rhyolite is a popular tourist destination. Visitors can explore the ruins of the town's buildings, including the 3-story bank building, the old jail, and the train depot. The Bottle House, a house built out of thousands of glass bottles, is one of the most popular attractions in Rhyolite. We enjoyed walking around Rhyolite and imagining what it would have been like to live there during its heyday. It was a fascinating look into the past. I have visited Rhyolite a few more times since then; the last time was only a few weeks ago, and I must admit that in the short seven years since my first visit, things have changed a lot, not necessarily for the better! If you have Rhyolite on your must-visit list, you better hurry up before things deteriorate even more and not much is left. read more

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Driving home from Vegas my wife wanted to stop here. It's about 3 to 4 miles from Beatty Nevada. It is a little less than spectacular. That doesn't cost anything, so no real complaints. It's less than a ghost town and more like it just an abandoned town that has crumbled. There's a little parking area at the top and you can walk down and see everything. I do like history, and wonder what it would've been like when it was full of 5000 people. Other than that yeah. If you like this sort of thing it is definitely worth the 3 mile drive out of the way. read more

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Hey, it is free to visit, so don't expect much. I was sad to see everything with fences around it. I am assuming that is to prevent vandalism. I also realize walking around/under unstable structures in dangerous. I did a fairly quick drive-thru only getting out of the vehicle a few times. The bottle house was interesting, but, again, behind a fence. At the entrance stands a "museum" and some artistic pieces. There are ghost like figures. And there is a circle of stone which instantly reminded me of something from Children of the Corn. There were a couple graffitied old vehicles and some falling down graffitied shacks. I stayed clear of those thinking they must be rattlesnake heaven. It was free and on the way to DVNP. read more

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What an interesting time the ruins of this town captures. It was a full city with a two-story school, a train depot, a stock exchange, and a large red-light district. And a few years later, the money dried up and the city was almost fully abandoned. Talk about prospecting and gambling! Today you can freely walk amongst the ruins, piecing together what life might have been like thanks to informative placards. We had a pleasant lunch at one of the half dozen or so picnic tables. We saw wild burros in the distance. There is also an abandoned mine, a jail, and a caboose. You can also visit a memorial to Mona Bell, a "working woman" who was shot by her outlaw boyfriend--people have left behind stripper shoes and sparkly bras over the years in her honor. read more

what a fun place to stumble upon duirng our road trip to death valley. I had fun exploring but its very hot the wrong time of year or time of day. read more

I have a framed photo of lightning behind the Rhyolite Ghost Town school house. So I was thrilled that I had the opportunity to see Rhyolite in person after travelling out of Death Valley (on CA 374 towards Beatty). There are lots of ghost towns in Nevada and Rhyolite is one of the better known ones, due probably to ease of access, good signage, history, and a few very distinctive structures (like the old RR station) left standing. It didn't take Gayle and I too long to explore what's left of Rhyolite by foot, which included reading all of the available historical signs. We both find the familiar ghost town stories of boom and bust to be fascinating, and for the 30 or so minutes it takes to transport yourself back in history, it's well worth the journey. Note: This review does not cover the Goldwell Open Air Museum (Art Where it Seemingly Shouldn't Be) which is located at the "entrance" to the Rhyolite Ghost Town. Please take a few minutes after our Rhyolite tour to take a look at the various pieces of desert art. www.goldwellmuseum.org read more

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I have visited 2x now, last time being March 2022. I was going to give it 4 stars but with the last visit I had to only give it 3. There must have been some recent vandalism or other issues because things like the bottle house are now no longer accessible up close, you have to look at them through a fence from several feet away. I have no issue with wanting to preserve history or protect places but this really takes away from some of the allure of visiting this place. This place is not too far from 1 of the exits to Death Valley national park, I think it was 15 or 20 miles. Easy straight shot from that DVNP exit to drive to Rhyolite. Hard to believe that this place was booming many years ago, but there is history there and there are some signs explaining the history of the town. There are remnants of several old buildings, along with the bottle house and the depot. There is a small museum with some eclectic sculptures outside. It was closed so not sure what was inside. You could spend 15 - 20 minutes with a drive through of the main street or there is enough that you could spend hours exploring and taking photographs. I have only been there during the day and there was a freak rain storm the first time which made it a little more interesting. I would go back to visit at night and get some night sky pictures. I am sure the views are spectacular and with the old buildings they would provide a nice back drop. This ghost town is not too far from the town of Beatty NV if you are coming from that direction as opposed to Death Valley NP. read more

