The Nellie E Saloon also known as The Desert Bar

The Nellie E Saloon (named for the copper mine that used to be on the site) is better known as The Desert Bar. It is just outside of Parker, Arizona.

Ken Coughlin acquired the land for the saloon in the late 70s and he was open for business in the early 80s. Over the years he has continued to add on to the bar and it's now a sprawling set of structures on multiple levels. It is solar powered, uses well water, and is cooled utilizing the tall towers you can see on the property. It's pretty ingenious - pads are wetted down creating cool air which flows downward.

If you want to visit the Desert Bar, you'll have to do it between October and April as it is closed from May to September due to the weather. Hours are noon-6pm Saturday and Sunday ONLY. Make sure to bring money as this is a cash only business. Once you get to the Desert Bar you can eat, listen to music and take in the sights.

The bar's creator, who lives on site, has had the area up for sale since early 2021. So far there have been no buyers but if you do take a trip up this way, it might be a good idea to check out their Facebook page and make sure everything is still up and running.

View as you are driving toward the entrance to The Desert Bar. The road is dirt and there are hills in the background. Straight ahead ou see what looks like the front of a church in the distance with cars parked around it. Off to the left there is a building of some sort with a low, white roof.
As you make your way towards the Desert Bar, you'll see the church once you are getting close.
Close up of the church, which is just a facade. There is a building front with a large arched open doorway and false walls on either side with tall arched windows. The midsection with the doorway extends a couple stories up, with a round window on an upper level and above that two smaller arched windows. The roof is peaked and has a small triangular false window in it. The building is a rusted corrugated metal while the roof has the slightly greenish patina of weathered copper.
This isn't an actual building or a real church, more just a facade. It's a nice little photo op area.
Inside the facade the ceiling is made of stamped tin pieces with large floral medallion in the middle. The rest of the tiles have decorative swags, circles and other designs.
Church ceiling - love that stamped work!
Detail of the inner church facade wall. It is stamped tin with an arched frame, vines twining around and through the opening and something that looks like a sconce with a flame inside the arch.
One of the church walls with some more decorative stamped work.
View of the floor in the church facade which is stamped concrete. The design is a many pointed sun with several circles of pointed rays painted in dark yellow and light orange. The outermost ring is painted a sky blue.
The floor of the church - so colorful, I love it!
View of the footbridge leading into the Desert Bar. There is a brick path leading to the covered bridge and there are warning signs on either side of the bridge entrance. The one on the left says NO DRINKING IN PARKING LOT and the one on the right says NO BEVERAGES ENTERING OR LEAVING. Beyond the footbridge is a covered area with chairs and talbes and a tall roof covered in solar panels. Behind the roof are 2 tall cooling towers.
The footbridge leading into the main desert bar area. Under the bridge is another area with tables and also where you go to buy your food. I had an absolutely delicious pastrami sandwich when I was there.
Photo of items made from horseshoes. On the right is a low chair, in the center is a taller rocking chairand on the left is a turtle.
Lots of things made out of horseshoes! Here we have a chair and a turtle - or I guess he could be a low stool.
There is a cactus made out of horseshoes on a rocky, hilly area.
And here we have a horseshoe cactus.
Photo of the original Desert Bar which is just a wooden shack with a lot of large rocks in front of it.
This was the original Desert Bar - just a shack tucked away in the middle of nowhere.
Photo of a very old firetruck. It is rusty red and looks like it might be from the 1930s.
Old firetruck
Photo of one of the light fixtures. It has 5 or 6 curlicue and twisted copper bars ending with the ends curled outward at the top and a twisted copper finial. The light is covered with what almost looks like an upside down Mason jar.
I love things that are both functional and beautiful - here's a light fixture with copper wire.
Photo of a very old tractor which is rusty and appears to have a sign on the back wheel but the letters are not visible.
Old tractor - I believe the sign on it says DON'T TOUCH.
Photo of a very old, black classic truck. It looks like it could be from the 1930s or even earlier.
Old, very classic car
Photo of part of the parking lot which shows pieces of mining equipment and old cars.
There are bits of old stuff all over the property, a lot of it left over from its days as a mining camp.
Photo of the main dining area and stage. There is a band playing on the stage and many of the tables have people sitting at them. There are 2 steps leading up to the level with the stage and a bar area to the left. There i a tree under the open air roof and surrounding the tree are 3 large barrels for aluminum and plastic recycling.
Looking over the main dining area with stage for live music.
Overview of the Desert Bar seen from a high point. The church facade is in the background as is the footbridge. The area under the footbridge is visible - there are tables and tents set up. Several structures with angled roofs, some with solar panels on them, can be seen. Hills are in the background behind the church facade.
An overview of the property