Vanderbilt Ghost Town Road

At the end of this short trail within the Mojave National Preserve are the remnants of the boom-to-bust mining town of Vanderbilt. Established in 1893 to support the several gold mines in the area, at its peak, this tent city had a population of 400 served by saloons, hotels, restaurants, a general store, a post office, and even a church. The only two-story building in town was a hotel/saloon owned by Virgil (brother of Wyatt Earp). The town was abandoned around 1900 as the mines paid out, leaving time, weather, and fires to erase much of its presence, and it is now protected by the Mojave National Preserve to tell the story of the region's mining history. Today, no standing structures remain, and the town consists of the remains of miners' huts, scattered relics, rusting equipment, and unprotected vertical mine shafts. Along the way, the trail passes several miners' huts with their carefully laid rock walls still standing. At the site of the town are two surviving wooden huts built into the side of the hills.

Several dispersed campsites with large flat areas and existing rock fire rings can be found at the end of the trail.

The trail is an out-and-back up a shallow incline, with the only obstacle being a short section of weather-worn depressions. An experienced driver using a two-wheel drive vehicle with good ground clearance would enjoy this trail, but Four Wheel Drive is recommended.