The Desert Bar

5/5 (1 reviews)
Leave it to Arizona to have what could easily be the coolest desert destination in the U.S. The Desert Bar, aka "Nellie E Saloon," is just what it sounds like, a bar in the middle of the desert. But this isn't any old bar. In 1975, Ken, a self-described hippy and societal dropout, bought an old m...Read More
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Highlights of The Desert Bar

Desert Category IconDesert
Ghost Town Category IconGhost Town
Iconic Category IconIconic
Mine Category IconMine
Overland Category IconOverland
Rock Category IconRock
Sand Category IconSand
Wash Category IconWash
Water Category IconWater
Highest Elevation
904 ft
Shape of Trail
Out & Back
Typically Open
Year Round
Best Direction
North
Official Trail Name
Cienega Springs Road
Nearest Town
Parker
Nearest Services
Parker
Management Agency
Bureau of Land Management
District
Lake Havasu Field Office

Overview

Leave it to Arizona to have what could easily be the coolest desert destination in the U.S. The Desert Bar, aka "Nellie E Saloon," is just what it sounds like, a bar in the middle of the desert. But this isn't any old bar.

In 1975, Ken, a self-described hippy and societal dropout, bought an old mining claim with a few dilapidated buildings. He soon noticed numerous ATVs and Jeeps driving past on weekends. Acquiring a liquor license from a defunct local establishment, Ken began selling beer from a small three-walled trailside shack out of a cooler. Being an industrious hippy, Ken began building outlandish structures on the old mine claim, including a church. Solar power and batteries replaced the ice cooler, and the rest, as they say, is history. Today the mining claim looks a lot like Thunderdome from the Mad Max movies and draws huge weekend crowds. There's usually a band, food, and various libations. And it is still completely off-grid.

The surrounding desert boasts great wheeling and rock crawling. And then there's this totally crazy place to kick back and enjoy. Who offroader could ask for more?

Trail Difficulty and Assessment

Trail Guide Overview
14 Waypoints
44 Trail Photos
1 Trail Concerns
1 Community Reviews
1 Video
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