The ghost town is very interesting and fun to walk through. We spent about an hour and half. Great history of mining and life during the gold rush era to after WWII. For $75 per person you also get the guided Castle Dome Mine tour. Took about 2 hours and was very informative about mining life underground. Miners extracted gold, silver, copper and lead for many years. This and other minerals show up fantastic under black light. Glad we drove 10 miles down the bumpy road off of highway 95. Mine tour are at 11:00, 1:00 and 3:00. Would recommend getting there after 10:00 and take the 11:00 tour. Closes at 5:00 so give yourself a good 4+ hours to have fun. read more

** A Hidden Gem in the Desert: Castle Dome Mining Museum & Ghost Town** We visited the **Castle Dome Mining Museum and Ghost Town** today during our tour of the Yuma area, and we were absolutely **blown away** by this **unexpected treasure** in the middle of the desert! From the moment we arrived, we were greeted by the **owner and founder, Allen Armstrong**--a true **Renaissance man** with a passion for history, sustainability, and preservation. As we paid our entrance fee, we had the pleasure of chatting with him about his **off-grid, energy-efficient lifestyle**. His **solar power farm** generates so much electricity that he effortlessly powers his home, museum, and even air conditioning--**all while living sustainably** in this remote location. His ingenuity alone was worth the visit! The **Ghost Town walking tour** was **nothing short of spectacular**. Before starting, we downloaded the **audio tour**, which provided fascinating background stories at various stops. The town features **over 20 buildings**--some original, some carefully reconstructed--each **meticulously filled with authentic period items**. The attention to detail was **breathtaking**: - The **blacksmith shop** was stocked with real tools and equipment. - The **dress shop** displayed elegant gowns, hats, and sewing supplies. - The **barbershop**, saloons, jail, and church all felt **frozen in time**. Even the **"junk piles"** behind buildings were **historically accurate**, filled with old bottles, cans, and mining debris--proof that every inch of this place was crafted with **love and precision**. We missed the **Castle Dome Marauders** (a lively reenactment group), but we'll **definitely plan our next visit around their schedule**. We also didn't take the **mine tour** this time, but hearing about the **fluorescent mineral walls** and gemstone-lined tunnels has us **eager to return**. A few notes for future visitors: - The road is **10 miles off the main highway** and **rough**, but **trust us--it's worth it!** - If you're lucky, you'll meet **Allen himself**--his passion is contagious. If not, the guides are **knowledgeable and engaging**. - Don't miss the **silver extraction exhibit**--a fascinating look at historic mining techniques! **Final Verdict:** **5/5 Stars!** This is a **must-see** attraction near Yuma--**authentic, immersive, and unforgettable**. Whether you love history, mining, or just unique adventures, **Castle Dome delivers**. We'll be back soon! **Highly, highly recommend!** read more

Castle Dome Museum - Mine sign - Museums Near Me - Yuma, Arizona

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The mine tour was really cool but it was certainly not worth $75. We were also really disappointed that our group of 10 did not get to explore the town after the tour, which was supposed to be included. The mine tour lasted nearly 2 hours (we expected 45 min based on some in our group who had gone before) and they wouldn't let us see the town at the end because they were closing. They said we could come back another day to see the town, but honestly this place is way off the beaten path and was only one stop on our road trip--i dont think most tourists are willing to come all the way back down that crazy bumpy road just for that. Overall, it was a really neat mine tour, the glowing rocks are cool, but not worth the cost, especially considering we didn't get to see the town at all. The best part was seeing the antique Levis. read more

Right up front, in November 2024, admission is $20 a head; HOWEVER, in terms of value for the dollar, the Castle Dome Museum is WORTH IT! Well, you DO have to drive ways from Yuma, and the ancient paved road DOES give way to gravel....BUT....the destination is WORTH THE TRIP. Kinda quirky; kinda corny; and....(there are no "buts")...a LOT to see. Walking through the entire museum can easily take two hours...maybe three. Then there's a "mine tour" visitors can take....and the docent is friendly and knowledgeable. And there's the natural Sonoran desert beauty.....fantastic! read more

Castle Dome Museum - Castle Dome Mine Museum, vicinity of Yuma, AZ. - Museums Near Me - Yuma, Arizona

