When planning our recent trip to explore the eastern Sierras, I noticed the Clown Motel (Tonopah, NV) was only a couple hours off our planned route. My little one has always watched ghost hunter type shows on youtube. So, I added a day to our trip to explore the desert and spend a night at the motel.
From Bishop we drove north around the White mountains before heading east up into the desert. Vast areas sparse with baby tumble weeds waiting to be released to spread their seeds. Barren, but stunning mountains appear thrown randomly around the desert. At about 5500’ the weather is hot in the summer and cold in the winter.
The night we stayed a lightning storm blew through, and we likely experienced 10% of the area’s average 5” of rain a year. It also gets some snow during the winter but only about 16”.
On our drive to Tonopah we made a few stops to enjoy the emptiness. Just before reaching the little town nestled in some hills, I noticed what appeared to be a large solar array out in the desert. After getting home I learned it was the defunct Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project. Their intent was redirect and concentrate solar rays to a central tower to create molten salt that could be stored. The heated molten salt could be used to create electricity for up to 10 hours.
Due to construction and technical issues the project has produced little power since being completed in 2015.
Arriving in Tonopah we set off to find lunch and explore the small mining town. In 1900, Jim Butler discovered Nevada’s second richest silver strike and of course, people followed to create the town. We drove a couple of the roads out of town, they quickly turned to dirt roads meandering through the surrounding hills. Except for a couple active mines, it was more emptiness.
Eventually we checked in at the Clown Motel. In 1985, Leona and Leroy David built the motel next to the Tonopah cemetery, the cemetery where their father, Clarence was buried. Clarence was a clown lover and his collection of 150 clowns became the theme of the motel. Some who visit donate clowns and the collection has grown to over 2000. Each room also has clown paintings. Thankfully, ours, painted by the gentleman working the front desk, were friendly clowns.
My little one had to play the part. You might assume she brought those clothes inspired by the clown theme, but that is actually an outfit she normally wears.
After a brief lightning storm, we took another drive out of town to enjoy the sunset. Oddly, miles outside of town on a dirt road we come across a 3-way stop. Following all laws, my little one came to a complete stop.
The road got a little sketchy as we went further out. After bottoming out a couple times and not able to make it up a hill, we decided it was my turn to drive. It took a couple tries but we finally made it up the hill and were rewarded with a vast and beautiful sunset.
The crown jewel of the motel is the cemetery next door. And as told by the young ranger at the Ancient Bristlecone Forest, many of the markers do include cause of death. Used only 10 years, from 1901 to 1911, many of those buried died in a 1911 mine fire. Another large contributor was a 1905 pneumonia outbreak blamed on poor sanitation.
Many of the gravesites are little more than vague outlines of rocks.
Lots of babies and infants.
Even back then, guns didn’t only kill the sheriff…