Las Vegas: ATV Eldorado Canyon & 1861 Gold Mine Tour

Dust clouds rise as you throttle through Eldorado Canyon, then descend into Nevada's richest gold mine

You ride an ATV or RZR through Eldorado Canyon for 75–90 minutes, walk a preserved 1861 ghost town filled with Old West buildings and vintage cars, eat lunch in a shaded zone with games, and tour the inside of Nevada's oldest gold mine at a steady 70 degrees. Photos and videos are included, along with all safety gear, water, and sunscreen. The whole day runs about 6–7 hours from Las Vegas.

Step-by-step itinerary

ATV ride, ghost town, gold mine tour

• Drive 45 minutes to Eldorado Canyon
• Receive safety gear and instructions
• Ride single-rider ATV through scenic canyon
• Enjoy lunch by Capriotti’s
• Take guided walking tour of 1861 ghost town
• Explore Techatticup Gold Mine with guide

The experience

The engine noise hits you first: that raw, immediate sound of the ATV firing up in the desert outside Las Vegas. You're 45 minutes from the Strip, parked at the edge of Eldorado Canyon, and the guides are handing you a helmet, goggles, gloves. No experience required, they say, and they mean it. The safety briefing takes maybe ten minutes, then you're rolling into the canyon itself, sweeping views opening up on both sides, the kind of landscape that doesn't photograph the way it looks in person. The ride lasts 75 to 90 minutes depending on the terrain and your pace. You choose between a single-rider ATV or a 2-seater or 4-seater RZR: the bigger vehicles if you want someone else handling the wheel, or you take the controls yourself.

Before you ride, though, there's the 1861 ghost town. It's a walking tour through actual Old West buildings, rare antiques, vintage equipment, classic cars from the early 1900s. The place has been used as a filming location for Mad Max and Western movies, so it has that eerie, lived-in feeling even though nobody's lived there for over a century. You're standing in front of structures that survived the desert for more than 150 years, and the guides know the stories, who worked here, what they were digging for, why they left. It's not a museum with velvet ropes. You're walking through it, touching the history.

After the ride and the ghost town, lunch arrives, Capriotti's sandwiches, and you collapse into the shaded Adventure Zone with misters running overhead, ice water unlimited, and games if you want them: hatchet throwing, cornhole, gel gun wars, horseshoes. Your guides have been photographing and filming the whole time, so you get a 30–50 photo and video package at the end, no extra charge. Then comes the final stop: Techatticup Mine, Nevada's oldest and most famous gold mine, dating back to the 1860s. You descend into it with a guide, and the temperature drops to a natural 70 degrees. The stories down there (miners seeking fortune in this remote, brutal landscape) feel different when you're standing inside the actual shaft where they worked.

Closed-toe shoes only, no exceptions. The desert has rattlesnakes and cacti, and the guides won't let you ride in sandals or slip-ons. Bring long pants if you can: shorts leave your legs exposed to the terrain. Minimum age to operate an ATV is 16 with a valid driver's license and a parent present. Anyone under 18 needs a guardian there. You'll sign a damage waiver before you start, and the company will call your credit card before the tour to authorize it in case anything happens on the ride. It's not a warning. It's just how they protect themselves and you.

What’s included

• Your day includes the 75–90 minute ATV or RZR ride through Eldorado Canyon, a walking tour of the 1861 ghost town with its Old West buildings and vintage cars, a guided tour inside Techatticup Mine, and a Capriotti's lunch in the shaded Adventure Zone.
• You also get all safety gear (helmet, goggles, gloves, shiesty), a 30–50 photo and video package, unlimited ice water throughout the day, sunscreen, coolie neck ties, and access to games like hatchet throwing, cornhole, gel gun wars, and horseshoes.
• All fees and taxes are included.

Options for this experience

6 options

Self-drive ATV for one passenger, driving to the locationUp to 1 people · Guide in English · 10:30Drive to us in Nelson, NV, for an ATV ride. There are no gas stations or charging stations on site, and no food. Duration: 5 hours; once on location, the tour lasts 4.5 to 5 hours. Water and lunch are provided by Capriotti's, with a large menu to choose from; call the office to select, through the booking platform. Single-rider ATV, quad, or four-wheeler. No hotel pickup: enter "Eldorado Canyon Mine Tours" as the location, and do not drive to the BRONCO St address. You will also receive a text and an email with directions.