Read Neg. reviews-Had to respond! One 'Claimed' they popped 2 (TWO!!) tires on the evil gravel road access, etc. Road's fine-it's a 15 MPH gravel road-SLOW down! Majestic mountains, Gigantic Basalt Dome & a 208' long Gov-mint Ballon along the way. Eyes should be WIDE OPEN. Enjoy this rugged, amazing landscape! Arriving at the Museum, there are Buildings depicting a period in time. There are SO many artifacts to behold & 90% + are Hands On! Old tools, mining equipment, a Huge Well Driller, beautiful/colorful antique glass & bottles, clothing, informative laminated signs along the way as one wanders this over TWO MILE tour. Special Bonus-YOU are your own tour guide taking as MUCH time as you wish or moving quickly through something which may not pique your interest-Perfect. There is SO much here it is impossible to address. In 2025, this cost a Whoppin' $20-much as a couple burgers and fries. We opted for a Mine Tour-an additional $55. Thank the Lord we did! Hopping into a Golf Cart like Vehicle, we were driven through a masterful desert scape filled with amazing, intricately crafted metal sculptures...dragons, aliens, miners, dinosaurs, bison, Predator-look-a-likes and most everything between! Nothing has been spared here. Sculpture arrangements of Jungle, Ocean, Jurassic, Plains and more. Finally approached the Mine in slack-jawed bliss and were greeted at the opening by 20' Tall Brass Miners. After ALL this (Absolutely indescribably delicious) we remembered we were 'here' to see an Old Silver Mine! The Chauffeur DROVE us into the Mine which is as safe as safe can be, well lit, full of varied antiques found within the Mine itself, complete with Stamped Concrete Flooring (By Owner!) with several Shafts as well. All the while, our Man Friday filled us with Truly interesting facts and period stories. Again, there is just SO much more to tell, yet we finally were given this unique Opportunity to Gaze upon Walls of Beauty & shimmering Colors of the Mine's minerals...ALL in this one Place!!! Words cannot describe. Then we drove through move Jaw-Dropping displays and arrived easily and completely fulfilled where we began. I could go on and on, and on and on...an On and ON! And ONLY $50 bucks! Not only did we tip graciously but Still felt guilty paying so LITTLE for ALL this! Could not fathom how ANYONE could spout one negative peep...Truly Grateful to Allen, his Wife and our Guide/Chauffeur, John & ALL Volunteers!!! Eric Simpson/Pam Campbell PS. There are plenty of Bathrooms-'Real' ones. Bring water and a snack. At times, they do serve food, but not always. And, like SO many other businesses around these parts, they only take Cash (remember that 'stuff' we used to pay with?)!!! read more

A hidden gem right down the road from our favorite spot on the river! Such friendly hosts, beautf scenery, the coolest ghost town takes you back in time...and then there's a real mine that you can go in. The extra money is SO worth it!! It was the coolest experience for my kids and I. read more

Took a friend who was visiting and we both really enjoyed the museum. We only did the self-guided tour ($20 per person) because the mine tour seemed a little too expensive ($75 per person), but the $75 does include the self guided portion as well so it's really not that ridiculous of a price we just didn't want to pay it that day. I liked that it was somewhat of an interactive experience as in things are set out for you to touch and look through, and the items they don't want you touching are clearly marked. Overall my friend and I had a good time and I will most likely be going back to do the mine tour at some point. read more

Castle Dome Museum - Caste Dome Museum Ghost Town - Museums Near Me - Yuma, Arizona

Castle Dome Mine Museum with mine tours. What a great historical place! We had a great time wandering the sites and exploring. They have it set up so very well and you actually get to walk in and see things, touch things and explore. They let you and want you to explore. Just not the mines . It's a great place and highly recommended. read more

Everything was great I loved the unpaved road really mean it Love the bed pans with petrified fecal matter I paid 1 buck for the bag I fritos and 2 for the Doritos I hit you up when I come back with the other buck If anyone has a negative complaint don't come back I love the plave read more

