Washoe City

Nevada is ghost-town central: the Comstock made it a state, and a century of played-out bonanzas kept it in ruins.

New Washoe City is an unincorporated community located in Washoe County, Nevada, United States. It is located in the Washoe Valley in southern Washoe County between Reno and Carson City, on the east side of Washoe Lake. It is part of the Reno–Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 1990 census, New Washoe City had a population of 2,875. The area was not listed as a census-designated place (CDP) at the 2000 census but was listed as "Washoe Valley, Nevada", for statistical purposes in the 2010 census, at which time it had a population of 3,019.

Calling it Washoe City was either optimism or a very good joke — boomtowns were never modest about their ambitions.

The on-the-ground condition of Washoe City is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.

Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.

Here's the honest truth: access to Washoe City is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.