Goldfield, NV

Goldfield is a small high-desert community along U.S. 95 that serves as the county seat of Esmeralda County, Nevada. Home to around 200 residents, the town has deep roots and a unique frontier character. During the early 1900s, Goldfield was a thriving mining powerhouse and briefly the largest city in the state. A major fire in 1923 wiped out dozens of downtown blocks, but several grand stone landmarks survived, including the 1908 high school building and the famous Goldfield Hotel.

ATTRFloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore / CC BY-SA 3.0

Today, Goldfield is a peaceful desert outpost with a strong sense of community. You can take a self-guided walking tour of old mine claim sites, stop into the historic Santa Fe Saloon, or explore quirky local landmarks like the International Car Forest of the Last Church. Every August, the town comes alive for Goldfield Days, an annual weekend festival featuring parades, land auctions, and street vendors that bring locals and visitors together.

ATTRUnknown author Unknown author / Public domain

Because Goldfield is quite remote, day-to-day services are split between town and the surrounding region. Esmeralda County operates local government offices here, and the Goldfield School teaches children from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. Older students commute roughly 27 miles north to Tonopah for high school, which is also where residents head for larger grocery trips and medical appointments. It is a quiet, independent place with big desert skies and rich mining history.