It's quite the drive out there, just take your time. It's interesting desert landscape. While it may not be 'authentic', it was fun to catch a glimpse of what living in a little mining town might have been like. Lots of little notes and anecdotes in the buildings - you really could spend hours here. Cost was $15 each cash or $17 if using cc. The mine tour was $75 cash but we didn't have time. We left after about an hour as big groups of people started arriving and none of them were wearing masks- mask wearing is not enforced (one docent had one on, another didn't and approached us a couple times to tell us a story while inside a building, so we were just uncomfortable as we are high risk at the moment. So we left and maybe will try again post Covid. Get there when they open if you need a quieter distanced experience. read more

Castle Dome Museum - Castle Dome mining town - Museums Near Me - Yuma, Arizona

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It was a great experience in western history. Some of the buildings are a bit rickety. Flooring is unstable in many. Not for elderly or disabled or wheelchair bound. Food is limited to a trailer that is open Friday through Sunday. Any other time bring your own. Use your smartphone to scan the app and take the tour. Only a few buildings are covered in the tour. The rest you need to just guess. The drive is a bit hairy. You drive on loose gravel for miles. Be prepared with good tires and high profile vehicles. Saw two flat tires while there. And AAA doesn't do unpaved roads. read more

Castle Dome Museum - Hotel - Museums Near Me - Yuma, Arizona

This should be 4.5 stars. To start with I see people are complaining about the road out it's really not bad it's a gravel road about 6 miles of it, the mining tour is a bit step at $75 bucks but this place is pretty extensive, so much to see,it took 3 hours to go through it all. we really enjoyed it, and they have a food truck the burger was pretty good I must admit. The mining tour was super informative, I believe we went 600 hundred feet down, they drive you down the shaft then we walk around as he explains, all level ground that's paved. read more

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A fun place to visit. But as others have warned- BEWARE of the 7 miles of treacherous rocky/gravel/dirt road you must traverse to get there. A JEEP would be recommended. We had our rental Nissan and we're so happy to have survived. This place would be so much easier to visit if they paved the road! That being said, I paid our $15 /pp admission and we walked around the whole ghost town. We spent about 1 1/2 hrs poking around every building. I loved how there was so much stuff left in each room. We got to see the ore crusher machine and the huge well driller plus the barber, cafe, shops and more. My favorite was the saloon. read more

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We went last year and really enjoyed it. However, for the mine tour it is very pricey. I wanted to take my son, his wife and children but that would have cost near $300. This is more than a family pass at Sea World in San Diego. Wish they had a family pass so more families could experience this adventure. read more

We love visiting ghost towns. This one isn't authentic but if you love antiques and period pieces it's worth the $15 per person fee. The owner has amassed a large antique collection some perfect some rusty but that's what gives it character. If you want a perfect ghost town experience then head to the ultimate - Bodie. read more

Castle Dome Museum - Old school since 1864 - Museums Near Me - Yuma, Arizona

Our group of seniors (nine) rode the desert on our UTV's from Quartzite to the Castle Dome Museum to have lunch and check out the museum and mine. Upon arriving we found the lunch truck was closed (open weekends) disappointed, we sat and ate some emergency snacks we carry. One in our group inquired about the cost of the museum and mine, they were told $75.00 (mine tour) and $20.00 for a self guided museum tour. We decided against paying nearly a hundred dollars each. We started to depart only to be stopped by a VERY RUDE man claiming to be the owner, he went on a rant about us not paying his exuberant prices. We told him we had stopped for lunch, but his food trailer was closed. He went on ranting and raving about us being disrespectful to his business and his land by NOT SPENDING MONEY. Some in our group tried to talk to him, but he only got louder and more mad, finally throwing us off the property and telling us we were never welcome there again. We were all flabbergasted that someone running a business would treat prospective customers so poorly. We are all senior citizens and would never be disrespectful to anyone or any business. I think this gentleman needs to rethink his business practices to be successful. None of us will ever return. read more

A little over a year ago, we decided to visit this place on our way home to San Diego. As many other reviewers stated, the road to get there is quite treacherous, and we wound up with a flat tire upon arrival (in all fairness our tires were worn and my husband was driving like a donkey's booty). Stuck in the middle of nowhere, I called The emergency road service for which I pay a premium. They were no help at all and still hadn't dispatched a tow truck by the time we left, which was about two hours later. Usually my spouse has the necessary tools to change a tire but he had taken everything out to fit our luggage for the trip that we were coming back from. Two male employees there did everything they could and went out of their way to help my husband change our flat tire. And, even though it was closing time once the tire was changed, the employees still allowed us to make our way through the town and even served as our personal tour guide. My family and I will be forever grateful to the employees that went out of their way to show kindness in a world that sometimes feels the opposite... read more

