Ghost Towns, Mines, and More!



I’ve been exploring old ghost towns, mines, mining camps, and other abandoned places for over 30 years. Now that I have my own website I’m trying to get as many of them documented as possible. These fascinating, historic sites are rapidly decaying; many have fallen prey to vandals or fire.


Every year I visit new sites and revisit old ones, so I’m always adding new photos to these pages. I also have tons of old prints and slides from past trips which I’m trying to scan and post as time allows.


It’s my hope that my photos will be useful as reference to ghost town buffs; and to those who enjoy building scale models of old buildings and mining structures, for model railroads or other purposes. In many cases, higher resolution versions are available on request.


Email me at raydunakin@aol.com if you have any questions about these sites, new information to provide, or to report broken links. Some images are also available for sale as 8x10 prints.






Now with VIDEO!


In 2017 I started shooting video of the sites I visit, whenever possible. The pages for each site will have a link to the video for that site.

You can also see all the videos from my recent trips in chronological order, with these playlists:



2020 Nevada & Mojave Trip - Video Playlist


2019 Nevada & Mojave Trip - Video Playlist


2018 Nevada & Mojave Trip - Video Playlist


2017 Nevada & Mojave Trip - Video Playlist




NOTE:  I had to cancel my 2021 Nevada & Mojave trip due to my wife’s failing health.



 
 

IMPORTANT INFO ABOUT EXPLORING OLD SITES!


Disclaimer: I am not responsible for you or your actions. I make no claims as to the safety, accessibility or legality of visiting any of these sites, mines or structures.


Access: Be aware that access to any of these sites may be restricted, and that the status of any site may change. What was accessible one year may be off-limits the next.  In some cases I have received special access to property that is otherwise restricted. Please respect private property and “no trespassing” signs.


Danger: Old or abandoned mines and buildings can be dangerous. Hazards run the gamut from minor issues such as stepping on rusted nails, to serious injuries and even death due to snake bites, collapsing structures, and unmarked, open mine shafts. Entering mines should be done only by those with the proper training and equipment.


Most of these sites are very remote and far beyond cellphone range. If you get into trouble, it will take a very long time to get help, at best. At worst, no one will even know you need help.


Vandalism: These historic sites are a part of our national heritage and should be treasured, not destroyed! One of the biggest threats to old sites is vandalism, including graffiti, littering, destruction of structures, and fire. Many sites have been lost forever as a result. Others have been fenced off or otherwise placed off-limits due to the thoughtless acts of stupid, selfish people.


One common problem even among people who wouldn’t normally commit other forms of vandalism, is the burning of wood from old buildings. If you really want a campfire, collect some deadwood, or bring your own.


Behave Responsibly: Don’t go to these places to get drunk or stoned or carry on in a reckless manner. There’s plenty of open desert for that. Illicit or obnoxious behavior can lead to damage of these sites, or unwanted government intrusion and restrictions. I’ve seen some sites which have been bulldozed by the BLM due to being trashed by drunken idiots or used for meth labs, etc.


Extremists: The Sierra Club and other environmental extremists, including many politicians and bureaucrats, are the Number One threat to the exploration and enjoyment of the desert and its historic sites. Whereas vandals can only damage or destroy specific features, the Sierra Club and their cronies in government can close off vast areas forever, effectively wiping them out of existence. They will not be satisfied until every last inch of land is locked up. DO NOT SUPPORT THESE GROUPS OR THEIR POLITICIANS!!!








Also of interest:


Vintage Machinery and Vehicles

Photos of interesting old machinery, vehicles and other equipment found at ghost towns, mines, or elsewhere. Great reference material for modelers!



Tonopah Central Nevada Museum

Photos of authentic Old West buildings, including interiors; mining equipment; machinery; and other historic artifacts. A treasure trove of reference photos for modelers!


Tonopah Historical Mining Park 

Photos of original, well-preserved mines. Includes both wood and steel headframes, plus complete hoisting machinery and other interior details A treasure trove of reference photos for modelers!




