There is an enchanted place in the middle of the Arizona desert that draws people of all ages from all parts of our country and Canada. It’s called the Nellie E. Saloon or, Desert Bar for short.
Ask any person with a Jeep or UTV or any snowbird about Desert Bar and I bet you get a wry smile in return.
Our first visit was a few years ago. We were in Lake Havasu for their balloon fest with our friends Shawn & Lisa. We didn’t have any plans to fill the day after the morning balloon ascension and they asked, “You game for an adventure? We know about this fun bar.”
When I say middle of nowhere, I mean it. Getting there means driving almost five miles on a dirt road. Or, for the adventurous type, going the back way which is three miles of four-wheel drive fun passing some deserted mines along the way. The back way is not for a passenger car.
The name Nellie E comes from the original mining claim property which the bar stands on now. What started as a very basic operation with water trucked in has now grown to be a lively weekend event. It’s an indoor/mostly outdoor compound with a couple of bars, several food booths to choose from and a giant stage where really good bands keep the party going. It’s only open in the winter, October through April noon to 6pm.
Be sure you come hungry because the food is pretty good. Two must orders are their giant nachos and garlic fries.
The bands that play are all amazing. We were able to get a table near the main stage on one visit, which can be hard to do if your group is large. The band had several members who all played many instruments. The played mostly cover songs and also a few of their own. They were so good I had to look them up, Wes Williams Band. I now have downloaded two of their albums. On our most recent visit, the lead singer sounded just like Bonnie Raitt and I could have listened to them all day.
Let’s talk about the bathrooms. I know what you’re thinking…did I just read that correctly. Yes, you did. The ladies room is thankfully large with many stalls but that’s not why you’re in there. Well, maybe you are, but you’re also there for the view. No traditional bank of mirrors over the sinks, no sirree. The sink area is open air and over the sinks is a long and wide view of the beautiful desert laid out before you.
There is even a church on site! Well, a church front. It’s a fun place to take pictures and you can even get married there. You might hear some wild stories about why the church is there, but for me it’s just another fun addition.
Wanna hear more about the back way? Of course you do. Anybody can go in the easy way but the fun kids go in the back way. We’ve done it in our UTV and our Jeep. The trail starts behind the store that has a giant chicken on their sign. The hardest part of the trail was that first obstacle, kinda separates the men from the boys. After that, the trail is a mix of easy dirt road and more difficult rocks but nothing too crazy.
Or, you could just fly there in your helicopter. Now that would be the best way to arrive!
There are two mines that we’ve found along the way, although I suspect there are more. The first one is off to the left on a side trail. It’s probably a vent chute that’s covered with a metal grate so people don’t fall in. We’ve shined flashlights trying to gauge how deep it is. Let me tell you, it’s pretty deep. We’ve timed a pebble drop and it was several seconds until we heard a ping.
You can walk in the second one. It’s a short opening that opens to a decent sized room with a vent chute overhead that casts interesting light in the space. There are little railroad tracks that you can follow back maybe 20 feet. Be very careful here because it drops steeply down on the right. You’ll definitely want a good flashlight with you so you can see. We stop where the tracks go down, there is no reason to tempt fate and fall. That would suck.
If you venture to Desert Bar via this exciting back way, you get your own special parking area and entrance. As you drive up, Desert Bar will be on your right and you’ll probably see the bathrooms first. After you park, walk up the hill past both bathrooms and follow the music to the main part of the place. You have arrived in style.
For more information on the fun that is Desert Bar, click on this link: Desert Bar
Please remember to be responsible and have fun. We hope you enjoy the atmosphere as much as we do!