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What an adventure! From the long gravel drive to the ominous military signs.....to the old mining town! It was a great day!! read more

I would give it five stars however, I think it was a little spindly to go in. I did the walk around self-guided tour. It was really nice! I do want to say this is not ADA accessible for people that need a wheelchair and even a walker. But otherwise this is an amazing place to learn some history get outside walk around and see new things. read more

I am so glad we took the drive to visit this town. It was a beautiful drive into the desert and towards the mountains. The staff were very friendly and welcoming. We were there for a couple of hours looking at all the old items. Really fun and cool place. Highly recommend. read more

Awesome place, great for the kids to have hands on experience. Very nostalgic. So many things to see. There is ten miles of graded road once your off the pavement. Thanks to all the volunteers for their time and dedication. We will come back again. -Xavier read more

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The road going to the ghost town is absolutely awful it took us 20 mins to drive 6 miles. The road was so rocky we could only drive 12 mph. Once we arrived, the sign said come in we're open, but we could not find anyone around, even after we honked the horn. There were no other patrons either. Save your time and money and go somewhere else where the roads are not that bad and they are actually open for business. It literally looked like a bunch of old buildings and did not resemble a town at all. read more

Checked out this mining ghost town a week ago with some friends from Calgary, Alberta. My 4 wheel couldn't make it over the rough desert roads (shaking apart), so we went in theirs. Had a lot of fun. Place is kinda like the Bodie ghost town in Northern California, but only much smaller. It's like everyone just left in the 50s-60s and just left everyday items just where they were. Clothes, books, plates many personal items, cans of food, kids' schoolbooks with penmanship and drawings from 1918, boxes of Hercules Powder Co. dynamite (valuable!!)...They found a pair of the some of the oldest Levis known to exist in one mineshaft, circa 1880s (very, very valuable). As the last mine was open until the 70s, there is a ridiculous 70s exhibit out on another path, and which consists of a late 60s GTO convertible and old 911. Only bummer was, as I understand, at one time there was no admission fee, and now a nonprofit has gotten involved and charges a little too much to get in and walk around. High in the hills of the Sonoran Desert and very clear air. Really good redneck BBQ place called Dirty South on the road getting to it. If you have been to Bodie you will probably not care to go, or if not and you are bored on a Saturday, or any day, you may want to check it out. read more

We looked this place up on the Internet and found very little information we drove out of our way because it looked very interesting 10 miles of the road was nothing but washboard there was no parking if you didn't have a high clearance vehicle so as a handicap person I needed to park a mile and a half up the road and walk in only to find that there is a $25 fee for the tiniest of museums and a $75 fee per person if you want to go down into the mine I wasted my entire day I hope this review helps you avoid the same mistake read more

The 7 mile road of unpaved gravel hell was the first sign I should have stopped and turn around! After driving about an hour to see this place we couldn't even go in because nothing was handicap accessible! We even told the person on the phone that my husband was in a wheelchair. They should let people know it's not at all accessible. read more

Where to start, first I wish there was a Yelp review of this place before I attempted to visit this middle of nowhere site. Now I don't mind driving to see something new, what I do hate is driving on unpaved rocky roads just to find out that they will only take cash. The website I visited clearly said cash or check, but the lady in the gift shop was adamant on cash only. I just can't tell you enough of the kind of drive you have to make to get to this area just to be turned away, it was extremely frustrating!. Driving down the rock road you see other vehicles pull off to the side to check their vehicles, if you do decide to go make sure your tires are in good shape, and take cash because "they didn't have credit cards back in the mining days" pssh, I have visited many ghost towns that take credit cards or atleast offer an atm machine. Never again! read more

