The Loneliest Road

The loneliest road is the name given to the stretch of US-50 that crosses Nevada.  It follows the old Pony Express route.  Since most traffic takes Interstate 80 to the north, US-50 is seldom travelled.

We picked up our survival guide in Ely

The Pony Express was a short lived delivery system that was replaced by the telegraph and train travel.

The named portion starts at Baker, goes to Ely, Eureka, Austin, Fallon and ends in Fernley.  The reality is that when you get to Fallon it stops being so lonely.

From Baker to Fallon you cross many mountain ranges.  This is the heart of the Basin and Range Province. The result is that for 320 miles you are either going up a mountain pass, going down a mountain pass or driving across a valley with a mountain not too far away.

We left Delta and crossed the bed of Lake Bonneville for the second time. By the time we got to Nevada we had left the ancient lake behind.

Entering Nevada just outside Baker

Our first stop was Great Basin National Park.  Some of the highlights here are the Lehman Caves, views of the surrounding area, especially from Wheeler Peak, and Bristlecone Pine trees.  We did not get out to see Wheeler Peak or the 3000 year old trees due to road closures.  Maybe next time.

Hiking in Great Basin National Park

The view from our hike

Notch Peak in Utah from Great Basin NP

The Lehman Caves

Next we were on to Ely.  The road there was a sign of things to come.  Up and down mountains and across broad flat valleys.

Between Baker and Ely

Windmills between Baker and Ely

Ely is a mining town that secured its place on the map when the owner of the Nevada Northern railroad convinced the owner of the Southern Pacific railroad to join tracks.  Without this Ely would likely be another ghost town in central Nevada.

Welcome to Ely

The Nevada Northern Railway Station

The belt drive for a lathe at the railroad workshop

A belt driven lathe

A big lathe

The Ghost Train of Ely

Many murals adorn the walls of Ely

Leaving Ely we set out once again across the desert to Eureka.

From Ely to Eureka

Almost to Eureka

Almost there

Eureka is a well preserved mining town.  We were there on Nevada day, the last Friday in October.  The main attraction is the main street the opera building.

Welcome to Eureka!

Eureka Opera House

Eureka Museum was closed due to the Nevada Day holiday.

Back on the road and on our way to Austin.

Crossing a broad flat valley

Descending one of the many mountain passes

It turned out there was not a lot to see in Austin except for Stokes Castle.

Stokes Castle

Looking west from Stokes Castle

When we were in Elko we stopped in the visitor center and were told about the Berlin Ichthyosaur State Park.  It was a ways off of the highway but sounded interesting so we made the journey.  It was well worth the effort to get there. 

The road to the ghost town of Berlin

A life size depiction of an Ichthyosaur.

Leaving Berlin we stopped for lunch at Middlegate Station.  Formerly a Pony Express stop, today it is a quirky restaurant in the middle of nowhere.  It is frequented by folks who bring there off road toys to the area to explore the desert. 

Still waiting for a tow truck

Middlegate Station

History of Middlegate Station from the restaurant menu.

The last truly lonely stretch of US-50 took us to Fallon.

Camping at Sand Mountain Recreation Area to ride the dunes.

US-50 passes through a dry lake that is labeled simply "Salt Bed" on the USGS Topo map.

Fallon is a much bigger town that the others we had seen on US-50

West of Fallon the two lane highway gives way to a divided highway.

Arriving in Fernley we were back in familiar territory.  We had passed this way on our way east on I-80.  We stayed the night in Dayton before leaving US-50 and heading south.

Fernley Nevada