Goldfield Scenic Overlook Trail

The Scenic Overlook Trail follows an unsigned path from the edge of Goldfield town up to a bluff that was historically used as a picnic grounds on weekends and holidays and a place that fireworks were shot from on 4th of July celebrations during Goldfield's heyday.

Once the largest town in Nevada, Goldfield today has quieted down a lot from the town's past. Today hikers will find burro tracks covering the single track path up the mesa to the overlook point rather than other hiker footprints. In fact other than a signboard announcing the old trail's existence, there isn't much to mark it at all these days. And while there is no single distinct trail, hikers can find some faint use paths on the ground that lead up to a gap in the mesa wall, from where flat ground leads to the rocky overlook point.

Park at the wide gravel turnaround at the southern end of 4th Street. From here, the source of Rabbit Spring can be seen flowing from the ground. A faint path opposite the spring opens up to the use paths that begin climbing and heading left around the mesa, wrapping around the sloped cliffside where Joshua trees dot the landscape and a variety of wild flowers may be visible following wet conditions. There may be multiple tracks which continue to be used by the feral burros residing throughout the area, but a keen eye will make the more used paths visible. Eventually they all lead to the same place, which is a gap in the mesa rim where some rocky switchbacks will lead up to the top.

From the top, the surrounding landscape remains genearlly untouched. Trace the top back over to the rocks overlooking the town. A full panorama of the city's gridded streets and the mines lining its north edge become visible, along with other landmarks such as the International Car Forest of the Last Church.

The immensity of the surrounding landscape and the relative blip on the map that is the town of Goldfield becomes clear up here. This is a spot historically used by families and townsfolk who would come picnicking in the summer.

From here, retrace your route back to the trailhead.

There are no amenities anywhere along this hike, and no shade at all. While there are no marked parking spots, this is a little-trafficked area - just make sure to park your car out of the way of the gravel road.