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This ghost town has been on our list for a while but this was our first time driving from Las Vegas to Reno, so today was the day! It is located just about 4 miles outside of the town of Beatty. The road is well marked and we easily found the remnants of this once booming town. We felt the signage provided by the Bureau of Land Management was well done and provided history for visitors like us which was appreciated. There are about 10 or so buildings that still remain and it was a cool opportunity to learn more about the area and people who once called this home. We would recommend stopping in even if it is just for 30 minutes - great piece of Nevada history! read more

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Great stop for our family on the way from Vegas to Reno! The kids were interested in learning about boomtowns and seeing the old buildings (well, parts of buildings...). Our littlest walked the whole spiral path in front of the museum, which was unfortunately not open when we stopped by. Perfect spot not too far off the route to stretch your legs and learn some Nevada history! read more

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For our Death Valley trip we chose Beatty as a home base and we were very excited to visit Rhyolite Ghost Town on the way there in our first day in the area! Rhyolite is just 4 miles outside Beatty, Nevada. If you visit Death Valley National Park and you'll be in the area for at least a couple of days, check out this cool, unique spot! Free to visit, easy to access from the main road, there's a sign, turn left on the way to Beatty and you'll be there soon! The place is spectacular, full of great history to be discovered! The town started to be built around 1905 because of the gold rush. Mining started in the area and the town was build fast around that with great buildings: train depot (it was a railway track connecting to Los Angeles), school, stores, banks, hotels, hospital and so on. Very modern buildings for the times with electricity and plumbing. Unfortunately very soon due to depression and the San Francisco earthquake, investments in the area stopped, mines closed and people started to leave. By 1916 it was empty. Paramount used it to shoot some movies here. Since then, other movies were shot here, one of my husband's favorites "Cherry 2000", "Delusion", "Ultraviolet", cool indie titles. You can drive from our building to another, pull off the road to take photos. Beautiful ruins! There's restrooms in the area and a sign, didn't use them. There's an area near Tom Kelley's Bottle House with signs and history of the area. At Tom Kelley's house there's a box with brochures to learn some more. This cool house was restored for a Paramount movie! The whole place is dreamy with Amargosa Valley as a beautiful backdrop! Its ruins have a certain poetry and charm. Of old times, many stories that you can detect from walking around. And the use of your imagination. We got there around sunset, at the magic hour so the diffusion of the light gave the place a mysterious atmosphere. We could have taken photos for hours. Everywhere you turn your camera you can get a cool angle. A highlight of our trip for sure! Places like this make you forget about the reality, the pandemic, it charms you into its history, its past, you're just a traveler enjoying the beauty of a place that doesn't exist anymore. Or does it? read more

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This was awesome. I had such a great time checking this place out. I have never been to a ghost town I don't even know they were still around so of course when I found out I was only two hours away from this place I said hey we gotta drive out here cause I'll probably never be here again. And this is that we did we drove out there to check out the school ghost town that has been abandoned since 1840 something and it has all these remaining building still kind of sitting around and hot as can be the desert is not meant for people to live there I was on fire but this was a cool cool thing to experience and check out read more

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I was expecting to capture some "Spooky" photos , but it did not happen:XD Not because I came during the bright daylight with approx 10 tourists and photographers in all directions, this place is now managed by BLM (Bureau of Land Management). It's too clean, too tidy without even a shattered window ... Before you start the self guided tour, stop by the Tom Kelly's Bottle House built in 1905 first! (on the right side of the road). There's guest signing book and brochure inside a tin box. #4 and #5 #6 seem to be the most popular points of interest. #4 Porter Brother's Store Ruin, which only left with a storefront. #5 Cook Bank Building. A 3 stories plus a basement! Heard long time ago, you could climb down to the basement for some adventures. Now it's just surrounded by the fence and warning signs. #6 Las Vegas & Tonopah Depot- it's the most well maintained building left. All the doors and windows were blocked by plank to avoid entering so no peek either. It's archaeological site, it's fragile and need to be protected. Practice leave no trace! Also check out the Open Air Museum down from the Ghost Town, you wont' miss it! - Designated parking lot and restroom on north end , though on a less busy day, most people seem just park along the street. - Day use only read more

