Beatty

Small US-95 town at the eastern edge of Death Valley — Rhyolite ghost town, cheap rooms, and wild burros. Beatty is on US-95 about 120 miles northwest of Las Vegas, at the north-eastern edge of Death Valley National Park. Population 1,000. Three casinos (Stagecoach Hotel & Casino, Death Valley Inn, Exchange Club) plus a handful of motels line Main Street. Wild burros come into town at dawn and hang around the yards. At 9pm it's essentially silent — the Sourdough Saloon on Main is the one reliable evening spot. Death Valley's Furnace Creek is 45 miles / 60 min west via SR-374 (Daylight Pass).Beatty suits Death Valley travelers who want a cheaper base than in-park lodging, ghost-town enthusiasts (Rhyolite is 4 miles west, one of the best-preserved ruins in the Southwest), and anyone doing the Nevada backcountry loop from Tonopah south. It does not suit tourism-for-tourism's sake. Rooms are $75-$130 — reasonable compared to Furnace Creek's $250-$400. Bring a car and a full tank; the next reliable gas is 60+ miles in every direction.

Towns & villages

Where to base yourself

Pahrump Tonopah Las Vegas Strip

Good to know

Questions, answered

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Is Beatty a good Death Valley base?

Yes for budget travelers — rooms $75-$130 vs $250-$400 at Furnace Creek. Trade-off is you’re 45 miles / 60 min from Furnace Creek so sunrise at Zabriskie means a 5am departure. For photographers wanting park sunrise/sunset, sleep in the park. For hikers doing 9am-4pm days, Beatty is fine.

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What are the burros about?

Feral descendants of pack animals from the Rhyolite mining era. They wander into town at dawn, hang around empty lots and unfenced yards, and are generally ignored by locals. Don’t feed them (federal law) but photos are fine.

Where to stay

Where to stay — Beatty

Live prices for every hotel and inn in the area — free cancellation, updated daily.

Beatty

Live prices for every hotel and inn in the area — free cancellation, updated daily.

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