For us, yes. It served as a great 45-minute pit stop to stretch our legs on our long drive from Las Vegas to Bend. We loved the solitude, taking our new 4Runner off the pavement, and watching wild donkeys roll around in the dirt.
What the Car Forest was actually like
Driving Highway 95 through Nevada can feel like an endless stretch of nothing, and most people blow right past Goldfield without realizing there’s an open-air art graveyard of cars hidden just off the main road. The turnoff is only a few blocks off the highway, so it’s barely a two-minute detour to get there.
Once you arrive, there are some standard warnings, a bit of history and a place to sign in or donate to support the site. From there, you drive in to explore.
We found way more vehicles scattered across the dirt than we expected. There were dozens of old clunkers, buses, and a boat shoved into the gravel with graffiti all over them. When we pulled up on a weekday morning, the place was completely empty except for a skittish herd of wild burros and one random guy driving a fast remote-control car across the flats.
What the Road was Like
We saw a normal passenger car out there when we visited, and they didn’t seem to have any issues. But if you don’t want to listen to gravel pinging off your paint, hate driving over ruts, or are in a rental, you might not love navigating it.
If you feel uneasy when you pull up, just park near the entrance and walk. The entire area is easy to explore on foot.
Keep in mind that some of the side roads have steeper dirt hills, but they are easy to avoid (that’s what we did). The owners let you enter for free at your own risk, so keep your eyes open.
Quick Logistics
- Location: Right off US-95 just outside Goldfield (about 25 minutes south of Tonopah; marked by a small sign and easily mapped on GPS by searching “The International Car Forest.”
- Time Needed: 30 to 45 minutes.
- Crowds: Basically empty on weekday mornings.
- Cost: Free, open access (donations appreciated on-site).