Nevada Trip 2018  

    Part One    Part Two    Part Three    Part Four  

        Part Five  


Nevada Trip 2017  

    Part One    Part Two    Part Three    Part Four  

        Part Five  


Nevada Trip 2016  

    Part One    Part Two    Part Three    Part Four  

        Part Five  


Nevada Trip 2015  

    Part One    Part Two    Part Three    Part Four  

        Part Five    Part Six


Nevada Trip 2014  

    Part One    Part Two    Part Three    Part Four  

        Part Five    Part Six


Nevada Trip 2013  

    Part One    Part Two    Part Three    Part Four  

         Part Five    Part Six



Nevada Trip 2012  

    Part One   Part Two   Part Three   Part Four   Part Five


Nevada Trip 2011  

        Part One   Part Two   Part Three   Part Four   


Nevada Trip 2010  

        Part One   Part Two   Part Three   Part Four   


Nevada Trip 2009

    Part One   Part Two   Part Three   Part Four


Nevada Trip 2008







Native Artifacts 

Photos of petroglyphs and other Indian artifacts that I’ve encountered on my trips.


Lightning Photos 

Beautiful photos of desert thunderstorms, rainbows, and other weather phenomenon.



Desert Wildflowers 

The desert is a colorful place in the spring!


Desert Wildlife 

A few of the critters I’ve encountered.




Note to modelers:

Many of the structures I’ve photographed would make great additions to your model railroad. It is my hope that these photos can be a useful reference resource.


If you need larger, higher resolution images, just let me know. Also, in many cases I have additional detail photos and alternate viewing angles that have not been posted online.


 

Modeler’s Resource Page

A special collection of photos with modelers and artists in mind, categorized by subject. Includes Doors, Windows, Roofs and Roof Details, Weathered Wood, Weathered Metal, Steel Drums, Sidewalks and Concrete, and many more subjects!





Unusual Sites

These are places of interest that are hard to categorize. They aren’t ghost towns or mines, but they may have some historical significance. Or they may simply be strange.


Project Faultless Site, NV 






Return to Photography and Graphics page

 

AB Mine, NV

Aguereberry Camp, CA

Alhambra Mine, CA

Amboy, CA

Ames Camp, NV

Aragonite Mine, NV  -- New!

Atolia, CA 

Austin, NV 

Baker, NV 

Ballarat, CA

Bar Double 9 Ranch, NV 

Barcelona, NV

Barker Ranch, CA 

Beacon Hill Mine, NV

Beatty, NV

Bellehelen, NV including 

    Bellehelen townsite

    Merger Mine

    Ben Hur Mine

Belmont, NV

Belmont Mill - Hamilton District, NV 

Belmont Mine- Hamilton District, NV 

Belleville, NV 

Belleville Mine, NV 

Ben Hur Mine, NV 

Berlin, NV

Black Butte Mine, NV

Black Eagle Mine, CA

Black Forest Mine, NV  -- New!

Black Hawk Mine, NV

Black Prince Mine, NV 

Blair, NV  -- Updated Feb. 2021

Blue Sphinx Mine, NV 

Bonnie Claire, NV

Bowery Mines, NV

Boyer Ranch, NV

Boxcar Cabin, CA  -- New!

Brannigan Mine, CA

Bridgeport, CA 

Brigg’s Camp, CA

Bristol Wells, NV

Broken Hills, NV

Bronze Mine, CA  -- New!

Buckhorn Mine/Boxcar Cabin, CA

Buffalo Summit, NV 

Butte Valley, CA

Caliente, NV

Callaway Well, NV

Camp Harding, NV -- New!

Carlin, NV

Carrara, NV

Caselton Heights, NV 

Castle Mine, CA 

Cerro Gordo, CA

Chalk Mountain Mines, NV

Chemung Mine, CA 

Cherry Creek, NV 

Cima, CA 

Cimarron Mine, NV 

Cinder Mines, CA 

Clair Camp, CA

Clear Creek Ranch, NV 

Clifford, NV

Cloverdale, NV

“Cole Slaw” Mine, NV  -- New!

Columbia Mine, CA

Columbus Dry Lake Region, NV  including:

    Borax Works 

    Broken Toe Mine

Comet Mine, NV 

Corona Mine, CA

Cortez, NV -- New!