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If you're a sucker for ghost towns, photo ops, or Nevada history, you may get more out of your visit than we did. After visiting the Goldwell Open Air Museum nearby (separate review), we stopped by the Bottle House, signed the guest book, and grabbed a guide brochure. The bottle house was cool, and we opted to walk the route to visit the other stops noted on the map- the bank and jewelry store, the old school house, the train depot. We got a closer look at a few things (you can see where the bank vault was in the basement!) but opted not to walk all the way out to the last building, allegedly a residence/brothel. I liked that there were some informative plaques to give more context and info, and that the larger structures were fairly well maintained, but there really wasn't much to do here. I'm not suggesting they commercialize or setup a snack bar or anything, but it would be cool to have another roadside attraction or site out this way to make the drive from Vegas more worthwhile. read more

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It's so fun to be able to get a chance to see a real part of history. This ghost town provided a cool glimpse into the homes of those from a time before I was even thought of. These old homes, building, and structures were very cool and interesting. Most of the "cool" stuff was fenced off. I don't know if payment is needed to actually go inside the fence, or if they're just not allowed. My guess would be the former. read more

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This was a real surprise for me. I thought we'd drive up, look around a few minutes and be done. We were here for 2 hours! We walked around and tried to imagine the place in its heydays. The crumbling buildings are magnificent pieces of history and really tell you about the town. The holes where buildings were, the old cans in areas and the streets just really spoke to me. I really enjoyed my visit. Do not overlook it and go look at the train depot! read more

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As soon as this place was mentioned to me I wanted to go take a look at it. Rhyolite is a ghost town that boomed during the Gold Rush in the early 20th century. There's not much remaining but it's enough to spark interest. Most of the buildings are just ruins but there's a few that are intact and one is the visitor's center and museum. You should make sure to look at a few buildings in particular that have a crazy story. It makes a good side trip when you're coming through Beatty. It's one of the few interesting things about this area so be sure to see it. This is a few miles from Route 95. It's in the middle of nowhere, so don't get alarmed when you don't see anything for awhile. This is before you get to California so if you reach the border you passed it. The first building you see is the Bottle House. It was built by one of the miners, Tom T. Kelly. The house is literally made with what appears to be moonshine bottles in the walls. It looks like someone still lives here. The house is intact thanks to continuing restoration. I'm not sure about most of the other buildings. There was a jail and a school but I couldn't tell just by looking at the ruins. About the only other building that could still be used is the train depot. This however is fenced off. Rhyolite is in the middle of the desert so you need to be careful. It can get very hot. There's also rattlesnakes so heed the warnings. read more

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There is so much history to see here. Nature has taken over most of the buildings but it is enjoyable to see and read about the buildings and what they represented in their hay day. read more

Decided to take the 2 hour drive out to Rhyolite Ghost Town today, on our way to Death Valley National Park. We had no problems finding the place with our GPS as others have had. Per previous review recommendations, we stopped at the bottle house to grab a map and guide, and to check out the cool house made of bottles! The builder gathered 51,000 liquor bottles to build this house in 1905, and it's still standing today! It's not the only building still standing...the train station depot, and remains of the bank, school, store, etc. Rhyolite was established in 1905, but with gold production dropping dramatically, people began leaving in 1910, and the town was completely deserted in 1912. There's an information building with gift shop on the left side of the road as you drive towards the building remains, after the bottle house. There are also restrooms (vault toilets) available on the left, after the bank building remains with gravel parking area. Would highly recommend a visit to this unique ghost town! read more

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This is what I expect for a ghost town. No people but some history and remaining buildings. Well worth the short time it takes if you are in the area. read more

Rhyolite Ghost Town - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Beatty, Nevada

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What: historic ghost town with old buildings to look at, maintained by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Pick up a map at the Bottle House so you know what you are looking at, but if you don't that's ok, some have simple signage. There's a train station, bank, school, jewelry store, and some others we didn't get a chance to see. We really lucked out because since it was Nevada Public Lands Day, there were volunteers cleaning everything and they let us in to the locked train station. We were fortunate enough to get a "mini tour" by the volunteer and he explained that the ladies waited in the first room, the men waited in the back room with the luggage and the side office was where tickets were sold. We also saw a side staircase that led to a second floor but it was being reinforced, so it was not safe to go in there. We also saw the Bottle House which is preserved so well, with old furniture inside and a little garden in the back. Location: From Henderson, go 15 North, to 95 to 374. We followed Google Maps and for some reason off the 95 it cut us through some Airport Rd. which goes by a small airport to get to 374. Do NOT go this way! The road is unpaved and it was unnecessary to go this way. Just stay on 95 until it connects with 374. You will see the sign for Rhyolite and just turn right in. Bathroom: Cleanest pit toilet ever! Located across from the train station at the end of the road. There's signage. Don't be scared! Note: There are 2 different places near each other - Rhyolite Ghost Town and Goldwell Open Air Museum (the outside art installations) so do 2 different reviews people! We spent about an 1 hour total seeing both sites (they are right next to each other.) read more

