Photographing the Rhyolite Ghost Town

Just over two hours from Las Vegas lies the ghost town of Rhyolite, NV. In the early 1900’s, it was a booming mining town, boasting three banks, a stock exchange, a school for 250 students, 50 saloons, 19 lodging houses, 16 restaurants, 2 electric plants and even its own railroad. Like other mining towns, as the gold ran out, its population of nearly 5,000 headed to greener pastures. In 1916, the town was ultimately abandoned and only 14 residents remained by 1920. Many of the structures were either relocated or deconstructed for their building materials. Those remaining today are only ghosts of their former glory.

My trips to Death Valley usually involve an early morning departure from Las Vegas to time my arrival in Rhyolite before the sun rises. I’ll photograph until the sun becomes too harsh, then take a casual drive to Furnace Creek for breakfast and the hotel check-in. The sun rises quickly over the eastern mountains, so timing the arrival for right moment is critical to getting a few good shots. Once the sun is a few inches over the horizon, I find it’s time to move on.

The vast surroundings at Rhyolite favor a wide-angle lens and I typically will shoot with a 15mm or 18mm. I don’t favor a tripod in this situation since the light changes quickly from minute-to-minute and I like to work quickly. I’ll use a monopod sometimes, which also allows for some different compositional choices when extended with the camera held high. I often frame the buildings against the rising sun, so capturing detail from the shadows to the highlights is often challenging. In these situations, I’ll use a 3-shot exposure burst of -1/0/+1, then do an HDR merge in Adobe Lightroom later on.

Over the last 100 years, the remaining structures have been in a steady state of decay, and most are now fenced-off to protect the public – and curious photographers! Unfortunately, this limits the compositional choices and adds some unwanted subjects in the foreground. Unfortunately, I was not happy with the photos I made during my last visit and I’m not sure I would ever return – unless it was to photograph at dusk. If you’ve never visited Rhyolite and traveling to Death Valley via Las Vegas, it’s worth the longer detour. A fourth or fifth visit? Ehh, not so much.

Learn more about the town of Rhyolite here. 

Getting There

Unless traveling from southern California, most people use Las Vegas as a starting point. There are numerous flight options plus, hotels & rental cars are plentiful. It’s about a two-hour drive to Rhyolite taking Route 95 to the town of Beatty, then making a left turn to the west and the short trip to the ghost town. Depending on the time of the year, first light begins about 60 minutes before sunrise. If you arrive in this time slot, you’ll be rewarded by a light which is soft, shadowless, and a pleasing bluish color. Sunrise over the low mountains can be fast and the light changes quickly to the typical harsh and contrasty desert sun. I plan by arrival time using information at www.thetimeandplace.info (though any weather app will also have this info) which for me has meant departing Las Vegas between 3:30 and 4:00 AM. 

Other Tidbits

There are still residents in the town, so be respectful of their property and privacy. For your safety and to preserve the ghost town for future generations, take note of the posted signs around each of the buildings. 

The Goldwell Open Air Museum is located on the Rhyolite access road off Route 174. It’s noted for its large outdoor sculptures, including a mosaic tile sofa and interpretation of the Last Supper – definitely worth a stop as you head out of town. Learn more here.