Beatty Chamber of Commerce-Gateway to Death Valley

10/02/2026

By 1914, Rhyolite’s banks had been closed for years.

The Montgomery-Shoshone Mine had been shut down since 1911.

The post office was gone.

And in July, the last train pulled out of Rhyolite.

But the lights were still on.

They would stay on until 1916.

That is the part of ghost-town history that sometimes gets lost. Rhyolite didn’t wake up one morning empty. Even after the mines closed, the businesses disappeared and the trains stopped coming, there were still people there trying to make a living and calling it home.

Towns do not empty all at once.

They empty around the people who are still in them.

10/01/2026

10/01/2026

Want to see the whole bottom of Death Valley at once? Go up to Dante's View.

It sits almost 5,500 feet up on the crest of the Black Mountains. Right below you is Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America. Straight across is the Panamint Range. On a really clear day you can pick out Mount Whitney, the highest point in the lower 48, from the same spot. The lowest and the highest, in one look.

Star Wars fans, you've been here before. Dante's View shows up in the 1977 film as the overlook of Mos Eisley, with the spaceport added in later as a painting.

Now, the practical part. Being that high up, it runs a lot cooler than the valley floor, and that makes it a good afternoon stop when the bottom of the valley is still hot. Sunrise and sunset are the times people rave about, when the light rolls across the salt flats. Bring a jacket, it can be windy up top.

If you're driving an RV or towing a trailer, check the park's page before you head up. And like anywhere in the park, start with a full tank and plenty of water.

Would you go for sunrise, or sunset?

Stay in Beatty - Explore everywhere!

09/29/2026

Are you coming to Beatty Days 2026?😁

09/27/2026

The Bullfrog Mining District got its name after Shorty Harris and Ed Cross discovered gold in 1904.

According to Shorty Harris's own account, the ore was green, almost turquoise, with visible pieces of gold. He thought the rock looked like the back of a frog, so they named their claim the Bullfrog.

That one discovery helped set off the rush that created Rhyolite and changed the future of Beatty and the surrounding area.

Have you ever seen a piece of Bullfrog District ore?

09/26/2026

Beatty Days doesn't end Saturday night. Sunday, November 1 is packed with family activities, making it a great morning to bring the kids and the dog.

Kids Co****le begins at 9:00 AM. The tournament is for two-person teams ages 5 through 12, and the entry form is available at beattynevada.org.

The Pet Parade begins at 11:00 AM in the Lower Park. Registration is open from 8:00 to 10:30 that morning at the registration booth, so you can sign up the same day. Pets should be back by 10:45 AM for lineup. Ribbons and trophies will be awarded.

The chili cooks will also be back for the second ICS cook-off. Cooking runs from 9:00 AM to noon, judging begins at 2:00 PM, and winners are expected to be announced around 3:00 PM.

It's all happening at Cottonwood Park at 3rd Street and Amargosa Street.

Only about a month to go!

Beatty, Nevada, Gateway to Death Valley.

09/25/2026

Know a student who loves Beatty history?

Miss Beatty 2026 is open to students in grades 9 through 12, and Jr. Miss Beatty is open to students in grades 6 through 8.

Each contestant writes a one-page historical essay about Beatty covering any period from 1900 to the present and sells Beatty Days raffle tickets.

Miss Beatty receives a $250 reward, and Jr. Miss Beatty receives $150.

For an application or more information, call the Beatty Chamber of Commerce at 775-553-2424.

09/25/2026

Here's an old mining town many Death Valley visitors never hear about.

Chloride City became a town in 1905, shortly after the Bullfrog gold strike brought prospectors into the area to rework older mining claims. After Shorty Harris and Ed Cross found gold near Beatty in 1904, prospectors spread across the surrounding country looking for the next big strike.

What's left at Chloride City tells part of the story: old adits and waste dumps, the remains of three stamp mills, and the grave of James McKay.

Stamp mills were heavy machines used to crush ore so valuable minerals could be separated from it. Finding the remains of three mills tells you how much faith people once placed in the claims there.

The men in this photo were prospectors at Chloride Cliff. The photograph is not dated, so we aren't going to guess when it was taken. It still gives us a good look at the people who worked this rugged country.

If you plan to visit, remember that Chloride City is in the backcountry. Check Death Valley National Park's current road conditions, start with a full tank, carry more water than you think you'll need, and tell someone where you're going. Cell service disappears quickly once you leave the pavement.

Please leave anything you find exactly where it is.

Does anyone in your family have a prospecting story from this area? We'd love to hear it.

09/23/2026

How far is everything from Beatty? Closer than most people think.

The Death Valley National Park boundary is about seven miles west of town. Rhyolite and the Goldwell Open Air Museum are about four to five miles away, and the Beatty Mudmound, where you can see marine fossils about two miles southeast of town.

Follow State Route 374 toward Death Valley and you'll climb over Daylight Pass at 4,316 feet before reaching Hell's Gate, about 19 miles from Beatty.

Death Valley National Park does not accept cash for entrance fees, so bring a credit or debit card or purchase your pass online before your visit.

Las Vegas is about 100 miles south of Beatty.

Beatty has been known as the Gateway to Death Valley since 1933. You can sleep here, eat here, fill up your tank, and still be inside the park before your coffee gets cold.

Where is your first stop when you head into Death Valley?