Episode 3 Itinerary: “Digging Deeper”
In this five-part series, world-renowned climber Alex Honnold ventures beyond his Las Vegas home base to explore Nevada in a way he never has before—uncovering wild, unexpected experiences that manage to surprise even him.
These episode-inspired field guides let you follow Alex’s lead to the destinations featured in the show, plus a few nearby stops worth a detour, so you can get a little out there for yourself.
Episode 3 Recap: Pro climber Alex Honnold heads to one of Nevada’s spookiest towns. In Tonopah, he hunts for ghosts, digs for gems, checks into a haunted hotel, and reunites with Tommy Caldwell for a high-alpine climb up Mt. Jefferson.
Featured Stops
Mt. Jefferson and the Alta Toquima Wilderness
Distance from Las Vegas: 280 miles
Mt. Jefferson is yet another place that takes the misconception of Nevada being one big, flat desert and quietly unravels it. Rising to 11,949 feet, it ranks among the state’s top five peaks for both elevation and prominence. The surrounding Alta Toquima Wilderness spans 35,860 acres of high-country terrain, where aspens line streambeds, bristlecone pines cling to rocky slopes, and bighorn sheep roam the ridgelines.
Getting to the higher reaches requires challenging trails through shifting terrain and conditions that can change at any time, as Alex and longtime climbing partner Tommy Caldwell discovered. However, you don’t need to charge up 4,400 feet of elevation in just roughly 5.5 miles of trail to experience what makes this place so special.
Park yourself at Pine Creek Campground, an aspen-shrouded alpine sanctuary offering developed campsites set against a flowing, trout-packed stream. From there, follow the trail a short distance for expansive views of the canyon and ridgeline towering overhead—or simply sit back, embrace the solitude, and take in the silence broken only by trickling water and the breeze through the trees.
While You’re Here
- Belmont Ghost Town—An 1860s Silver Rush town, located on the way to or from Tonopah, that boasts a stone courthouse, mining-era relics and ruins, and Dirty Dick’s Belmont Saloon—serving since 1867.
- Manhattan Ghost Town—A living ghost town home to long-abandoned buildings, a sometimes-open Sagebrush Saloon, and a church stolen from rival mining town Belmont.
- Toquima Cave—Volcanic rock walls lined with more than 300 distinct motifs painted in bright red, white, black, and yellow between 1,500 and 3,000 years ago.
Travel Nevada Pro Tip
Along the trail from Pine Creek Campground, keep an eye out for arborglyphs: pictures carved into aspen trunks by Basque sheepherders who moved their flocks through these exact same spots generations ago. Resist the urge to add your own, as these arborglyphs are revered much like petroglyphs.
Royston Turquoise Mine
Distance from Las Vegas: 215 Miles
Alex has spent his life around rocks—just not like this. In central Nevada, he went from handholds to handhelds on an Otteson Brothers Turquoise Mining Tour—one of few chances in the country to dig into the gem’s origins, guided by experts who have been working this land for three generations.
Step onto the Ottesons’ family-owned dig sites, where you’ll learn how turquoise forms, how to spot quality stone, and what makes Nevada turquoise so highly prized. Get your hands dirty, sift through raw material, and walk away with both a deeper understanding of the craft and a piece to take home.
If you get the bug, you’re in luck; when it comes to rockhounding, there’s nowhere better than the Silver State. From turquoise and agates to garnets and black fire opals, deposits are literally scattered across the state. Whether you take a tour, visit a dig-it-yourself site, or strike out into the wilderness, the game is the same: Slow down, scan the ground, and discover something that’s been waiting to be found for eons.
Get the full scoop on Nevada rockhounding here.
While You’re Here
- Gemfield—A public pay-to-dig site marked by kaleidoscopic deposits of turquoise, obsidian, agates, jasper, crystal, lithium, borax, gold, silver, and six types of chalcedony—plus a rock shop replete with polished gems.
- Tonopah Historic Mining Park—A self-guided walk through mining history across 100 acres of authentic headframes, tunnels, and equipment that powered Tonopah’s massive mining boom.
- Florence Mine Tours—Appointment-based tours of one of neighboring Goldfield’s most productive mines that showcase Nevada’s mining history close-up, both above and below ground.
Tonopah
Distance from Las Vegas: 215 Miles
Tonopah has never been subtle. Born from a silver strike in 1900, it quickly became known as the Queen of the Silver Camps, drawing miners, characters, and risk-takers to the middle of Nevada. That layered history still defines the town today, where grand old buildings, offbeat attractions, and long-held legends coexist.
Start downtown at the Mizpah Hotel, the 1907-built portrait of Tonopah’s mining-era opulence that still anchors Main Street. Join one of the hotel’s guided ghost tours to explore its halls after dark, hear the story of the Lady in Red, and visit the haunted ice box that gave Alex the chills. Pull up to the period-perfect bar and end your visit with a different kind of spirit.
Next, head to The Clown Motel, where each hand-painted room is themed after classic horror films or clown-ified pop icons. Even if you don’t spend the night, swing through the lobby to witness the world’s largest clown collection (over 6,500 pieces and counting). Allegedly paired with ghostly guests from the Old Tonopah Cemetery next door, it’s easy to see why this place calls itself America’s Scariest Motel.
While You’re Here
- Central Nevada Museum—Artifact-packed exhibits on mining and regional history that take you even deeper into the Silver State story.
- Old Tonopah Cemetery—Weathered headstones with intriguing epitaphs that illustrate just how wild this Western town really was.
- Tonopah Stargazing Park—Tables and cement pads built for setting up BYO telescopes or simply sitting and gazing up at Nevada’s famously dark (and therefore star-bright) night skies.
