Thursday, March 2, 2023

Visiting Rhyolite, the most photographed ghost town in Nevada

For the second year in a row, I came to Las Vegas to speak in schools for Nevada Reading Week. 

But first I went ghost hunting.

I've been to Vegas numerous other times, and I've ventured to the desert before, once to drive an ATV (loved) and once to drive a dune buggy (hated). But this was the first time I drove myself out of the city—two hours into the breathtaking landscape to see Rhyolite, which some consider the best ghost town in Nevada. Adding to the eerieness, it's on the edge of Death Valley.

(The only other ghost town I've visited is a much smaller one in the woods in Maryland.)


Wild donkeys roam Beatty, a town close to Rhyolite.

One Rhyolite welcome sign.
The town thrived only from 1905 to 1910.

Another. (Eighteen grocery stores?)

the school

a shop



the jail

No rattlesnakes in February.


Just outside Rhyolite is the Goldwell Open Air Museum.
This sculpture fits perfectly with the ghost motif.



So many opportunities to safely take a selfie
on a straight road that stretches to the
vanishing point.



2 comments:

Unknown said...

My children and I love your books. Thirty minutes over Oregon was so enlightening. Next time you are in Las Vegas travel 2 hours north to see Zion and stop in St. George UT where we live. I could set up author meetings for schools and homeschool groups. Please write more picture books. How about one about Romainan revolution in 1989? Caeusescu was terrible!

Marc Tyler Nobleman said...

Thanks! I'd love to speak in your community. Please email me at mtnobleman@gmail.com.