According to my dad, “It used to be a mining claim. The owner had a liquor license from a closed down bar and when he decided to open the bar there there was no electricity and no water. The big towers are like giant a/c units that don’t use power. Food is burgers and tri-tip sandwiches (my favorite) and fries. They usually have a band playing too.” They have limited hours and take cash only—their website it says they are open Oct through April, Saturdays and Sundays only from high noon until 6PM AZ time.

Desert Bar is pretty much an all-outdoor space. You can get there by taking a dirt road, Cienega Springs, and it ends up being about 40 minutes from town. It’s a popular destination for off-roaders as well, and the off-road route, which is an old mining road closer to the dam, is a bit harrowing—you have to crawl over huge steep red rocks and this takes a while and some skill.

Their website tells the story and the physical structure’s particularities best, so here it is in their words:

“The “Nellie E Saloon” (DESERT BAR) is situated in the Buckskin Mountains, in Parker, Arizona, on land that was an old mining camp. The camp was located on the portion of land that is now the parking lot. When Ken acquired the land in 1975, there was nothing left of the old mining camp. With the land and a liquor license from an old business on leased river land, Ken decided to give the “bar in the desert” idea a try. In 1983, Ken opened for business in the temporary three-sided structure which is across from the outdoor restrooms. He operated there for the next five years, until the current saloon was constructed. The name “Nellie E” originates from the old mining claim. They used to mine copper and then take it to the smelter and get gold.

When Ken opened the bar, he hauled water in a 50-gallon tank loaded on the back of his truck. Then he purchased an old fire truck, which he used to haul water. In 1989, he started using a well in the canyon as his water source. In the summer of 1997, Ken drilled a new well on the north side of the saloon that operates on solar power, with the pump set at 360 feet.

The fire truck in the parking lot was acquired from Scott Winter in March of 2001. The fire truck was used by Scott’s father in the development of “Bluewater Lagoon”

The “Nellie E” was completed in 1988. The inside of the saloon is unique in many ways. It has windows that are old glass refrigerator doors, the bar stools are made of steel and they sway from side to side. The top of the bar is brass and the ceiling is made of stamped tin purchased from a factory in Missouri. The saloon is powered by solar energy and is stored in batteries and run through inverters.

Built in 1991, the covered walk bridge was the next big project. It was dedicated in October of that same year. The church was started in 1993, completed in 1996 and dedicated in October. The church is made of solid steel and the walls and ceiling are made of the same stamped tin used inside the bar and the roof is made of copper. The names inscribed on the plaques in the church are people who donated money to help build the church. The church is a unique place
and great photo spot. There are no services held in the church and all religions are welcome.

Across from the saloon is an outside bar, cooking area and stage. The tall structures you see on the property including Ken’s house, located across from the parking lot, are “cooling towers”. They work similar to an evaporative (swamp) cooler, except they don’t have a fan. When you wet the pads on top, cool air falls and you get a nice cool airflow.

Behind the outside bar is a horseshoe pit and to the right is a stage for live music or D.J.

We have live music October through April, depending on the weather. Music is on Saturdays is from 1:00 p.m. Till 5:00 p.m. and Sundays from 12:30 until 4:30 […] Ken has big plans for a future town, so be sure to visit every year! He is always working on a new project.”