Mountain City

Nevada is ghost-town central: the Comstock made it a state, and a century of played-out bonanzas kept it in ruins.

Mountain City is a census-designated place in Elko County, Nevada, United States, within the Mountain City Ranger District of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. The community, located on State Route 225 approximately 16 miles (26 km) south of the Idaho border, is situated on the Owyhee River. As of the 2020 census, Mountain City had a population of 14.

Calling it Mountain City was either optimism or a very good joke — boomtowns were never modest about their ambitions.

The on-the-ground condition of Mountain City is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.

Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.

Here's the honest truth: access to Mountain City is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times. The mapped point for Mountain City is roughly 41.8372, -115.9633 — use it as a starting point and cross-reference a current topographic map before leaving pavement.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.