ATV for one passenger, with hotel pickupUp to 1 people · Guide in English · 09:30Hotel pickup: we collect guests from 4 major hotels on the Strip; groups of 7 or more are collected from their own hotel. Phone through the booking platform. Duration: 7 hours, covering the tour from hotel pickup to drop-off, including transportation. Water and lunch are provided by Capriotti's, with a large menu to choose from; call the office to make your selection, through the booking platform. Single-seat ATV: a 75-90 minute ride with thrilling views over the Eldorado Canyons. Also included: a FREE media package for your tour (a $119 value), safety gear, vehicle operation instruction, and VIP service. Pickup is included.

Self-drive RZR to our locationUp to 2 people · Guide in English · 09:30 and 10:30Drive to us in Nelson, NV, for a guided RZR ride. There are no gas stations or charging stations on site, and no food. Duration: 5 hours; once on location, the tour lasts 4.5 to 5 hours. Water and lunch are provided by Capriotti's, with a large menu to choose from; call the office to select, through the booking platform. Two-seater RZR for two people: also called a Razor, dune buggy, UTV or side-by-side, for one or two people, at the same price. No hotel pickup: enter "Eldorado Canyon Mine Tours" as the location, and do not drive to the BRONCO St address. You will also receive a text and an email with directions.

See 3 more options

RZR or buggy for two passengers, with hotel pickupUp to 2 people · Guide in English · 08:30 and 09:30Hotel pickup: we collect guests from 4 major hotels on the Strip; groups of 7 or more are collected from their own hotel. Phone through the booking platform. Duration: 7 hours; the tour runs from hotel pickup to drop-off and lasts 4.5 to 5 hours, including transportation. Lunch and water are provided by Capriotti's, with a large menu to choose from; call the office to choose, through the booking platform. RZR two-seater for two people: also called a Razor, dune buggy, UTV or side-by-side, for one or two people, at the same price. Also included: a FREE media package for your tour (a $119 value), safety gear, vehicle operation instruction, and VIP service. Pickup is included.

Self-drive four-seater, driving to the locationUp to 4 people · Guide in English · 09:30 and 10:30Drive to us in Nelson, NV; there are no gas stations, no charging stations on site, and no food. Duration: 5 hours; the tour on location lasts 4.5 to 5 hours. Lunch and water are provided by Capriotti's, with a large menu to choose from; call the office to select, through the booking platform. Four-seater Razor for up to four people: also called a Razor, dune buggy, UTV or side-by-side. No hotel pickup: use Eldorado Canyon Mine Tours as the location, do not drive to the Bronco St address, and call the office for information through the booking platform.

Hotel pickup, four-seaterUp to 4 people · Guide in English · 08:30 and 09:30Hotel pickup: we collect guests from 4 major hotels on the Strip; groups of 7 or more are collected from their own hotel. Phone through the booking platform. Duration: 7 hours; the time from pickup to drop-off, including transportation, is 7 hours. Lunch and water are provided by Capriotti's, with a large menu to choose from; call the office to select, through the booking platform. Four-seater Razor for up to four people: also called a Razor, dune buggy, UTV or side-by-side. Pickup locations: parties of up to six are collected from Horseshoe, Excalibur, Resorts World or Golden Nugget. Parties of 7 or more should contact the operator through the booking platform for pickup details. Pickup is included.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:30, 09:30 and 10:30

Book up to4h before

GroupUp to 30 · max 4 per booking

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 6 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Awesome Adventures Inc

Is this one for you?Book this if you want a full desert day without arranging multiple activities separately: the ATV ride, ghost town, gold mine, and lunch are bundled into one 6–7 hour outing, and the guides handle the pacing so you're not figuring out timing between stops.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Do I need ATV experience to ride?

No. The guides provide a safety briefing and personalized support before you start. All skill levels are welcome.

What's included in the price?

ATV or RZR ride, ghost town walking tour, gold mine tour, Capriotti's lunch, 30–50 photos and videos, safety gear, unlimited water, sunscreen, and access to the Adventure Zone with games.

How far is Eldorado Canyon from Las Vegas?

About 45 minutes' drive from the Strip.

What should I wear?

Closed-toe shoes only, sneakers or boots. Long pants are recommended because of cacti and desert terrain. No sandals, flip-flops, Crocs, or open-toed shoes.

What's the minimum age?

16 years old to operate an ATV, with a valid driver's license. Anyone under 18 must have a parent or guardian present.

How long is the ATV ride?

75 to 90 minutes through Eldorado Canyon.

Is the gold mine tour included?

Yes. It's a guided tour inside Techatticup Mine, Nevada's oldest gold mine, dating to the 1860s.

What if I damage the ATV or RZR?

You'll sign a damage waiver before the tour. The company authorizes your credit card beforehand. Damage charges start at $300 for an ATV and $600 for a 2-seater RZR.