Desert Bar is set to open for 2022. How to visit Arizona's most remote watering hole
The Desert Bar's annual summer closure is coming to an end. The beloved Arizona watering hole also known as the Nellie E Saloon will open for its 2022-2023 season on Oct. 1.
The iconic outpost down a dirt road in the rugged mountains near Parker, in western Arizona, welcomes thirsty visitors on Saturdays and Sundays from October through April.
Upon the Desert Bar's opening last year, the big news was that owner Ken Coughlin was looking to sell the expansive property that he built with his own hands. This year, he says he is still open to offers on the 71-acre property the saloon sits on.
Here’s what to know about the 2022-23 season at the Desert Bar.
Who owns the Desert Bar?
Ken Coughlin, the founder, builder and owner of the Desert Bar for the past 39 years, said last spring that he planned to retire and sell his bar and grill but has yet to find the right buyer.
“I have had people call me who are interested and I have taken their names and numbers but I am not rushing it,” Coughlin said. “I am still working on some things and I want to get a feel of how this season is going. I also don’t want someone getting involved here to have problems.”
Coughlin said one of the goals of his ongoing construction of the Desert Bar is to make it ready for when he leaves. Additions include a new deck where patrons can hang out, a relocated stage for the band and dumbwaiters that will deliver drinks from the lower level of the bar to the upper level.
Coughlin was keen to keep the rest of his new additions as a secret. He says wants visitors to "be surprised when they walk across the bridge" to enter the bar.
“My age is up there. I have a good crew here so I am trying to delegate more so that I can do less. Running the business takes a lot. What I really enjoy is designing and building,” Coughlin said.
Exclusive: The Desert Bar will never be done and that's just how the owner likes it
Is the Desert Bar for sale?
Coughlin said he is committed to selling. He knows he won't have control over what a new owner might do with the property, but he hopes they would share the same passion he has had for the place since he opened it in 1983.
“There are 71 acres here and I hope the person that buys it has a vision of the unlimited potential of what you could do out here,” Coughlin said.
Coughlin said he has not named a price for the property and is open to discussion. The site includes the Desert Bar as well as his home, which overlooks the establishment. He said he would discuss with potential buyers whether he would continue to live in the home.
Going to the Desert Bar? Fun things to do on your trip to Parker and western Arizona
What's on the Desert Bar menu?
The Desert Bar serves mixed drinks, canned beer, chicken and barbecue sandwiches, hot dogs and burgers. Bring cash — plastic is not accepted.
Desert Bar (Nellie E Saloon) directions
When: Noon-6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays from October through April. Closed on weekdays.
Where: From Parker, take State Route 95 north about 5 miles to Cienega Springs Road. Turn right and go 5 miles to the Desert Bar. Cienega Springs Road is unpaved and not regularly maintained. Carefully driven sedans can make it. You may be more comfortable in a high-clearance vehicle.
Cash only: The Desert Bar doesn't accept credit or debit cards.
Details: 928-667-2871, http://www.thedesertbar.com.
You can connect with Arizona Republic Culture and Outdoors Reporter Shanti Lerner through email at shanti.lerner@gannett.com or you can also follow her on Twitter.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Desert Bar in Parker, AZ: Nellie E Saloon opens for 2022-2023
