Plan your ghost town road trip to White Plains, Nevada by approaching from either Ely or Las Vegas in a high-clearance vehicle. You’ll navigate dirt roads through basin-and-range terrain to reach stone cabin foundations and collapsed wooden beams frozen in 19th-century collapse. Fuel up in Pioche or Caliente before heading out. Visit between May and October for passable roads and golden-hour light. Keep scrolling—there’s far more to uncover about this forgotten silver rush relic.
Key Takeaways
- White Plains, Nevada, is a remote ghost town founded during the silver rush, featuring stone cabin ruins and mining debris in an eerie desert landscape.
- Reach White Plains from Ely (80 miles via Highway 50 and 93) or Las Vegas (100 miles on US-93), stopping in Pioche or Caliente for fuel.
- Visit between May and October, bringing 20+ gallons of water, a spare tire, and a satellite communicator for safety on rough terrain.
- High-clearance vehicles are essential, as dirt roads leading to White Plains become hazardous after rainfall.
- Free dispersed camping on BLM land near the ruins offers stunning early-morning views, with developed campgrounds available in Pioche and Caliente.
Why White Plains Is One of Nevada’s Most Photogenic Ghost Towns
Time your arrival at golden hour, and the eerie landscapes transform into something cinematic — amber light frackling across weathered walls, silence pressing in from every direction.
You’re not just taking photographs; you’re documenting a place that history forgot and the desert slowly reclaimed.
Founded during Nevada’s silver rush and abandoned before 1900, White Plains tells its story through what remains.
Bring your camera, charge your batteries, and let the ruins speak for themselves.
What You’ll Actually Find at White Plains When You Arrive
When you pull up to White Plains, don’t expect a Hollywood ghost town with standing facades and weathered signs — what you’ll find is rawer and more honest than that.
The abandoned structures here are fragmentary: stone cabin foundations, collapsed wooden beams, and walls surrendering slowly to desert wind. They’re not curated. They’re real.
Fragmentary and unrestored, these ruins don’t perform for visitors — they simply exist, honest and indifferent.
Walk the site and you’ll read its mining history directly underfoot — tailings piles still fan out from exhausted shafts, and scattered debris marks where the assay office and general store once operated.
Nothing’s roped off or interpreted for you. You’re free to explore at your own pace, piece together the boom-and-bust story yourself, and feel the full weight of a town that gave everything it had, then quietly disappeared.
How to Reach White Plains From Ely or Las Vegas
Whether you’re heading south from Ely along Highway 50 and 93—a roughly 80-mile drive through high desert that once bustled with silver-hungry prospectors—or pushing north from Las Vegas on US-93 for about 100 miles toward Lincoln County’s remote borderlands, you’ll need a high-clearance vehicle and a full tank before you leave pavement behind.
From Ely, you can swing through Hamilton in White Pine County, another ghost town relic of Nevada’s boom-and-bust era, turning the journey itself into a living history lesson.
Key stops like Pioche or Caliente make solid base camps, offering gas, water, and a last chance at civilization before the dirt roads swallow you whole.
Route From Ely
Two main gateways lead you into the remote reaches of Lincoln County where White Plains waits: Ely to the north and Las Vegas to the south.
From Ely, you’ll travel roughly 80 miles southward, threading through Highway 50 then dropping down Highway 93 toward Pioche. This corridor carries genuine historical significance — you’re tracing routes that silver-era freighters once hauled ore and supplies across.
Stop at scenic viewpoints along the high desert ridgelines where the Basin and Range geology unfolds dramatically before you.
Pioche itself deserves a brief exploration before you push onward toward White Plains via dirt roads branching off Highway 93.
Keep your high-clearance vehicle fueled in Pioche — there’s nothing ahead but open desert, crumbling ruins, and the liberating silence of Nevada’s eastern wilderness.
Route From Las Vegas
Heading north out of Las Vegas, you’ll cover roughly 100 miles before Lincoln County’s ghost town territory comes into reach.
US Highway 93 is your spine for this run — a scenic route cutting through open desert where the silence grows louder the farther you push from the city.
Road conditions shift noticeably once you leave the pavement behind, so bring a high-clearance vehicle and don’t gamble on soft shoulders after rain.
Pioche makes a natural staging point, sitting close enough to White Plains for a focused day push.
This corridor rewards the self-reliant traveler — no crowds, no guardrails, just raw basin-and-range country and ghost towns that remind you boom-and-bust ambitions once burned fiercely out here, then vanished almost overnight.
Key Stops Along The Way
From Ely, you’re tracing the bones of Nevada’s old mining corridor — drop south on Highway 93 after picking up Highway 50 east, covering roughly 80 miles before White Plains territory opens up.
