Alkali

Alkali is a ghost town in Esmeralda County, Nevada, remembered today largely for what it once offered weary travelers: a genuine hot-spring retreat. In the 1930s, Joe and Geni Guisti ran Alkali Hot Spring as a working spa, and during the boom years centered on nearby Goldfield the site grew into a surprisingly lively destination.

At its peak, visitors could swim in an indoor wooden pool that included a separate shallow area for children. A large main building housed a dining room, kitchen, dance hall, and bar. Out front, tall tamarisk trees shaded a generous picnic area where guests could order from the kitchen or simply spread out a meal of their own.

Today Alkali is a quiet remnant of that era. Those considering a visit should expect a remote, sparsely-marked site typical of rural Nevada ghost towns — worth the detour for history buffs and photographers drawn to desert ghost towns, but requiring self-sufficiency and attention to road conditions before heading out.