We always wanted to go to a ghost town during one of our two yearly trips across country, but we didn't really even know what exactly we were looking for. When you look up ghost towns there are so many that really don't have much to offer, they are just a deserted acre or two with a shabby hut here and there, not much of a sight. Then there are the main tourist traps like Tombstone, which we had visited a few years back. Tombstone is made up to look like an old West town and has gun slinging shows and entertainers and lots to eat, drink, and buy, like Disney World for John Wayne. I'd say Castle Dome Ghost Town is nicely placed somewhere in between the desolate and the Disney. We had stayed the night in Yuma, AZ and drove about an hour to get to this attraction. We hesitated at first reading some of the reviews about bad roads, and flat tires, but with a GMC pickup we found the drive easy and enjoyable. You'll be on a main road for most of the trip if coming from Yuma and the scenery is pleasant enough. Once you get close you will slow down to a halt on a dirty unpaved road for a few miles. We saw a motorcycle with two people on it and some other compact cars making the trip. I'd imagine it wouldn't be exactly pleasant on such small vehicles, but possible. Once we arrived to a the main wooden house, we were greeted by a very kind woman who explained the history of the town, which was actually functional through the 1980's. We had a service dog with us on our road trip (8 lb. Maltese) and they clearly stated no dogs, but since ours was a service dog, they had to let us in, but were not happy about it. I kept him in his carrying cage just so I didn't piss off the locals out here in the middle of nowhere, where you could disappear real fast. The site is interesting and a great place for photos, not exactly what I'd expect from a ghost town, but pretty cool. The staff we encountered were all very friendly except for one grouchy old man who kept bitching about "I don't know how you got that dog in here, what is that an over sized mouse?" Clever mountain man, very clever. I'm guessing there's no University in these parts. It's like making a scene about someone with a wooden leg. Small minds. Besides that one complaint, we had a fun time and the weather in November was perfect, mid 70s and there were only about 4 other people we saw as tourists. Some people say you could spend a whole day here, but I don't know exactly what the hell you'd do here for a whole day. We spent about an hour and saw all we wanted to see. It's definitely a once and done kind of thing, but we are glad we visited it and learned the history of the area. read more

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This place is cool! It is waaay off the beaten path. Like, 10 miles of gravel & rocks. Make sure your tires are in good shape. No joke, I had to buy a new tire. To be fair, it was on the verge of needing to be replaced anyway. I digress. Cash only. No ATM on premises, so stop somewhere in Yuma Foothills. Also, don't go to this place hungry. You might starve. They do have some snacks in the gift shop. If you don't do anything else.....Do the Mine Tour! Save your money. Do what you've got to do, but the fluorescent & phosphorescent mine is absolutely breathtaking. read more

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I have very mixed feelings on this place. Great place with alot of history. But I feel it's more of a "fake town". You can definitely tell the buildings have been recreated. There are even old travel trailers that have been refurbished to look like old west establishments. It's very hands on for the kids, which is awesome, but makes one wonder how much of this stuff is real. And for the $15 pricetag, is it really worth it?? read more

If you are a history junkie like myself, this is a definite must see!! While visiting in Yuma we found this listing and we were off on an adventure. The long dirt road (just travel at a slower speed) provides you just a little insight as to what traveling was like back in those times. I just can't imagine traveling it without the modern comforts that we take for granted daily. I'm not going to hide the fact that when we drove up, it did not look like much. When we entered, we were greeted by Bob and Debbie who provided us with so much information that it really reflects their passion for history. Once inside the ghost town, which is a collection of relics and theme based buildings, all thoughtfully placed together, it initially looked small... But pleasantly, we were surprised with how far the property continued. I do recommend several hours in order to really absorb this unique collection. We were also shocked to discover that there was an additional area that consisted of safely displayed mine shafts entrances and additional buildings as we were leaving. I really do wish there were more placed like this that explores our history. Cowboy hats off to Bob and Debbie for their gracious hospitality!!! read more

Castle Dome Museum - Sunset View - Museums Near Me - Yuma, Arizona

Fair warning! Gravel road leading to it is so bad we popped 2 tires and needed to get towed, never made it to check it out.

