Eureka
Eureka, Nevada bills itself as the Friendliest Town on the Loneliest Road in America. This charming little town is one of the American West’s best-preserved mining communities, thanks to dozens of beautifully intact historic buildings to admire and plenty of hands-on history to explore, along with modern comforts, tasty food and drink, and endless outdoor adventure a stone’s throw away.
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“The Friendliest Town on the Loneliest Road”
“Eureka!” – You’ve Found It!
Eureka Nevada is an absolute must-stop along your Loneliest Road in America road trip. This old-school mining town—one of the most successful in past and even recent history—packs plenty of charm into its small borders. Get one of the best glimpses of Nevada’s 19th-century mining-era glory days of any town in the state as you stroll past original buildings—some dating back to the 1870s and 1880s, like the Eureka Opera House, Sentinel Museum, and Jackson House Hotel—and explore shops or take tours. Make a night of it with dinner at a handful of tasty cafés followed by a stay at a historic or modern Eureka NV hotels. And if you’re launching off on (or in the middle of) a central Nevada backcountry excursion—the ghost town scene is particularly vibrant out here—Raine’s Market Deli is the biggest and best place to stock up on groceries and camping supplies for hours in just about every direction.
Region
North Central
History of Eureka Nevada
In 1864 several prospectors made their way east from booming Austin in search of less crowded diggin’s, which they found—at least for a brief moment. Eventually, their “eureka” moment arrived in the form of a silver strike that would become the state’s largest, second only to the unrivaled Comstock Lode in Virginia City.
Unlike thousands of Western boomtowns that quickly went bust, Eureka continued to prosper, thanks to its proximity to troves of silver, lead, zinc, and (still today) gold. At its height, Eureka could churn out 700 tons of ore in a single day, a feat that secured status as the seat of the richest county in the Silver State.
Then wander across the street and into the Eureka Sentinel Museum, home to the bygone Eureka Sentinel newspaper from 1879-1960, to dive into regional history among original printing presses and other one-of-a-kind artifacts. Meanwhile, in the heart of downtown, the Eureka County Courthouse has operated in the same building since 1876.
Travel Nevada Pro Tip
Experience this fascinating chapter first-hand by visiting Eureka’s public-welcoming cultural institutions, starting with the famed Eureka Opera House. Nearly impossible to miss when passing through town, the 1880-built Eureka Opera House once hosted plays, masquerade balls, operas, early cinema, and more. Tour it for free or time it right and catch a live performance.
Then wander across the street and into the Eureka Sentinel Museum, home to the bygone Eureka Sentinel newspaper from 1879-1960, to dive into regional history among original printing presses and other one-of-a-kind artifacts. Meanwhile, in the heart of downtown, the Eureka County Courthouse has operated in the same building since 1876.
Things To Do in Eureka, Nevada
The best way to take it all in is on the Eureka Historical Walking Tour; grab the brochure/guide from either your hotel’s lobby or a local business. With 62 locations—most of which are within the same three-block radius—you can carve out a path through Eureka Nevada’s intriguing past. If you’d rather see the past come to life in a different way, head to the Jackson House Hotel and ask about the Eureka Historical Ghost Tour. Or simply pack your pinky to a hosted tea party in the 1877-built property’s period dining room.
Eureka also makes a great basecamp for outdoor adventures in the surrounding areas. History buffs and ghost town aficionados will adore poking around the incredible still-standing structures and remains of Ruby Hill (located just west of town), as well as Belmont Mill and Hamilton. Proper off-road rigs are recommended for jaunts out to the latter two—especially after any kind of precipitation whatsoever—as well out on the hundreds of miles of OHV trails that surround Eureka.
Travel Nevada Pro Tip
Eureka, NV, Restaurants
For a small town, Eureka is certainly able to satisfy some big appetites. Our favorite spots? The Owl Club Bar & Steakhouse for hearty breakfast, lunch, and dinner that’s been made the same home-style way by the same folks since 1981. Urban Cowboy Bar & Grill for Mexican faves, including some legendary chile verde. Sacha’s Pizza & Sugar Shack for hot slices, panini, Italian sodas, and sweet treats. And Eureka Depot for espresso drinks, fancy teas, and tasty breakfast sandwiches in a beautiful historic room.
As mentioned above, Raine’s Market Deli is your place to stock up on grub and gear. Located just a mile down the hill north of town, what started as a little mom-and-pop general store downtown in 1973—well-loved in the region for 43 years—is now a 35,000-square-foot still family-owned combo of a supermarket, hardware store, outdoor outfitter, drug store, and also deli that serves up great to-go eats for Highway 50 travelers, locals, and a wide radius of area ranchers alike.
Eureka NV Hotels
Eureka, Nevada is one of our favorite places to overnight along the Loneliest Road in America, thanks to its range of options. Eureka is home to two Uncommon Overnighters: the beautiful 1877-built Jackson House Hotel (no extra charge for the potential paranormal activity) and the 1880-built Eureka Doll House, a cozy little place that merges old-fashioned charm with modern conveniences, like a full kitchen and a jacuzzi bathtub.
For a standard hotel/motel experience, the Eureka Gold Country Inn offers a plethora of rooms with an on-site hot tub, the Sundown Lodge provides comfort in the heart of town, and the Silver Sky Lodge & RV Park welcomes the home-is-where-you-park-it crowd with full hookups, laundry, showers, a pet-friendly atmosphere, and also tent sites and cabins to those who don’t measure their vehicle’s interior with square feet.
Events in Eureka Nevada
Considering fewer than 500 people call Eureka Nevada home, there are several events during which there are more spectators here than locals. Each May the straight-out-of-a-Western Eureka Opera House hosts the Nevada Old Time Fiddlers’ Contest, an all-acoustic celebration of raw fiddle talent with divisions ranging from under-12 to 70+.
Cathleen Allison/Visit Carson City
In June, no town is a more worthy host for the Eureka Gold Rush Games than the longest-running actual mining town in the entire Silver State. You don’t have to know how hard it was to master double jack drilling, team jack drilling, hand mucking, spike driving, etc., to appreciate why some Nevadans take pride in keeping these skills alive.
If you happen to coincide your Loneliest Road in America road trip with some local events, get ready to talk to some strangers. The entire town turns out for both the Eureka Art, Wine & Music Festival, a public-welcoming town-wide celebrations of the town’s heritage, as well as of the inordinate amount of art created by those who’ve made this region their muse.
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