Cottonwood Creek, NV 

Cow Camp Springs, NV 

Coyote Hole, NV

Crater Sulfur Mine, CA

Croesus Mine, NV 

Current Creek, NV

Danby, CA

Danville, NV 

Darwin, CA 

Daugherty Ranch, NV

Death Valley Junction, CA

Death Valley Mine, CA

Delamar, NV

Diamond Camp, NV

Diamond Tunnel, NV

Drew Mine, NV -- New!

Dublin City, CA

Eagle Mine and High Peak Mine, CA 

Eden Creek Mill, NV -- Lower Canyon

Eden Creek Mill, NV -- Upper Canyon 

Eden Creek Ranch, NV 

Ellsworth, NV

Ely, NV

Ely Valley Mine, NV

El Capitan Mine, NV 

Estelle Tunnel, CA 

Eureka, NV  (See also “Ruby HIll, NV”)

Evening Star Mine, CA

Evening Star Mine, NV 

Eureka Tunnel, NV

Everett Mines, NV

    (Related: Keystone Drilling Rig)

Excelsior Mine, NV

Exchequer Canyon, NV 

Fad Shaft, NV

Fish Lake Valley, NV

Four Aces Canyon Mines, NV

Four Aces Mine and Mill, NV

Gilbert, NV

Gillis Camp, NV 

Gold Bug Mine, NV 

Gold Ace Mine, NV 

Golden Arrow, NV 

Golden Eagle Mine, NV 

Golden Pen Mine, NV  -

Golden Pen Mine, NV - Mill 

Goldfield, NV

    Goldfield, NV - Mines

    (Related: Goldfield Railroad Artifacts)

Goldome Mill, CA -- New!

Gold Point, NV

    Gold Point, NV - Mines

Goler Canyon, CA - Mines and Cabin

Grantsville, NV

Gray Eagle Mine, CA

Green’s Camp, NV 

Gunmetal Mine, NV

Hamilton, NV

Hamilton District - Belmont Mill, NV 

Hamilton District - Belmont Mine, NV 

Hess Ranch, NV

High Peak Mine, CA (also Eagle Mine)

Hill Top Mine, NV

Home Station Well, NV

Hot Creek Canyon, NV

Ida May Mine, NV 

Illinois Mill, NV  

Illinois Mine, NV 

Indian Cove, NV 

Ione, NV

Jackrabbit Mine, NV

Jasper Queen Mine, CA

Jefferson, NV 

Johannesburg, CA

Johnson Boys Mine, NV

Julian, CA 

Kearsarge, CA

Keeler, CA 

Keg Mine, NV  -- New!

Kelso, CA

Keystone Canyon, NV

Keystone, NV 

Killie Mine aka Latham Mine, NV

Knickerbocker, NV 

Lambertucci Roma Ranch, NV  -- New Video!

Lane City, NV 

Last Chance Mine, CA

Latham Mine, NV  -- New!

Laws, CA

Lead Mine, CA

“Lincoln” Mine, NV 

Little Fish Lake Valley, NV 

Locan Shaft (aka Locan Mine), NV  -- New!

Log Cabin Mine, CA 

Log Spring, NV 

Lone Mountain Mine, NV -- New!

Lookout City, CA

Lookout Mine, NV

Loretto, CA 

    (Includes Nikolaus-Eureka Mine)

Loretto, CA 

Lost Steers Mine, NV  -- New!

Lower Tule Canyon, NV 

Lucky Star Mine, NV 

Ludlow Mine, CA 

Luning, NV 

Manhattan, NV 

Marble Canyon Mines, CA 

Marietta, NV 

Marietta Mines, NV 

Mary Ellen Mine, NV 

Masonic, CA 

Mazourka Canyon, CA

McCoy Mine - Wild Horse Dist, NV

McEllen Canyon, NV 

McGill, NV

McKinney Tanks, NV

Mendha Mine, NV 

Merger Mine, NV 

Middlegate Station, NV 

Mina, NV

Mina Mine, NV  -- New!

