Road Trip to Carrara Nevada
12/30/2018

Carrara is a ghost town in Nye County, Nevada. Located in the Armargosa desert just off Highway 95, the townsite is about 8 miles south of Beatty, Nevada. The townsite was located at the base of the Bare Mountains and the mining operation was three miles up into the mountains. Carrara was famous for its white marble deposits and was named for Carrara Italy.

The first marble deposits were found in 1904 and in 1911 the American Carrara Company started to lay out the town. In 1913, the town post office opened.

In its heyday the town had about 100 residents and a town water fountain. In 1917, the first shipment of marble was sent out. By this time the town also had a local newspaper.

Unfortunately, the quality of the marble was not high and in 1919 the marble quarry was shut down.
By 1924, most of the town population had left Carrara.

Today, Carrara is slowly disappearing into the desert, if you visit, one of the first things you see is the ruins of the marble finishing mill near the Highway 95. As you walk out to the townsite, you see a community fireplace still standing and the town water fountain. There are other remnants of building foundations and lots of old bean and beer cans.

You can hike up an old cable tram bed to the mining operation, about a three-mile hike. Or you can drive your 4x4 about halfway up and walk from there. You’ll be able to see the old quarry area and lots of marble stacked on pallets ready to be sent down.

If you visit the area, remember your safety is your responsibility, and you should never enter an old mine shaft. Make sure you have good hiking shoes, water, snacks and let someone know where you’re going.