Explore Rhyolite, Nevada’s most photogenic ghost town. Get a practical visitor guide to this historic site near Death Valley.
There’s something genuinely haunting about standing amongst the crumbling concrete shells of Rhyolite, trying to comprehend that this desolate ghost town was once Nevada‘s third-largest city with electric lights, a stock exchange, an opera house, and a population that peaked around 5,000-10,000 people.
What makes Rhyolite extraordinary isn’t just the dramatic boom-and-bust story — it went from nothing to a thriving city in three years, then back to nothing in barely a decade — it’s that enough concrete buildings remain to let you walk through actual streets and imagine what life was like during those fevered gold rush days of 1905-1911. Unlike most ghost towns where only foundations survive, Rhyolite’s three-storey bank building, jail, and train depot create what’s probably the most photographed ghost town scene in the American West.
The bonus? Right next door sits the Goldwell Open Air Museum, an utterly surreal outdoor sculpture park featuring life-sized ghost figures recreating The Last Supper, a 25-foot woman made of pink cinder blocks, and other wonderfully bizarre contemporary art installations that add an unexpected layer to your visit.
Why book the Death Valley National Park and Rhyolite Ghost Town day tour from Las Vegas?
- See Death Valley’s major highlights: Visit key viewpoints and landscapes including Badwater Basin, Zabriskie Point and dramatic desert scenery.
- Explore Rhyolite Ghost Town: Walk through the atmospheric remains of a former boomtown, with abandoned buildings and open-air art installations.
- Small-group experience: Travel in a limited-size group for a more relaxed pace and better interaction with your guide.
- Guided insight throughout the day: Learn about desert geology, mining history and life in one of the hottest places on Earth.
- Easy day trip from Las Vegas: Return transport from the city is included, making this a straightforward way to see Death Valley in one day.
Getting to Rhyolite
Rhyolite is located approximately 120 miles northwest of Las Vegas and 4 miles west of Beatty, Nevada, along State Route 374 (Daylight Pass Road). From Beatty, head west towards Death Valley and you’ll see signs for Rhyolite after about 4 miles. The turn-off is well marked.
From Las Vegas, take Highway 95 north to Beatty (about 2 hours), then turn west onto Highway 374. From Death Valley, Rhyolite is roughly 30 miles east of Furnace Creek via Daylight Pass.
The entire site is managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and sits on public land, which means it’s completely free to visit with no entrance fees or gates.
Why book the Death Valley Day Tour from Las Vegas?
- Discover an iconic national park: Visit Death Valley National Park’s most dramatic landscapes in a single full-day itinerary from Las Vegas.
- Small-group experience: Travel with a limited number of people in a comfortable vehicle, making for a more personalised day out.
- See famous desert sights: Enjoy stops at highlights such as Badwater Basin, Dante’s View, Zabriskie Point and colourful Artists Palette — all in one day.
- Food and drink included: A breakfast buffet or lunch is provided depending on departure time, and bottled water keeps you refreshed in the desert heat.
- Easy pick-up and mobile ticket: Pick-ups are offered from many Las Vegas hotels, and mobile tickets make entry and logistics straightforward.
Rhyolite parking
There’s a large gravel car park at Rhyolite with plenty of space for cars, RVs, and tour buses. Parking is free and there’s almost always space available, even during peak visiting hours. The car park includes vault toilets and picnic tables.
The Goldwell Open Air Museum has its own small car park adjacent to Rhyolite.
Admission fees for Rhyolite
Rhyolite is completely free to visit — no entrance fee, no parking fee, nothing. It’s open 24 hours daily, year-round. You can visit at any time, though be aware there’s no lighting after dark and the ruins can be genuinely eerie at night.
The Goldwell Open Air Museum is also free and open 24/7, though the visitor centre and gift shop have limited hours (Monday-Saturday, 10.00am-4.00pm).
Exploring Rhyolite ghost town
Rhyolite is self-guided — there are no rangers or formal tours, though informational signs throughout the site explain what stood at various locations. Give yourself at least 60-90 minutes to explore properly, though photography enthusiasts often spend 2-3 hours.
Key buildings to see:
Cook Bank Building: The most photographed structure in Rhyolite. This three-storey concrete shell once featured marble staircases and mahogany finishes. It’s been used as a film location numerous times and remains remarkably intact.
The Jail: One of the most complete structures remaining, with walls, cells, and even some window frames still in place. You can walk through the cells and imagine the unfortunate souls who spent time here.
Las Vegas & Tonopah Railroad Depot: The old train depot, which later became the Rhyolite Ghost Casino in the 1930s. It’s privately owned but visible from the road.
Tom Kelly’s Bottle House: Built in 1906 from approximately 50,000 beer and liquor bottles held together with adobe mud. It’s been restored and remains one of Rhyolite’s most distinctive and photographed buildings.
Scattered throughout the town site are foundations, walls, and remnants of the school, hospital, red-light district, and dozens of other buildings. Interpretive signs mark many locations.
