nipton trading post

This was a great little stop. The trading post was full of an assortment of goodies, sundries and souvenirs. Unfortunately, the cafe is closed on Mondays as I had planed to have lunch. The town is condensed and easy to stroll through and take pictures. The surround area, and the ride in from Searchlight are worth the trip. On this particular day the shadows of the clouds on the mountains and desert floor added to the normally stark beauty. Would have had lunch there if I found myself in the area, not sure I'd make a special trip.

My family stopped over in Nipton, California last week and stayed the night in one of the tent cabins. We loved everything about it, from the friendly staff at the Trading Post to the great cooking and unique Mexican dishes at the El Oasis Café next door to the spacious and well-kept tent cabins and shower/restroom facility sprinkled behind the Hotel. The tiny town of Nipton has a steady population of around nine and is located slightly off the beaten track (about 10 miles east of Interstate 15). The town borders the Mojave National Preserve and faces dry, lonely panoramic mountains to the south. A major railroad line passes by town, and occasionally during the night a train would rumble by, the engine loudly blasting its haunting horn. Instead of keeping us awake, though, the sound was soothing and dream-like, as though it was a gentle reminder that we were part of another time and place in the Old West. The next morning, we felt very rested and at peace, almost regretting having to get on the road the next day to continue our trip to Zion and Grand Canyon national parks. We found the stop-over well worth our time and consider Nipton a hidden gem in the Mojave. We look forward to returning there again and staying a little longer next time.

We had a few hours to explore outside of Las Vegas before our flight, so we tried a visit to Nipton based on the other TripAdvisor reviews. Maybe those reviewers didn't go during the summer (110 degrees), maybe they went on a day when other people were there, but...I wouldn't go out of my way for this. It's about an hour from Las Vegas to Nipton, and we had timed our visit to support the local business by having lunch there (again, based on other TA reviews). The cafe was closed that day (surprise!) and no other tourists were around, so we looked around in the trading post and bought something to support the business. The history is interesting, but there isn't enough there to bring us all the way again. In all honesty, between the heat, the closed cafe, and the remote location, we were only too happy to head for the airport!

Stopped in for a quick cup of coffee on the way to Rt. 15. The coffee was great, the lady that ran the store couldn't have been nicer. Only wish I had asked to see their hotel for the future. Travelling through you should definitely stop & take a look around.

This is a great place to stop in your journey through the desert. For a town with only 9 permanent residents, there is plenty of options for the visitor. The store has loads of souvenirs, a restaurant and hotel. The town is a crossroads of the railroad and highway with an interesting history. If you are in the area, get off the highway and check it out. It is an interesting detour.

No visit to Nipton is complete without checking out living history at the Nipton Trading Post just off the main highway through town. Here is where shopkeepers Ellis and Brenda provide those last-minute sundries, snacks and maps of the surrounding Mojave National Reserve attractions. Be sure to check out the souvenirs like t-shirts and old time post cards. A rare, old 1930s-style Auto Club directional sign adorns the wall near the cash register. Located about 15 miles off Interstate 15, the Trading Post is where you arrange for rooms at the Nipton Hotel and rub elbows with other visitors to this off-beat part of the California Desert. There are free picnic areas and rest rooms and internet wireless is available. Yes they take debit cards. Calif. Lottery tickets are a big part of their business. Sorry, no gasoline available nor passenger train service. My recommendation is to linger here awhile and stroll around the interesting landscape.

We stopped as part of our desert geocaching since there is an earthcache here. It was the end of the day and the sun was setting on what looked to be a charming, quaint, small, historic hotel. There was an information board and another metal plaque in the parking area, which we checked out. Not much to do here in this sleepy little town, but worth a stop for the history. The sign mentions desert tortoises and we saw two out in the desert over the weekend, so they are definitely out there!

With the clousure of the NPS system we ventured out to Nipton Ca, other reviews were positive? We paid $40.00 for a space and electric with a wrong 30 amp connection (glad I go prepared). No sewer, and the full time neighbor had both water bibs in use. The views were wonderful though and the occasional train broke the quiet, in a good way. Restaurant was closed, but cold beer in their reefers; hope the NPS gets their s**t together soon!

the little, privately-owned town of Nipton, is located just east of I-15 before Stateline and on your way to Searchlight, NV in the Ivanpah Valley. This historical site was once the watering hole for silent film star Clara Bow, the "It" girl, where she and her husband, western screen star Rex Bell stopped as they loaded cattle from their 6,000 acre ranch onto the train for the cattle yards. She would stay in one of the five hotel rooms which are still available for overnight visitors. There are also heated/air conditioned tent cabins available. it is worth the stop if you are in the area, the general store sells ice cream, sodas, and the restaurant next door, although frequently changing ownership, usually provides a good meal. It's a quick stop back in time and an opportunity to learn about early Mojave Desert history.