Goldfield, AZ – A Living Ghost Town

Earlier this month I learned two lessons in blogging: 1. Don’t work on a blog post from your smart phone if your data is low, and 2. Pay attention to what you’re doing.

While we were vacationing in our “new to us” RV this past month, I had the idea that I would start working on a future blog about our RV experiences. I didn’t have my laptop with me so I used my iPhone app for WordPress. All of my previous posts have been from my pc, so I can do photo editing as I go. My intent was to see how it worked blogging from my phone, to save a draft and not to post. 

Best laid plans, as the old saying goes … My first faux pas was that I ran out of data part-way into my journal. I’ve never had a data issue before, so didn’t think to top up my data for a vacation that would take us to several spots that had no wifi. I had been using my phone willy-nilly as a hot spot and had no idea how fast this uses up data! While having my moment of panic about my data usage, I must have inadvertently hit publish instead of save draft. My apologies to any of you that saw this post and figured I must have either died mid-post or had completely gone off my nut. 

Enough of that … I want to finish off Arizona and Nevada before moving on to our next phase of road travel (aka – RV-ing).

Our last stop in Arizona was Goldfield. This historical and fun  attraction claims to be the only true ghost town in the Valley of the Sun at the base of the Superstition Mountains. Goldfield is located just 4 miles north east of the town of Apache Junction and 35 miles south east of Phoenix. 

We visited Goldfield on the same day we did the Dolly Steamboat and Tortilla Flats (both covered in previous blog posts). We did the steamboat tour early in the morning, and then worked our way back to Phoenix, stopping in Tortilla Flats for lunch, and then Goldfield as our last stop. This makes for a very full day, so I wouldn’t recommend doing all of it on one day with small children or elderly adults. We were four healthy, middle-aged adults, so the pace worked well for us. 

At it’s peak during the gold rush (with 50 gold mines in the surrounding area) Goldfield was home to some 4,000 residents. After the gold vein expired, the population dwindled until the town was vacant. Entrepreneurs have revived the site to a vibrant tourist attraction rich in Arizona history. Some have referred to Goldfield as a tourist trap. I believe that if one pays attention to the authentic decor, the buildings, and the history, it’s a far more valuable stop than just a tourist trap.

The Bordello is a great place to shop because of the vast amount of historical decor found inside 

At the livery, in addition to the many artifacts from days gone by, horseback riding and carriage rides are available

The plank sidewalks and actual buildings (not fake fronts) take you back to the days of the wild west. We stopped in a gift shop that was open with no proprietor or clerk in sight. There was a sign at the door saying if you purchased anything, please just leave your money in the box by the door. I’m sure this happened often back in the gold rush days, but it was certainly a surprise in today’s day and age!

Maybe the rules for jail had something back then …

The giant saguaro cactus are abundant in the streets.

The church is situated a few short steps from the Bordello – intentional? 

The Superstition Mountains are a stunning backdrop.

Period tools and carts on the streets add to the old west atmosphere

The only narrow gauge train in Arizona provides a fun and educational  ride for all 

Goldfield can be whatever you want it to be. It’s a great place to take kids, there are plenty of establishments to eat, drink, and shop. There are underground mine tours, gold panning opportunities, gunfights, and a museum. 

For me, it was an enjoyable and informative step back in time.

“Every settlement with two shacks and a saloon gave itself a name: Helltown, Fair Play, Grizzly Flats, Piety Hill, Whiskey Flat, You Bet, Nary Red, Lousy Ravine, Petticoat Slide.”
― Donald Dale Jackson, Gold Dust