Recently a group of Bronco Nation members set out on a Gold Mine and Ghost Town tour of Nevada and one of the spots everyone agreed had to be shared with the larger membership was the adventure from Beatty, Nevada, traveling to Gold Point, then Goldfield and finally ending at Tonopah.
Gold Point is one of the state’s best-preserved ghost towns and still has a few living residents whose goal it is to protect what’s left and show it off for tourists visiting by pavement or by trail. Gold Point boomed in the early 1900s when silver and gold were discovered in the nearby hills. At its peak, the town had hundreds of residents, saloons, and even its own newspaper. Now, the full-time population is less than 10 and our visit alone, more than doubled the town’s inhabitants.
Leaving the Pavement at Bonnie Claire
After fueling up in Beatty, which is about 120 miles northwest of Las Vegas, our convoy of 6 Broncos rolled north on a trail that was part of the marked and upcoming Vegas to Reno racecourse. That 500-mile off-road race took place last Saturday, August 16th. After coating the Broncos driving through a few silt beds and dry lakebed adventures, we spent some time touring the remains of another mining town called Bonnie Claire. There’s not much left there, other than the post office and remnants of the stamp mill but we took a few pictures and explored a little.
We traveled across the pavement that is the nearly abandoned road leading to Scotty’s Castle in Death Valley (currently closed), and onto a wide dirt track leading toward Gold Point, known as Hard Luck City Road. This road passes the old Hard Luck Mine that now has an unusual Airbnb property known as the Hard Luck Castle, which can be seen right along the route. After a look through the locked fencing at the castle, we traveled up to a scenic overlook on the shoulders of Hanging Mesa at an elevation of 7,058 ft. Here, you could take in the Nevada desert, stretching out almost endlessly.
From there, the road wound down past some old mining cabins and a few thousand Joshua trees and into Gold Point, the hot sun reflecting off weathered buildings as we pulled into the semi-ghost town right at lunchtime.
A Ghost Town Welcome
Waiting for us in his side by side was Mayor Walt, the caretaker and unofficial host of Gold Point. He had the grill ready and with some help from Brian and Kimmy, served us a round of hamburgers. Meanwhile the rest of us poked around the buildings and grounds and had a cold beverage in his “donations only” bar full of amazing and quirky desert treasures and signs.
For the next couple of hours, we had the run of the town. Mayor Walt unlocked several of the preserved buildings, giving us the chance to step back into the early 1900s when Gold Point was buzzing with miners chasing the next big strike. Walking through the old post office, the general store, and the cabins felt like flipping through the pages of Nevada’s mining history. We met his friends Stephanie and Fred, and they explained much of the history of the town and its buildings, giving us an impromptu walking tour.
Of course, the lineup of Broncos parked along the dusty main street added its own chapter to the story.
Continuing North: Goldfield & Tonopah
After reluctantly leaving Walt and Gold Point, it was an easy dirt road that traveled along the old Silve Peak-Railroad Springs Road into Goldfield, another mining town with crumbling ruins and historic character. Along the route we saw wild horses and burros, living remnants from the old mining days.
Here we decided to stop at the Sante Fe Club Saloon that has been in operation since 1905 where we met up with a character named Dick who wanted us to see his Bronco. We went outside and were amazed to find a Gen 1 half cab that he still uses to get to his claim. We posed for a few photos before heading on to Tonopah for the night.
We checked into the historic Mizpah Hotel, famous for its haunted reputation and classic Nevada charm and had a wild west costume night at the local Brewery. Bonnie and Steve won.
A few of us went ghost hunting at the Mizpah while others took in Tonopah’s incredible stargazing skies including a meteor shower. It was the perfect capstone to a day that blended Broncos, backroads, and history.
The Takeaway
This day reminded us why we love being Bronco owners and why off-roading is more fun with a larger group. It wasn’t just the miles in the dirt (though they were a key part). It was about traveling together, sharing a meal with Mayor Walt in the middle of a ghost town, meeting Dick and his Bronco in Goldfield, and making so many memories that connected the past with the present. Everyone agreed it was a great day.
Whether you make Gold Point a day trip from Las Vegas or expand it into a full overnight loop through Goldfield and Tonopah, it’s the kind of trip that belongs on every Bronco owner’s list. Oh, and give Walt a call if you’re stopping by, you can Google Gold Point and get his number. With easy dirt roads, scenic views, and a one-of-a-kind ghost town welcome, this is all Bronco territory, Sports included. If you’d like to do this trail run, reach out and I can send you the .gpx files.
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