Set your GPS for the “Ashford Mill Ruins” — a two-hour route from Vegas that bypasses the park’s main entrance for the “back way.” You’ll cut through a corner of Pahrump and drive through Shoshone, a former mining town with a semi-historic saloon and diner (Crowbar). I stopped by the free Shoshone Museum and the owner (a former chef at Ferraro’s 👀) was super cool, supplying a free map, advice, and time expectations. Check out the exhibits, including mammoth and mastodon bones, and leave some moolah in the donation box.