Gold Butte

Tucked into Clark County, Nevada, Gold Butte is a ghost town that shares its name with a nearby mountain peak rising to 5,013 feet — about 1,280 feet above the townsite itself. Both the former settlement and the peak now fall under the protection of Gold Butte National Monument, overseen by the Bureau of Land Management. The peak sits within the Virgin Mountains, and the name is thought to trace back to the Gold Butte Mining District that once gave the area its identity.

Visitors today will find a remote desert setting with the quiet atmosphere typical of an abandoned community. The monument designation means the land is federally managed and preserved, making it a worthwhile stop for those drawn to history, solitude, and stark Mojave landscape. Access roads in this part of Clark County tend to be rough and best suited to high-clearance vehicles, and the desert heat makes cooler months the practical window for exploration.