Take a Road Trip to the Ruins of Rhyolite, Nevada

[GoldRushTradingPost]

Winding throughout the silver state’s rich and colorful history, Nevada’s highways and byways are ideal for classic American road trips. Route 374 is a prime example and leads to the much-photographed gold ghost town of Rhyolite. Located about five miles from the California border of Death Valley National Park, visiting Rhyolite is free and worth a stop if you like to photograph crumbling yet interesting architecture. What’s unique about this boom-town-gone-bust that’s different from typical ghost towns, is that the buildings are mostly made of concrete, not wood. One creative miner, Tom Kelly, even built his home out of mud and 50,000 assorted liquor bottles since lumber was scarce!

Named for a mineral and founded in 1904 after a nearby gold strike, Rhyolite was quite the cosmopolitan city in its heyday—nearly 10,000 people lived here, supported by more than 85 active mining companies in the hills around the city. Article and photos continued at http://www.examiner.com/western-states-travel-in-portland/visit-the-ruins-of-rhyolite-nevada

 

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[Frankn]

Been there several years ago. The RR station and the bottle house are the best preserved. There are some interesting schulpters which look like ghosts just outside the town. There is a big leach process gold recovery being done in the hills just to the south of this town. The Bullfrog mine is right next store. Frank

 

[sierra m37]

Yup, pretty cool place. Drove to/from Vegas from Placerville and the route back was Death Valley via Rhyolite and then out and up 395. Bodie was closed for the winter and there are also many hot springs all the way up 395. One of the best drivers in CA is up 395.

 

[flytye22]

I have been to the hot springs in Bridgeport. Very nice they are clean and what a view of the valley