With temperatures that can reach 120 degrees during the day, one wonders how people can stand to live in such heat. Nevertheless, the desert populations have grown, and the 20+ residents of Nipton are hoping their town will follow the trends.
Recently they installed a sun-powered generator to harness the power of their natural resources, and may supply around 85% of the town's energy needs through this new method. Someday they may event go off the grid altogether.
Nipton is a road stop with a cafe, RV park, and and a hamburger restaurant with the "best hamburgers in Nipton", and an old adobe B&B style hotel built in 1910 and featuring 5 sleeping rooms—three with double beds. Nipton Camp and Conference Center (nipton.com)
There are also four eco-tent cabins, providing accommodations for no more than a handful of visitors to the area. A conference center was dedicated in 2009 for the needs of those visiting and for the small community.
Located 10 miles off Interstate 15 on Nipton Road, and two miles from the state border, it takes about an hour to get to Las Vegas from the town. Nipton Trading Post sells foods, staples, and an interesting selection of tourist items and souvenirs, including Southwest themes. Getting rights to sell Lottery Tickets back in 1989 when the California State Lottery was launched, Nipton had the market locked down and saw an increase in business due to lottery ticket sales. Nipton Trading Post was the largest sales volume location of lottery tickets in California in 1990 and 1991.
Nipton is named for the 1900 gold discovery apex claim, given the name "Nippeno". A crossroads wagon community where the miners live becomes known as Nippeno Camp. By 1904 crews for the San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad pass through Nippeno and a hotel was built in anticipation of the town's growth.