Shep's Miners Inn

But Shep’s also boasts a history as rich as that of this former silver mining boomtown. Its thick adobe walls date to the mid-to-late 1800s, when the building was constructed as a stagecoach stop. Later, it was used to house miners and their families, and after that, it became a motor court along Second Street, which at that time was the main route through town.

These days, the inn’s nine available rooms — some of which accommodate as many as six guests — welcome history buffs and visitors to attractions such as Grand Canyon West and Lake Mead National Recreation Area. No two rooms are alike, and while they retain their original rustic vibe, they offer comfortable beds and a peaceful night’s sleep, along with modern conveniences such as air conditioning, a refrigerator, a microwave and Wi-Fi. A tree-filled sitting area, perfect for evening socializing, is just outside.

In the morning, before exploring Chloride’s mining history or seeing Roy Purcell’s famous murals in the hills east of town, guests don’t have to go far to fuel up. The inn’s rooms wrap around Yesterday’s, a restaurant that serves hearty breakfasts (don’t miss the biscuits and gravy), plus lunches and dinners that include sandwiches, burgers, steaks and cold beers.

The staff of the inn and restaurant is happy to share more information about Shep’s, including the property’s place in movie history. One of Jack Nicholson’s early biker films, 1970’s The Rebel Rousers,
was filmed in Chloride, and you can spot the inn’s exterior walkways in a few scenes. Nicholson himself stayed in Room 10 during filming, and while his striped pants are pretty much the only memorable thing about that movie, “the townspeople of Chloride, Arizona” did make it into the credits.

You aren’t likely to see Nicholson riding a Harley around Chloride these days, but stay a night at Shep’s, and you never know who might check into the room next to yours. And at breakfast, some of the townspeople are likely to stop by. It’s not a ghost town, after all.