Minerva, NV

Minnietta, CA

Mohawk Mine, NV 

Moho, NV 

Moho Mine, NV 

Monkeywrench Mine, NV

Mono Dome Cabin, CA 

Morning Star Mine Ore Bin and Tram, CA 

Nevada Cinnabar Mine, NV

Nevada Quicksilver Mine, NV

Nevada Rand Mine, NV

Nevada Scheelite Mine, NV

Newark, NV

New Boston, NV

New Century Mine, NV 

Newman’s Cabin, CA

New Method Mine, CA (aka Windy Point Mine) 

New Pass Mine and Mill, NV

New Reveille, NV 

Nikolaus-Eureka Mine, CA 

Ninemile Ranch, NV 

Nivloc Mine, NV

Noonday Mines, CA - East 

Noonday Mines, CA - West 

North Star Mines, NV 

“Nugget” Mine, CA  -- New!

Oasis, CA

Old Dale Mill, CA 

Olsen’s Folly, NV  

Ophir, NV 

Ohpir Cabins, NV 

Orizaba, NV  -- New!

Osborne Camp, CA 

Osceola, NV

Osdick Road Mines, CA 

Owens Valley, CA

Palisade, NV

Palmetto, NV 

Park Canyon, NV

Paymaster Mine, CA

Pershing Mine, NV

Petersons Mill, NV 

Pigeon Springs, NV 

Pine Tree Mine, NV 

Pine Valley, NV

Pioche, NV

    Pioche Mines, NV 

Pioneer, NV

Placerites, NV

Poinsettia Mine, NV

Potomac, NV 

Prospect Mountain Mine and Mill, NV 

Randsburg, CA

Rawhide Ranch, NV  

Red Mountain, CA

Red Rock Mine, NV 

Reese River Ranches, NV

    “White” Ranch, NV

    O’Toole Ranch, NV

    “Adobe” Dyer/Walsh Ranch, NV

    Hess/Walsh Ranch, NV

Reveille Mill, NV 

Reveille Range, NV 

Reward Mine, CA 

Reward Mine, NV 

Rhyolite, NV

Richmond Shaft (aka Richmond Mine), NV  -- New!

Riley’s Camp, CA

Roosevelt Well, NV 

Round Meadow, NV

Ruby HIll, NV

    Ruby Hill - Fad Shaft, NV

    Ruby Hill - Locan Shaft, NV

    Ruby Hill - Richmond Shaft, NV

Saint George Mine, CA  -- New!

Saint Lawrence Mine, NV

Saline Valley Tram Towers, CA 

San Antonio Mine, NV 

Sawmill Canyon, NV

Scossa, NV

Shadow Mountain, CA

Shermantown, NV 

Shoshone, CA

Sierra Mines, NV

Silver Bell Mine, NV

Silver Gulch Mine, NV

Silver Peak, NV

Silver Peak Range, NV

Simon, NV

Spinelli Mine, CA

St. George Mine, CA  -- New!

St. Lawrence Mine, NV

Star Mine, NV (Cherry Creek District) 

Stateline, NV 

Stella’s Camp, CA

Success Mine, CA 

Sunset Mine, CA 

Suitcase Mine, CA

Swansea, CA

Sweed Mine, CA

Sylvania Mine, NV

Sylvania, NV

Taylor Mine, NV

Tonopah, NV 

    Tonopah Army Air Field, NV

    Tonopah Cemetery, NV

    Tonopah Central Nevada Museum

    Tonopah Historical Mining Park

Treasure City, NV

Tule Corral, NV 

Turquoise Bonanza Mine, NV

Tunnel Camp, NV

Tybo, NV

Vanderbilt Mine, NV 

Viking Mine, CA  

Vindicator Mine, NV

Volcano Mountain, NV

Ward, NV

War Eagle Mine, CA

Warm Springs, NV

    Warm Springs Mine, NV

Warner Corral, NV 

Westgate Mill, NV

West Dolomite Mine, CA  

West Lodi Mine, NV  

White Wolf Mine, NV

Wide Awake Mine, NV

Williams Hill Mine, NV 

Willow Creek Ranch, NV

Willow Spring, CA 

Windy Point Mine, CA (aka New Method Mine) 



Many more to come!