Safety at Rhyolite
The buildings are unstable and dangerous. Do not climb on walls, enter structures, or touch crumbling concrete. The BLM has posted warning signs throughout the site. People have been injured by falling masonry.
Watch for broken glass, rusty metal, and uneven ground. Sturdy footwear is essential. The desert floor can hide hazards like old mine shafts in the surrounding hills — stay on established paths.
Goldwell Open Air Museum
Just south of Rhyolite sits this wonderfully weird outdoor sculpture park on private property. The star attraction is The Last Supper by Belgian artist Albert Szukalski — life-sized ghostly white figures recreating Da Vinci’s famous painting, created by draping plaster-soaked burlap over live models.
Other sculptures include Lady Desert: The Venus of Nevada (a 25-foot woman made from pink cinder blocks), Ghost Rider (a spectral figure mounting a bicycle), Tribute to Shorty Harris (honouring the prospector who sparked the gold rush), and several others.
The museum is open 24/7 and completely free. Photography is permitted for personal use. The small visitor centre and gift shop are open Monday-Saturday, 10.00am-4.00pm, with rotating exhibits.
Best time to visit Rhyolite
Golden hour (early morning or late afternoon): The warm light makes the ruined buildings absolutely glow. Photographers swear by the hour before sunset when the light is soft and golden. Early morning offers similar light with fewer visitors.
Midday: Harsh desert sun creates strong shadows and washes out colours. Not ideal for photography but fine for exploring.
Overcast days: Actually quite atmospheric. The grey sky adds to the melancholy mood and eliminates harsh shadows for photography.
Night: The ruins under starlight are genuinely spooky. Bring a powerful torch and watch your footing. The Goldwell sculptures look particularly otherworldly at night.
Best seasons for Rhyolite
Autumn (September-November): Ideal temperatures and spectacular light. October is particularly popular.
Winter (December-February): Cool but pleasant for walking. Clear desert air offers brilliant photography. Few visitors.
Spring (March-May): Warming up with occasional wildflower blooms after wet winters. Comfortable temperatures.
Summer (June-August): Brutally hot. If visiting in summer, go early morning or late evening only. Temperatures regularly exceed 38°C (100°F) with no shade anywhere.
What to bring for your Rhyolite visit
- Water — absolutely essential, even in winter.
- Sturdy shoes — broken glass, rusty metal, and uneven ground make proper footwear crucial.
- Sun protection — hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen.
- Camera — this is one of the most photogenic ghost towns in America.
- Long trousers — protects against sharp edges and desert plants.
There are no shops, no food, and no bins. Bring everything you need and pack out all rubbish.
The Rhyolite story in brief
In 1904, prospectors Frank “Shorty” Harris and Ernest “Ed” Cross discovered gold in the surrounding hills. Within months, thousands arrived during the Bullfrog Mining District gold rush. Rhyolite was founded in early 1905 and grew explosively — by 1907 it had electric lights, telephones, a hospital, school, 50 saloons, newspapers, and even an opera house with an orchestra.
Steel magnate Charles M. Schwab purchased the Montgomery Shoshone Mine in 1906 for between $2-6 million, investing heavily in infrastructure. The town peaked around 1908 with an estimated 5,000-10,000 residents.
Then it all collapsed. The 1906 San Francisco earthquake ruined many investors. The Panic of 1907 caused a financial crisis. By 1910, fewer than 1,000 people remained. The mine closed permanently in 1911. The last train left in 1914. Electricity was shut off in 1916. By 1920, only 14 residents remained. By 1924, Rhyolite was completely abandoned.
Buildings were salvaged for materials in nearby Beatty, which is why so little wooden construction survives whilst concrete buildings remain.
Where to stay near Rhyolite
Beatty (4 miles east) is the nearest town with accommodation, including motels, an RV park, and restaurants. It’s small but has essential services including petrol stations and shops.
Death Valley (30 miles west) offers camping and The Oasis at Death Valley resort in Furnace Creek, though these require advance booking during peak season.
Las Vegas (120 miles) offers thousands of accommodation options if you’re making Rhyolite a day trip.
Combining Rhyolite with other attractions
Titus Canyon (accessed via Highway 374 near Rhyolite) is a spectacular one-way dirt road through Death Valley with narrow canyons and petroglyphs. High-clearance vehicles recommended.
Death Valley National Park (30 minutes west) offers Zabriskie Point, Badwater Basin, Artists Palette, Dante’s View and numerous other attractions.
Beatty has the historic Stagecoach Hotel & Casino and you can often see wild burros wandering through town — locals feed them carrots.rvices is Beatty, Nevada, with petrol, shops, restaurants, and accommodation.
More Nevada travel
Other Nevada travel articles on Planet Whitley include:
- The best stops on the drive from Las Vegas to Williams, Arizona.
- The best stops on the Kingman to Las Vegas drive.
- The best route from Las Vegas to Lake Havasu City.
- The quirky tour of the Techatticup Gold Mine.
- How to see Hoover Dam from the water.