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Hubby woke my up early for this surprise birthday trip! Off we headed for a day of adventuring. This was our second stop and what a great discovery it was. Out here in the middle of nowhere stands the remains of this little ghost town. Rhyolite once was a thriving community back in 1905 as a gold mining town. Quartz was discovered in 1904 which placed this town on the map. The town received its name from the silica rich volcanic rock within the area. Initially, this town was booming with several other camps nearby. Buildings began to pop up including a bank, a jail, a school, stores, hotels and a stock exchange was established. There was even a red light district. There was a miner named Tom T. Kelly and he built the bottle house which is now part of the Goodwill Museum. Unfortunately, the town only lasted until 1916 as the financial panic of 1907 took its toll. So glad that there are still so many remaining remnants of this town including the privately owned train depot which is still fully intact although it is fenced off. We spent a couple of hours just walking around trying to imagine what it would have been like to live back here back in the early 1900's. This is a photographers favorite site as you have probably seen many pictures of the bank and school shot at various times of the day. There is no charge to view this ghost town and we had perfect weather that day we visited. If you are lucky you may encounter a burro or a family of burros as we did. This town is approximately 6 miles from Beatty, NV and Death Valley is another 35 miles. If you are in the area, be sure to stop and check out this historical town. read more

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As you climb up and over the pass out of Beatty towards Death Valley, State Route 374 pierces the oncoming void like a silent arrow, tempting your foot to press hard into the accelerator. But don't press too hard or you'll miss the right hook towards Rhyolite. Between 1905 and the ten or so following years, Rhyolite emerged and disappeared like a pre-dawn dream, a blip in the landscape, a missed right turn. Though the slow desert with gradual persistence reclaims the Rhyolite valley, hints of forgotten dreams await, if only as whispers. The only way to really swim in those dreams is on foot. As tempting as it may be to drive through and out, Rhyolite is best experienced in the open air. While sky-reaching ruins vie insistently for your attention, a more nuanced record lies underfoot in rainbows of broken glass and poised rust. There's way more to experience in Rhyolite than to see. As the littered earth crumbles and crunches under your weight, your senses will hone in on the silent stories of this invisible library. This is not to say that Rhyolite isn't photogenic- it surely is. If picture making is your thing, the very best times to visit are early morning and near sunset when the light is most cooperative with your efforts. Oh, and don't be afraid if nature calls as the pit toilets are some of cleanest I've ever had the pleasure of sitting on, and much cooler inside than expected! Before you head to wherever your own whispering dreams may be taking you next, be sure and take the slight detour to the Rhyolite cemetery. If you missed Mona Bell's supposed grave up in Rhyolite, you'll find the eternal resting place of a true wild woman in the valley below. Raise your glass to Panamint Annie and all wild women everywhere, 'cause traveling through the void isn't without inherent risks, and it could turn out that their silent embrace and boundless wisdom is all that'll save your ass when push comes to shove out here? read more

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It was super windy when we went so we didn't stay as long as we wanted to. Some really cool stuff it's too bad that people insist on writing their names on all kinds of American history I do not understand that. If you Google the history of the town is very interesting and makes it worthwhile to understand what went on there and what happened it was it was so abruptly shut down. Some cool stuff!! The Museum was super cool, took some pics on the read more

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Ghost town - Visit 05.27.13 Hubby and I love visiting ghost towns (Bodie is still my #1) but on the way home from a road trip getaway from Las Vegas we took a little detour to this ghost town. Rhyolite is located 4 miles west of the town of Beatty, Nevada on HWY 374. Before stopping at the tiny visitor center we explored the remnants of Rhyolite's glory days. Many of the buildings were too far apart to walk and we didn't have a lot of time to spend so we drove to each one. We stopped by the 3-story Cook Bank building. Some of the walls are still standing as is part of the old jail, the Miner's Union Hall, and school. The public is free to roam around the ruins but there are parts in the area where it warns to watch out for rattlesnakes. The train depot is one of the complete buildings left in the town but it is fenced off to the public because it could be a danger to the public. The sign read "Danger Contaminated Site - substances present in this area may be hazardous to your health" [Authorized Personnel Only] allowed. We also visited the Tom Kelly Bottle House. Most of Rhyolite are in ruins but the Bottle House was an exception. Tom Kelly, an enterprising miner, built the bottle house out of 5000 beer and liquor bottles. TRIVIA: After 1920, Rhyolite became a tourist attraction and even became a setting for movies. List of some movies that have filmed in Rhyolite as well as other areas: CHERRY 2000 [1988], SIX STRING SAMURAI [1998], THE ISLAND [2005], A LINE IN THE SAND [2009], TWICE AS DEAD [2009]. I've never seen any of these movies but made for an interesting part of Rhyolite's history. Before leaving the area you may also want to stop by the Goldwell Open Air Museum to view the Last Supper sculpture on Golden Street. Here is a video I created of our experience and that tells a little history of this interesting ghost town. Enjoy! https://youtu.be/2vZsGyOouRI Review #0733 read more

