Nelson Ghost Town

Clark County, Nevada35.7072, -114.8261

Can you visit?

Private land, lived-in town

Private or unlisted land · Streets public, lots private

Nearest town
11 miBoulder City, NV
Mild months
Jan–Dec6 of 12
Next ghost town
1.3 miLouisville
Nelson, Nevada
Photo: Hypersite, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Nelson sits in Clark County, Nevada. People call it a ghost town, though 22 residents were counted in 2020. The largest census count on record is 37 people in 2010.

On the map

20 mi40 miHendersonEnterpriseSpring ValleySunrise ManorWinchesterNelson
  • BLM
  • National Park Service
  • Private or unlisted

Star: Nelson. Dots: other ghost towns within 40 miles, colored by land manager. Squares: towns over 1,000 people. Rings are straight-line distance. Live map: © OpenFreeMap, OpenMapTiles, OpenStreetMap contributors.

The closest town with more than 1,000 people is Boulder City, NV, about 11 miles northwest in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Henderson, NV, 24 miles away.

Ghost towns nearby

  1. Louisville1.3 mi east
  2. Lucky Jim Camp1.3 mi east
  3. El Dorado City1.5 mi east
  4. Quartette21 mi southeast
  5. White Hills24 mi east
  6. Borax29 mi west
  7. Bard30 mi northwest
  8. Hart33 mi southwest

Distances are straight lines. Roads to ruins are often dirt, and a 20-mile hop can take an hour.

Who owns the land

Private or unlisted land

The town center is not on any public or protected parcel in PAD-US, the national map of public land. People still live here, so streets are open while buildings and lots belong to their owners. Ask before you step onto a property. Another parcel starts within a quarter mile: Las Vegas Field Office. Ruins often spread across more than one owner.

The point is the town location from Wikidata, and the land record is from PAD-US 3.0 (USGS). Ruins can spread past that point, and land changes hands faster than the database. How we read PAD-US.

Weather by month

0°20°40°60°80°100°120°6641Jan7046Feb7851Mar8658Apr9767May10875Jun11282Jul11181Aug10372Sep9061Oct7550Nov6442DecJan: 0.7 inFeb: 1.0 inMar: 0.7 inApr: 0.3 inMay: 0.1 inJun: 0.1 inJul: 0.2 inAug: 0.2 inSep: 0.2 inOct: 0.6 inNov: 0.3 inDec: 0.6 inrain
Mild month (average high 55–88°F, low above 28°F) 32°F, freezing Rain and snow water, inches

Mild months here run November to April, judging by NOAA normals from Willow Beach. April to October bring 10 or more days at 90°F and up.

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from the Willow Beach station (USC00029376), 14 miles away. About 5.0 inches of precipitation a year.

Facts

LocationClark County, Nevada
Coordinates35.70722, -114.82611
Census counts2010: 37 · 2020: 22
Also known asNelson, Nevada, Nelson, NV
SourcesWikidata Q3473162 · Wikipedia article

Questions

Where is Nelson ghost town?

In Clark County, Nevada, at 35.7072, -114.8261. The closest town with more than 1,000 people is Boulder City, NV, about 11 miles northwest in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Henderson, NV, 24 miles away.

Can you visit Nelson?

Private land, lived-in town. The town center is not on any public or protected parcel in PAD-US, the national map of public land. People still live here, so streets are open while buildings and lots belong to their owners. Ask before you step onto a property. Another parcel starts within a quarter mile: Las Vegas Field Office. Ruins often spread across more than one owner.

When is the best time to visit Nelson?

Mild months here run November to April, judging by NOAA normals from Willow Beach. April to October bring 10 or more days at 90°F and up.

Are there other ghost towns near Nelson?

Yes. Louisville (1.3 mi), Lucky Jim Camp (1.3 mi), El Dorado City (1.5 mi), Quartette (21 mi).

More ghost towns in Nevada

All 216 ghost towns in Nevada · Ghost towns near Las Vegas · Ghost towns near Lake Havasu City