Swing through Hamilton first, a White Pine County ghost town carrying its own historic landmarks and local legends from the silver era. Hamilton’s collapsed storefronts remind you that every mile out here echoes a boom that burned fast and left quickly.
From Las Vegas, push north on Highway 93 approximately 100 miles into Lincoln County’s open range.
Pioche makes an essential fuel stop — it’s a living town shaped by the same violent mining culture that built White Plains. Each stop layers context onto your journey, turning a simple drive into something worth remembering.
How to Loop White Plains With Hamilton and Pioche in One Drive
Linking three ghost towns into one cohesive drive turns eastern Nevada into a haunted history lesson on wheels.
Start in Ely, then push south toward Hamilton. Hamilton History runs deep — silver fever built it fast, and silence buried it faster. That Scenic Drive along Highway 50 and 93 rewards you with basin-and-range vistas that feel genuinely untamed.
From Hamilton, drop into Pioche, a rougher, more notorious chapter of Nevada’s boom-and-bust story. Spend a night there, refuel, and stock water.
The next morning, hit the dirt roads toward White Plains, where stone ruins and tailings piles wait in desert quiet. You’ve just traced a full arc of Nevada’s silver era in a single, purposeful loop — no backtracking, no wasted miles.
When to Visit White Plains and What to Bring
Once you’ve locked in your route, timing and gear become the variables that determine whether White Plains rewards you or punishes you. The best months run May through October, when snow stays off the dirt roads and the desert light turns ruins golden at dusk.
Come prepared or don’t come at all.
Essential gear checklist:
- Water — carry 20+ gallons; the desert offers none
- Spare tire — rough terrain punishes unprepared rigs
- Satellite communicator — cell service vanishes completely out here
- High-clearance vehicle — standard sedans won’t survive the access roads
Nearest gas sits in Pioche or Caliente, so fuel up before heading out.
BLM land surrounds the site, meaning dispersed camping lets you stay and experience White Plains after the crowds disappear — because out here, there aren’t any.
Where to Camp Near White Plains Before or After Your Visit
Because White Plains sits on BLM land, you’re already cleared to pitch camp directly near the ruins without permits or fees — a freedom that mirrors the self-reliant spirit of the miners who once staked claims here.
Your camping options extend beyond the immediate site, too. Pioche, roughly 30 miles west, offers developed campgrounds with basic amenities if you want a softer landing after a dusty day of exploration.
Caliente serves as another solid base camp to the south. Both towns connect you to nearby attractions, including historic cemeteries, courthouses, and additional ghost town remnants that reward the curious traveler.
Wherever you plant your tent, wake early — desert light transforms these ruins into something genuinely haunting, and that golden hour won’t wait.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Permit Required to Visit White Plains Ghost Town?
You don’t need a permit to explore White Plains’ ghost town history—it’s BLM land! Follow smart visiting tips: respect private claims, avoid unstable mines, and you’ll freely uncover Nevada’s raw, adventurous past.
Are Guided Tours Available for White Plains Ghost Town Visitors?
No guided tours exist at White Plains, so you’ll forge your own path through ghost town history. You’re free to craft unique visitor experiences, exploring ruins and mining remnants independently across this hauntingly beautiful, adventure-rich Nevada desert landscape.
Can Metal Detecting Be Done Legally at White Plains?
Like a treasure hunter’s dream, you can metal detect on BLM land at White Plains, but follow metal detecting tips carefully—you can’t legally remove historical artifacts without proper permits protecting Nevada’s rich mining heritage.
Is White Plains Accessible by Motorcycle or Standard Sedan?
You’ll navigate White Plains best on motorcycle routes with high-clearance bikes or rugged sedans. Vehicle recommendations lean away from standard cars—rough dirt roads demand resilience. Embrace the frontier spirit; those demanding trails reward only the boldly prepared adventurer.
Has White Plains Appeared in Any Films or Documentaries?
No records confirm White Plains has starred in a million film locations or documentary features, but you’ll feel like you’re living cinematic history as you explore its hauntingly beautiful, freedom-filled ruins firsthand.
References
- https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/trip-ideas/nevada/ghost-town-road-trip-nv
- https://downtownerlv.com/6-ghost-town-day-trips-to-take-from-downtown-las-vegas/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vekC6WPhrsI
- https://www.roadunraveled.com/blog/et-highway-ghost-towns-nevada/
- https://travelnevada.com/ghost-town/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ghost_towns_in_Nevada
- https://www.wanderthewest.com/threads/ghost-town-tour.15966/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBgXMYH9XF0
