Midas Ghost Town ~ Nevada

Flickr album link: Midas Ghost Town

Midas is located about 45 miles north of I-80 in north central Nevada. The access road can be found a few miles east of Winnemucca and the conditions are smooth enough for an average vehicle. There are several dirt trails in this area that go to picturesque places in sagebrush country, so Midas is often heralded as being an organized 4x4 excursion destination. The old historic saloon is where the trail riders traditionally gather and this old wild west establishment certainly does roll out the welcome mat for visitors from around the globe. Midas ghost town has been a key fixture of northern Nevada tourism for many decades and the small town charm is the main attraction.

Midas was founded as a small mining camp in the late 1800s with the discovery of gold in the surrounding hills. Several lode deposits were claimed, but ore processing was slow to develop due to a shortage of mining equipment. The high grade ore had to be shipped out and when depleted, the economic development slowed to a crawl in the early 1900s. Modernized equipment made mining the lower grade ore a feasible proposition in the 1920s and the town Midas soon had a rebirth that lasted through the 1940s. Ranchers, prospectors and entrepreneurs still call Midas home in the modern age, but this tiny community never had a population count much over 50 throughout its entire history.

Midas certainly is a tiny speck on the map and it is a fine example of a living ghost town. There are several old original buildings still standing and antique mining artifacts can be seen throughout this community, so it is well worth taking the time to have a look. This town is so small that it only takes about five minutes to do the complete tour, but for those who yearn to discover more, this is where the old historic saloon fits into the picture. Plenty of word of mouth historical accounts can be gathered at this old watering hole, so be sure to check it out when doing a grand tour of Midas Ghost Town!