On the menu, we found an All-American spread of burgers, BBQ, steaks, and sandwiches. Once lunch rolled around, we headed over to the saloon for some grub.
Unfortunately, we didn’t find a big enough haul to retire early. A gold historian taught us the correct way to pan for gold and everything we found we were able to keep. The tour guides are highly knowledgeable of the area and were happy to answer any questions about the town.Īfter exiting the mine, we stopped by Prospector’s Palace to do some gold panning of our own. We decided to go on the Goldfield Mine Tour which guides you through the mine’s history, while also getting a close look at the equipment used to extract over $4 million dollars in gold.
One way to escape the desert heat is to take a trip underground.
The train conductor’s dry sense of humor shines through as he shares stories about the mining town and some of the surrounding areas that are still finding gold. That’s just what you’ll be doing if you touch one.Īs we travelled around a mile and a half of track, we got a narrated look at Superstition Mountain, 500 year-old giant Saguaro Cactus, and a skyline view of the town. I highly recommend keeping your hands inside the train to avoid getting stuck by a cholla (“jumping cactus”). Riding in a passenger car pulled behind a Plymouth diesel engine, we took a 20-minute train ride across the desert landscape and around the town. Right next to the Goldfield entrance is the Superstition Railroad station. We were able to get our cinnamon rolls, which my wife and I both thought were comparable to the flavor of Krispy Kreme donuts. Luckily there was an ATM down at the Railroad station, so we quickly withdrew some cash and made our way back. My son immediately had his nose pressed against the glass display looking at a large, frosting covered cinnamon roll.Īfter placing our order, we realized they only accepted cash, which we didn’t have. The smell of fresh baked goods filled the air as we opened the front door. When we arrived at the town, we were ready for breakfast and made our way over to the Coffee Cantina & Bakery. My family and I have been a few times before but recently took a trip to visit and had a great time! What to Do in Goldfield Ghost Town, Arizona From train rides to gold mines, you can mosey around the town, learn all about its unique history, and experience some of the lifestyles of people who once lived there. If you look beyond the warm temperatures though, you will find an experience unlike any other in the US. Yes, that’s 60 degrees Fahrenheit at the peak of winter…It is Arizona after all. While it lives up to the well-known dry Arizona heat (with summer temperatures averaging above 100 degrees), it does cool down during the winter months to the 60s. Back in the 1890s Goldfield had a large community including saloons, boarding houses, a general store, blacksmith, school house, and church. Goldfield is your prototypical Wild West mining town. While that isn’t true of every area in Arizona, it is fairly accurate when describing a small area, about an hour east of Phoenix, called Goldfield Ghost Town. Their first thought is that it’s nothing but a hot, dry desert wasteland where it never rains. When I tell them I’m from Arizona, I tend to get a similar response from those who have never visited the state. After a brief discussion about their hometown, they usually ask the same question of me. You can also spend a few hours having a bite at the Mammoth Steakhouse and Saloon and some wild cocktails.When visiting other states in the US, I love asking people where they are from. The tour around the whole ghost, including the Mine, lasts about two hours. There’s also an old west gunfight performed by the famous Goldfield Gunfighters! The town includes a tour of the historic Mammoth Gold Mine, the Goldfield Museum, and a ride on Arizona’s only narrow-gauge train. Walk down Main Street and explore the many shops and historic buildings. Sadly, the mines closed, and after several attempts to reopen them, the town was finally vacated in 1926. Goldfield was a famous mining town in the 1890s and boasted three saloons, a boarding house, a general store, a blacksmith shop, a brewery, a meat market, and a schoolhouse. Just 45 minutes away from downtown Phoenix, you’ll find this old mining town, which has been completely refurbished as a tourist attraction and includes a mine tour, rides, food, drinks, and shops. Take a day off and invite your significant other, friends, or family to Goldfield Ghost Town.