Entry No. 48 — the Las Vegas file — filed under: history

Southern Nevada Mine

Located just off Highway 95 north of Searchlight, this historic gold and silver mine was established in the early 1900s with the sinking of the Spokane Shaft. Development ceased when miners hit water at 200 feet, prompting them to divert the water to supply a nearby ten-stamp mill. Today, visitors can spot the weathered remains of the mill house, a wooden headframe, and rusted machinery scattered across the desert landscape.

The move: Pull off Highway 95 just north of Searchlight to safely photograph the historic wooden headframe, mill house ruins, and rusted gears against the desert backdrop, then head into town to visit the Searchlight Museum.

📍 Before you go The mine is located on private property and features dangerous, unstable structures and open shafts, making it safe and legal to view only from the roadside of Highway 95.

• 📍 Searchlight
• 💸 Free
• ⚡ Low-key
• 🌗 Outdoors

Where: Searchlight, NV 89046, USA

Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current access before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Further reading: vegasunderworld.com · westernmininghistory.com

last checked: 2026-07-20