By JASON ANDRUS
The Progress
Although Tonopah, as well as the trip there and back, has a lot to offer in the way of things to see, do and photograph, there were a few very specific reasons we chose it as a weekend adventure.
Paranormal enthusiasts, as well as amateur and professional ghost hunters, alike, from across the country come to Tonopah for the number of reportedly haunted locations to be found within the town limits.
Dubbed “the scariest motel in America”, the clown motel is said to be haunted by the permanent residents of the adjacent Old Tonopah Cemetery, where most of the deceased had met violent and untimely demise, by gunshots or stabbing. However, most of the grave markers are of the miners that perished in a deadly fire at the Belmont Mine on February 23, 1911, when 17 miners lost their lives, due to mistakes and oversights of mine officials.
At first glance, the clown motel itself appears to be just another motel, with, at the very most, an eerie clown theme that is almost certain to give a person who suffers from Coulrophobia (phobia of clowns) a cause to be uncomfortable, at best.
Guests who have stayed the night have reported “strange and unexplainable” events while staying in a number of motel rooms. These include noises, voices and full body apparitions.
It’s also a popular destination for some well-known televised ghost hunting programs.
It is definitely worth the time to visit the motel lobby and collection of clown figurines that have been donated from all over the world. And be sure to take a walk through the cemetery…if you dare!
Another, and likely the biggest reason we chose this little town in the middle of nowhere, was the dedicated Tonopah Stargazing Park, aka The Clair Blackburn Memorial Park. It is nationally recognized as one of the better and darkest places in the United States for amateur astrophotographers, like myself, to capture intriguing and breathtaking photos of the night sky. You can also take advantage of the fenced-in seating area and just gaze at the breathtaking view.
Although, I did enjoy our visit to the stargazing park, and the view truly is something to behold in person, I found the 6’ high chain link fence surrounding the dedicated space to be a bit cramped and cumbersome. It made photographing anything that isn’t straight up to be impossible, without obstruction.
However, just 100 yards up the road from the park, I found an amazing, unimpeded view of our own Milky Way and got my personal best pictures of the galaxy to date.
If I was asked to rate our time there, I would easily give it 4.5/5 stars. The whole town was clean, locals were friendly and eager to share their personal stories and experiences.
The Mizpah Hotel, where we stayed (and has a reputation for being the most haunted hotel in America) was immaculate and the staff was friendly and accommodating.
If you are interested in the paranormal, it sounds like October is the best, yet busiest month of the year, with optional ghost hunting tours. So be sure to book in advance.
