Fall in Nevada brings perfect hiking weather. What better way to enjoy it than exploring ghost towns with your four-legged friend, right?
I’ve spent years trekking through Nevada’s historic abandoned settlements, and discovered many welcome canine explorers.
These dog-friendly ghost town trails offer a perfect mix of history, adventure, and outdoor fun for you and your pup this autumn season.
1. Rhyolite Ghost Town: Where Dogs And History Collide
This well-preserved ghost town welcomes leashed dogs to explore alongside their humans.
The famous Bottle House, constructed from thousands of beer bottles, always gets a curious sniff from my pup.
Autumn temperatures make this spot ideal for exploration, with the desert landscape taking on golden hues against the rugged mountains. Most structures remain partially intact, giving visitors a genuine glimpse into Nevada’s booming mining era.
Pack extra water for both of you – the desert environment stays dry even in fall.
2. Rhyolite Train Depot: Canine-Approved Historic Landmark
The imposing Las Vegas & Tonopah Railroad Depot’s Spanish-style architecture creates stunning silhouettes against autumn skies!
Furry friends must remain leashed while exploring this historical treasure. The museum portion houses artifacts from Rhyolite’s heyday, though pets aren’t permitted inside the building itself.
The surrounding area offers plenty of space for short walks between exploring the different structures.
3. Berlin Ghost Town: A Prehistoric Pup Adventure
A ghost town AND dinosaur fossils! You in?
Your leashed dog can join you wandering through preserved mining buildings while imagining life in the early 1900s.
The mill building fascinated my Retriever with its wooden frame still intact after a century. Autumn brings spectacular color contrasts between the weathered structures and Nevada’s clear blue skies.
While dogs can’t enter the fossil shelter building, they’re welcome throughout the ghost town portion. The 1.1-mile interpretive trail winds through town ruins and provides educational signs perfect for a leisurely afternoon stroll.
4. Nelson Ghost Town: Camera-Ready Canine Exploration
Photographers flock to Nelson, and I’ve found it’s perfectly fine bringing along furry models too!
This photogenic ghost town near Searchlight allows leashed dogs throughout the property, making it ideal for Instagram-worthy adventures with your pup.
Vintage gas pumps, classic cars, and weathered wooden structures create endless photo opportunities. The rustic aesthetic peaks in fall when the slanting sunlight creates dramatic shadows across the historic buildings.
Unlike some ghost towns, Nelson charges a small entrance fee ($10 when I visited).
5. St. Thomas Ghost Town: Underwater History Resurfaces
It’s a ghost town with a twist – and it was once submerged under Lake Mead!
Now exposed due to drought, this fascinating site within Lake Mead National Recreation Area makes for an unusual adventure with your four-legged friend.
While no explicit dog policy exists, I’ve brought my dog several times without issue. The foundation outlines and crumbling walls tell the story of a community forced to relocate when Hoover Dam created Lake Mead in the 1930s.
6. Pine Grove Ghost Town Trail: Aspen-Lined Mining History
Unlike many Nevada ghost towns, Pine Grove sits amid beautiful forests that explode with fall colors!
The 3-mile round trip trail winds through aspen groves that turn brilliant gold and orange in autumn. Stone foundations, mining equipment, and a small cemetery remain from this once-prosperous silver mining community.
Temperatures drop significantly here compared to desert ghost towns, so pack a light jacket. The higher elevation (7,000+ feet) means earlier fall colors, typically peaking in late September to early October.
7. Coaldale Ghost Town: Roadside Ruins For Roadtrippers
The abandoned gas station and motel create a haunting roadside tableau. Fall brings comfortable temperatures for exploring the site with your leashed companion, though no formal regulations exist regarding pets.
I always appreciate how my dog can sniff around without the extensive hiking some other ghost towns require.
The site’s openness makes it easy to monitor your dog while photographing the decaying structures.
Just watch for broken glass and rusty metal – hazards common to many abandoned locations.
8. Schellbourne (Fort Schellbourne): Military History Meets Canine Adventure
While no explicit pet rules exist, common courtesy suggests keeping dogs leashed at this historic military outpost and stage stop.
Fall transforms the surrounding landscape into a photographer’s dream with sagebrush taking on subtle golden hues. The remaining stone foundations outline where buildings once stood, requiring some imagination to envision the bustling outpost.
Schellbourne sits at higher elevation, meaning crisp autumn temperatures.
This remote location typically sees few visitors, giving you and your pup plenty of space to explore the grounds where soldiers and mail carriers once traversed the frontier.
9. Shafter Ghost Town: Silver Mining Secrets With Your Sidekick
Fall brings spectacular lighting conditions for photography here.
The weathered wooden buildings and stone foundations stand stark against Nevada’s brilliant blue autumn skies.
My favorite feature remains the partially intact mill building where silver ore was processed. The remote location means you’ll likely have the place to yourself, perfect for letting your dog explore (while leashed) without worrying about crowds.
Remember to bring water, as facilities don’t exist at this beautifully preserved slice of Nevada history.
10. Flanigan Ghost Town: Railroad Relics In Washoe Wilderness
Once a critical railroad junction, little remains besides foundations and scattered debris. The remote setting provides a genuine ghost town experience without restoration or tourism development.
Fall brings comfortable temperatures to this high desert location, ideal for exploration.
The surrounding landscape showcases Nevada’s rugged beauty with mountains framing the horizon.
While finding Flanigan requires effort (high-clearance vehicles recommended), the reward is an authentic abandoned town experience shared with your four-legged explorer.
11. Riepetown Ghost Town: Copper Mining Canine Expedition
Riepetown now consists mainly of foundations, tailings piles, and scattered artifacts. The higher elevation brings spectacular fall colors to surrounding vegetation, creating a photographer’s paradise.
We discovered the remnants of the old saloon were my pup’s favorite spot to investigate.
The town’s violent labor history adds an intriguing layer to exploration. Fall visits benefit from cooler temperatures, making it more comfortable to hike around the extensive site that once housed over 500 residents during its early 1900s heyday.
12. Jessup Ghost Town: Desert Dog Paradise
This lesser-known ghost town welcomes dogs to explore its scattered concrete foundations and mining remnants spread across the desert floor.
Unlike more structured ghost towns, Jessup offers a true desert adventure.
Fall temperatures make exploration comfortable compared to summer’s brutal heat. The ruins tell the story of a short-lived mining boom that fizzled by the 1920s.
What makes Jessup special for dog owners is the open space – perfect for energetic pups who need room to explore while remaining leashed.