Famed off-grid Arizona saloon closes for first time in decades because of flooding

The cash-only venue runs entirely on solar power and relies on a single five-mile dirt road for visitor access

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A remote Arizona saloon famous for running entirely off the grid was forced to shut down Sunday after heavy storms washed out the only access road leading to the venue, marking its first weather-related closure in 43 years.

Sunday’s shutdown marked the establishment's first weather-related closure in its 43-year history.

“Yesterday it was beautiful there,” visitor Tracy Cromelin told FOX 10 Phoenix. “What a difference a day makes!”

Manager Stephanie Rangoussis confirmed the decision Sunday morning to keep both the bar and the accompanying Dusty Boot Cookhouse closed, saying that safety remains the primary concern. She urged visitors to stay safe and said the venue would reopen next weekend.

The unexpected closure disrupted travel plans for visitors who had traveled long distances specifically to visit the remote establishment.

Stacy Renfroe, visiting from Texas, said that her group departs Friday, meaning they would miss the scheduled reopening.

Murphy launched the business in 1983 out of a temporary three-sided structure, initially hauling water in a 50-gallon truck tank before purchasing an old fire truck for water transport. The permanent saloon was completed in 1988, featuring unique interior details including brass countertops, stamped tin ceilings sourced from a Missouri factory, custom steel bar stools that sway side to side, and windows made from old glass refrigerator doors.

Over the decades, the complex expanded off the grid to include a solid steel church constructed in 1996 for weddings, an outdoor bar, a horseshoe pit and passive cooling towers. In 1997, a solar-powered well was drilled 360 feet deep on the north side of the saloon to supply the property’s water, replacing the need to haul water by truck.