This place is expensive for what it is. $15.00 each. Like a ghost town but not. The constitution of the buildings is not period. Its easy to tell the construction is very recent with distressed lumber. Buildings are too small and close together. Interesting things in the buildings but the place is not authentic. read more

Long dirt road to get here about 30 min outside Yuma towards quartzite AZ. Totally worth the museum admission price as the outdoor museum with buildings to stroll through just keeps going and going with an overwhelming amount of history and artifacts wonderfully laid out. I didn't opt for extra $60 tour down into the mine to see the wall of phosphorescent rocks this trip but in the future will come back. read more

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We took a turn on the road with only a hope that they would be open during the summer. Door was open and the welcome sign was out so we wandered through this ghost town. About half way through our host met us and collected the $15 each fee. A brief history lesson and an uncontrollable urge to come back. read more

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Very excited to visit Castle Dome Museum as we are history buffs. The attraction advertises that the museum is open Oct 15th - April. There are supposed to be people dressed in period costumes and a reenactment of a Wild West gun shootout at the saloon. When we asked about the old mining town inhabitants and shootout, we were told that they were still getting the Museum cleaned up and ready for tourist season. None of these activities were in place yet. Admission $15/adults $7/children 6+. Make sure you call ahead to find out the activities being offered when you plan your visit. It's a long ride down a very rough dirt/rock road and we felt we paid too much for half the experience. 3 stars tops read more

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I liked it, it was fun and quite a bit of work went into making this place look as authentic as possible. Take a walk to the old town as well, it's fun. A few things before you venture out into the cacti wilderness: Bring WATER - you're in the middle of the desert, most likely during the morning or peak of the day (since the place closes at 5) so you will get dehydrated very easily, you will also be doing some walking around. There is water in one of the houses which is up for donation (sweet of them to do that) but just to be safe, bring your own or strap a camelbak on you. Bring cash - they're in the middle of nowhere, the chances their credit card machines work half the time are low. Bring closed toe shoes - there are A LOT of cacti and prickly bushes laying around and if you're not careful you can get hurt. Also, the terrain is pretty uneven so you can get a rolled ankle easily. Be aware of where you go and what you touch - most of these structures are old and wooden, a lot of spiders thrive in those environments, particularly the black widow or the brown recluse so if you see spider webs - be careful. Be prepared to drive about 8miles or so on an improved road which will get a bit bumpy at times. Just enjoy it for what it is. If you're not the outdoorsy type then maybe you should go visit Walmart instead.. :P read more

This place was a lot of fun! I love history and have rarely left NYC so this was pretty exciting for me! PROS - The musuem itself is larger than it may seem - Each individual building has tons of artifacts, recreation of historical elements, and information to read about what you are seeing. If you pay attention to the details, you can spend quite a bit of time here -Friendly staff, the day I went there was only one gentleman running the show. He gave us lots of information about the area and was pleasant to speak with -The energy resource is primarily solar powered. The bathroom and such are run on solar energy and some rooms and attractions light up when a motion sensor detects that you are there -There is a second mining area in addition to the main grounds CONS -Depending on when you go, it can be very hot. Not the musuems fault! I went in August and it was 115 degrees F. It was hard to focus or even walk :( -It really is a GHOST TOWN. As in when we arrived there was NO ONE THERE. And there are mannequins. Need I say more? I kept screaming and singing to convince myself that it would all be ok. It wasn't lol -I came in a pick up truck and you basically need to off road to get there. You should have seen the dust that gets kicked up at 30mph. If you have a questionable vehicle, skip it read more

Great collection of Arizona mining history. Fun to walk through and run by nice people. Pets not allowed in the museum ghost town but we could take our labs on the walking tour. Lots and lots of stories and artifacts. $10 per person entry fee is well worth the visit. Road in is hard packed gravel and an easy drive. read more

Castle Dome Museum - Ghost town museum - Museums Near Me - Yuma, Arizona

Well, highly disappointed, we went out there to see the phosphorescent wall that they highly tout as world class, that would be great to see if you could actually see it, you can't, keep in mind it's all over their website as viewable, it's in the Yuma city magazine as viewable and it's on their dang wall as viewable by the cash register, according to the gal at the door it's by reservation only and when they actually do start doing tours it's going to be $125.00 per person, yes you read that right, which is ludicrous. This place is a grouping of worn out, unkempt wood buildings that you have to do a self guided tour and read their crappy laminated signs to get through, then you can drive over to the other section of crap. This looks like a hoarders paradise with multi era junk everywhere. If you want to get a quality tour with actual information, go see the prison in Yuma or head to Virginia City NV, even Sacramento has a better tour. read more

This is one of the best ghost towns we have ever been to. Ten miles down a dirt road, pack a lunch, they will be saving food next year. 1 to 3 hours of you see it all read more

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