This Gold Rush Relic Near Phoenix AZ Now Boasts a Mystery Shack, Ziplines, and Underground Tours

Goldfield Ghost Town, Arizona

Goldfield was supposed to die in 1898 when its gold ran out.

Instead, this mining town on the edge of the Superstition Mountains found a second life by preserving exactly what made it interesting: the saloons, the mine shafts, and all the dust-covered stories of Arizona’s gold rush days. Here’s more of the story.

It Once Grew Bigger Than Phoenix

Goldfield’s population exploded during its short prime. Just one year after starting in 1893, about 1,500 people had moved to this mountain town.

At its peak in 1896, around 4,000 people lived there, temporarily making it bigger than nearby Phoenix. The town quickly built 28 buildings including a hotel, store, post office, church, school, brewery, and three saloons.

Despite this quick success, the community collapsed almost as fast when the gold quality dropped in 1897, and by 1898 almost everyone had left.

Apaches Named It The Devil’s Playground

Long before miners arrived, the Apache tribe thought the Superstition Mountains around Goldfield were dangerous and called the area the ‘Devil’s Playground.’

The Pima Indians were also scared of this region and warned settlers about evil spirits living in the mountains.

They had stories about a devil who lived behind the mountain and told people not to disturb the land. These warnings didn’t stop gold-hungry miners who ignored centuries of cautions about supernatural dangers.

Goldfield Has Died And Come Back Three Times

This town has an unusual history of disappearing and reappearing. It first opened in 1893 during the gold rush but was empty by 1898 when the gold ran out.

Around 1910, George U. Young, who was Secretary of Arizona Territory and Phoenix’s Mayor, brought it back to life. He renamed it ‘Youngberg’ and added modern mining equipment including a cyanide plant.

After Young died in 1926 following a mining accident, the town emptied again until Robert Schoose bought and rebuilt it in 1984.

A Military Accident Burned Down The Town

In 1943, a stray flare from a military training exercise started a huge fire that destroyed about 60% of Goldfield. After the blaze, people took away any useful parts that survived, leaving just foundations behind.

The town sat empty for over 40 years until the 1980s when rebuilding started. The military never paid for the damage they caused, and this marked the longest time the town remained completely abandoned.

A Cowboy Ghost Makes Trouble In The Bordello

One of the most active ghosts in Goldfield is a mysterious man in a cowboy hat who hangs around the town’s bordello.

Visitors often hear strange knocks and bangs when he’s around, and some people leave with scratches they can’t explain. Ghost hunters have nicknamed this unfriendly spirit ‘Dennis,’ though nobody knows who he really was.

Staff members think he might have been a miner who visited the bordello during Goldfield’s busy days and is still being territorial even after death.

Treasure Hunters Have Their Own Hall Of Fame

Inside the Goldfield Superstition Museum, you’ll find a special tribute to people who spent their lives looking for the Lost Dutchman’s gold mine.

This unusual Hall of Fame has photos and stories of treasure seekers – from those who went broke searching to odd characters who lived in caves while hunting for gold. Many met sad endings in the dangerous mountains, and their stories serve as warnings.

The collection started in 1967 and now features over 75 people who dedicated large chunks of their lives to finding the treasure, forming a unique group across generations.

Bob Schoose Has Been Mayor For 40 Years

Bob Schoose bought the abandoned Goldfield Mill in 1984 and still serves as the town’s unofficial mayor today.

Born in River Grove, Illinois, he moved to California with his family before settling in Mesa, Arizona in 1970. His love of ghost towns and mining history led him to buy the five-acre property where he spent nearly five years carefully rebuilding the old structures.

Schoose wrote a book called ‘Goldfield: Boom to Bust – Arizona Territory 1893’ and officially created ‘Goldfield Ghost Town and Mine Tours, Inc.’

In 2024, he celebrated 40 years as the town’s caretaker, making him one of the longest-serving ghost town operators in the Southwest.

You Can Ride The State’s Only Narrow-Gauge Train

Goldfield has the only 36-inch (914mm) narrow-gauge railroad still running in Arizona. This historic train travels for one and a half miles around the entire town during a 20-minute narrated ride.

A Plymouth diesel engine pulls an authentic passenger car and caboose, with trains leaving every 35 minutes throughout the day. During your trip, the engineer tells stories about the town’s mining past, the Superstition Mountains, and the surrounding desert.

A Thanksgiving Tragedy Ended The Town’s Rebirth

Goldfield’s second life as ‘Youngberg’ ended suddenly after its founder had a terrible accident. George U. Young, who renamed the town after himself, was badly hurt in a mining accident around 1918.

His health got worse over several years, and by late 1925, he couldn’t care for himself. He died from apoplexy at his ‘Derby Mines’ home on Thanksgiving Day in 1926 at age 59. After his death, both Youngberg and his other mining operation called Madizelle were quickly abandoned.

Young’s ashes were placed at Phoenix’s Greenwood/Memory Lawn Cemetery, while the town he rebuilt faded back into the desert.

The Mystery Shack Makes Physics Go Crazy

One of Goldfield’s strangest attractions plays tricks with your senses.

At this restored old miner’s house, normal physics seems broken. Water appears to flow uphill, objects change size depending on where they sit, and a ‘ghostly pool table’ pulls every ball to the same pocket no matter how you aim.

If you want to try it yourself, admission is $5 for adults, $4 for kids 7-17, and free for children 6 and under with an adult.

Ghosts Still Hang Out In The Saloon

Many visitors to the Mammoth Steak House and Saloon have heard sad ghostly voices, especially after sunset when tourist crowds thin out.

Staff have seen glasses move by themselves and noticed shadowy figures in the bar’s large mirror. Some customers feel cold presences brush past them when nobody’s nearby.

The saloon is decorated with hundreds of cowboy boots hanging from the ceiling and old photographs on the walls – some reportedly show figures that weren’t visible when the photos were taken.

The Best Things to Do in Goldfield Ghost Town, Arizona

At Goldfield, merchants are open 10-5 daily, the Saloon 11-9, and Coffee Shop 9-4:30.

Here are some of the top things to do during your visit:

• Ride the Superstition Zipline

• Hop on the Narrow Gauge Railroad

• Go on an underground mine tour

• Try gold panning at Prospector’s Palace

• Watch the weekend gunfights by the Goldfield Gunslingers

We recommend visiting October through April when temperatures are a bit milder.

Visiting Goldfield Ghost Town

Goldfield Ghost Town is at 4650 N Mammoth Mine Rd, Apache Junction, just 30 minutes east of Phoenix at the foot of the Superstition Mountains. It’s open every day with free entry, though you’ll pay for individual attractions.

• Visit between October and April for the most comfortable weather
• Shops open 10am-5pm, Saloon 11am-9pm daily
• Bring cash since many attractions don’t take credit cards
• Wear sturdy shoes for walking on uneven ground

There’s free parking, and most people spend about 3-4 hours exploring this authentic piece of Arizona history.