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Mood- adventure/ history Just a simple drive from Vegas, under 2 hours off the 95. To enjoy the town is free, and there is picnic tables situated at the top by the train depot. Plus restrooms if needed. There is so much history here in this town, you are able to drive and park on the street to enjoy the buildings that have been preserved. Some of the buildings are fenced off to protect the buildings and you as they are aged and could cause serious injury. As you are descending down the hill don't forget to stop at the Tom Kelly Bottle house. This house is still fully intact. Your not able to go inside, but you can glance in thru each of the windows. This is rattlesnake season, so please be mindful of our desert as there are no hospitals that are close. Would def recommend Location is Beatty NV -ample parking read more

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While coming back to Las Vegas we were passing thru Beatty we decided to take the opportunity to practice some photo taking. The town is extremely easy to access, just outside of Beatty before you get to the California state line. Being a national park, the site is well marked and restrooms are available at the end of the paved road. Being able to step back in time and look at some of the design features was amazing. Please note that most of the old ruins are fenced off for their protection so we can continue to enjoy visiting them. While there, you can visit art installations as you enter the town and see remanence of the mine infrastructure on the side of the mountain. I would say we spend about 2 hours there as the heat became a concern even with plenty of water and breaks in our A/C vehicle. Therefore PLEASE PLEASE plan accordingly during summer months, even thou your close to town, it can take a minute for help to arrive. Cell phone coverage was fine with my ATT phone. All in all, this a very cool stop on a journey up the 95 in Nevada, I highly recommend checking it out. read more

Rhyolite/Beatty, Nevada. Rhyolite Ghost Town is a small community that was created over 100 years ago for the gold/mining rush. And the rush died down, the mining corporations left and everything atrophied. Access/Roads: C Roads are mostly paved with some rough spots. Parking: A You won't have any issues. Distance: F Located in the mid point of Beatty, NV & Furnace Creek area of Death Valley NP, CA. Las Vegas, NV - 120 miles South @ 3 hours. Tonopah, NV - 100 miles north @ 1.5 hours. Bishop, CA - 160 miles west @ 3 hours. Stuff is far as hell as you can see. Beatty is a puny town with a gas station, casino, overpriced/crap food, and burros. Costs: A Free. Be careful. There are some spots that are closed of but no one to enforce the million laws the BLM has. Nearby Attractions: F You will see a lot of dirt. Goldwell Open Air Museum - This small exhibit made the whole trek worth the trouble. You can't miss it with on the way to the ghost town. Conclusion: C Disappointing. read more

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We had a blast! We spent an hour and a half and could've stayed longer if it wasn't 108 degrees. I think if you're into history you'd love it. Tons of "insta" perfect spots for photos. It's half art installations and half old buildings. The free museum was open today when we went. Hit up the glass bottle house first (past the ghosts installation and museum) so you can grab a pamphlet and sign your name in the guestbook. read more

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Very cool and simple place! People seem awkward who live here but a nice road trip from Las Vegas.

Its a very nice place and we love it! So many things we discovered and learned too. I will recommend this place for Road trips. read more

Rhyolite Ghost Town - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Beatty, Nevada

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Had a great day sight seeing & walking around all the monuments, the open pit mine, an old station of some kind

I have been to Rhyolite multiple times over the years and it's always worth a visit while spending some time in Death Valley. This old mining town is located on a short side road off state Route 374 near Beatty in Nevada, and despite its current desolate state, it has a very rich history. It was founded in 1904 after the prospectors Shorty Harris and Ed Cross discovered their first rhyolite mine and soon became one of the most important centers of the Bullfrog Mining District. This discovery caused thousands of people from across the country to flee to Rhyolite to be a part of the gold rush and the town soon went through a financial boom like no others, at the point that 2,000 claims and about 200 mines were soon recorded. In less than a few years, Rhyolite became Nevada's third largest city and home to thousands of residents with all of the modern amenities such as electricity, water mains, telephones and a railroad connection. During its peak, Rhyolite boasted a school, a hospital, banks, a stock exchange, an opera house, businesses, brothels, more than 50 saloons, restaurants, lodging houses, newspapers, an ice house and an ice cream parlor. Today, not much is left standing from this glorious past and only a couple of buildings that look like their are on the verge to collapse are still up on the main road. Perhaps the most interesting buildings still standing are the Rhyolite Depot, built in 1907, and a three-room house constructed in 1905 of thousands of castoff beer and whiskey bottles. Many movies have been filmed in Ryolithe and despite its current state, it is still one of the West's most famous ghost towns that offers a lot of interesting photo-ops. If visiting during the summer months, I would recommend an early morning or late afternoon tour to avoid a sunburn and nasty encounters such as rattlesnakes and other desert critters. Please keep safe and do not venture inside the collapsed buildings. I would also recommend a visit to the Goldwell Open Air Museum and the cemetery (separate reviews). read more

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If you spend enough time in Death Valley, you can't help but take a side trip to the outskirts of Beatty, Nevada, to see the Rhyolite ghost town. It's certainly one of the most elegant and well-known ruins in the United States and the scene is especially striking when the sun bathes the bleached structures in a warm glow. Look out for the lizards and watch out for the snakes, but don't rush your time here: let your camera lead you in and around the buildings. You probably won't get a sense of what life was like as you walk the main street but these skeletons have their own life in the 21st century and your camera will certainly kiss you in gratitude on the trip home. The story doesn't end at Rhyolite, though. Beatty is just a short ride away and you'll be tempted to stock up on supplies and, maybe, find a slot machine. That's all well and good, but be forewarned: Beatty is a well-known and active speed trap -- as are many other towns in Nevada -- and the rapidly changing succession of speed limit signs will cause your downfall eventually if you don't heed them literally. My introduction to Beatty had the local police stop me for going 26mph in a 25mph zone. (Some folks get stopped for going slower than 25mph.) Your movements are at the whim of the folks in the blue uniforms who are on a mission to top off their municipality's coffers. Nevada has some amazing sights but it still retains a hard edge and a wild west spirit, so don't expect to find welcome mats even though you're just stopping to get gas and a cold Klondike Bar. While Beatty holds on by a few casinos and the act of trapping cars with excuses of motion sickness, I expect the folks in Rhyolite had the integrity and common sense to just abandon the place when they ran out of options. Don't forget now: look out for those lizards, watch out for those snakes, and tread carefully. read more

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I learned that rhyolite is a silica-rich volcanic rock and, upon its founding, the townsite of Rhyolite was given its name from that rock back in 1904. Prospectors Shorty Harris and E.L. Cross found quartz in the area and so began a mining rush that included the establishment of Rhyolite, complete with a stock exchange, hotels, foundries, banks, a miner's union hospital, ice cream parlor, a mill, train depot, and more. The most active years were from 1905-1907 until the financial panic of 1907 set in and, by 1916, the light and power to the town were turned off. What's left of this town is what you can visit for free, located right next to the Goldwell Open Air Museum. It's an easy walk through the ghost town if you're already parked at the museum. As you walk up the road, you'll first encounter miner Tom Kelly's Bottle House, made of 50,000 beer and liquor bottles in 1906. This is one of the few buildings still intact as it was restored by Paramount Pictures in 1925. Other remnants along the road are of a bank, school, and union hall. The train depot is at the end of the street as well as restrooms if you need to use the facilities. This is a fabulous historical field trip from Vegas and worth the two hours' drive. read more

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Awesome place to visit! Authentic. Great pic taking. A lot is gated due to possible injury to visitors however is worth the visit read more

Rhyolite Ghost Town - Old school house - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Beatty, Nevada

It's history....you can't give that anything but 5 stars. Our drive from Reno to Las Vegas took us right past this awesome site. I loved all the outdoor art that has been added and especially loved the Tom Kelly beer bottle house. 1905, after gold was discovered and a surge of people arrived to this pop-up mining camp. A 76yr old man built this "bottle house" using approx. 51,000 beer bottles and adobe mud. It still stands today and has become an off-road tourist point of interest outside of Vegas. Maybe we should learn from this to help our increasingly growing homeless population! Our ancestors knew how to work with available resources! read more

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