Loneliest Road in America
Highway 50: Plenty of Space at Your Own Pace
Route Distance
375 to 500 miles
Suggested Time
2 to 4 Days
In July of 1986, Life magazine dubbed Nevada’s Highway 50 the “Loneliest Road in America.” The article claimed there were “no points of interest” along the route and “warned” readers not to risk traveling it unless they were confident of their “survival skills.” However, Nevada adventurers knew better then—and still do. And sure, a road doesn’t get much more wide-open than Highway 50. But that’s exactly why we dig it. Today, this famous Nevada road trip is your gateway to ghost towns, historic mining communities, stunning state parks, unsurpassed recreational opportunities, and a handful of authenticity-packed Sagebrush Saloons, to boot.
Highlights
- Earn road tripper cred, stamp by stamp, with your Highway 50 Survival Guide
- Toast your travels in real-deal roadhouses and storied Sagebrush Saloons
- Encounter the oldest trees under the darkest skies at Great Basin National Park
Chasing Horizons on a Route 50 Road Trip
Anything But Lonesome on the Loneliest Road
American Indians. The Pony Express. Gold miners. And now…you. Come chase some history while making plenty of your own. If it’s outdoor action you’re after, get ready for hiking, biking, camping, stargazing, hot springing, off-roading, wildlife watching, and Sagebrush Saloon-hopping. You’ll also encounter a few welcoming, far-flung (but just-close-enough) small towns, from farm-fresh Fallon to western history-packed Austin, Eureka, and Ely along the way. Cap it all off at Great Basin National Park, where sky-scraping peaks and 5,000-year-old trees beckon visitors who prefer their national parks served without a side of elbows at their vista points.
Glovebox Essentials
Prepare for Your Adventure
Get ready to come chase some horizons with this handy tool kit. Here, you’ll find all the Loneliest Road in America road trip essentials, including downloadable directions, maps, and podcasts, and tunes to complement your upcoming adventure.
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Featured Story
The Roaming Gnome Road Trips the Loneliest Road in America
Loneliest Road in America Playlist
The Loneliest Food in America—Part 1: Baker + Ely
The Loneliest Food in America—Part 2: Eureka + Kingston
The Loneliest Food in America—Part 3: Austin, Middlegate + Fallon
The Loneliest Food in America—Part 4: Dayton, Carson City + Stateline
Buzzfeed Bring Me! Along the Loneliest Road in America
Hit the Wide-Open Road
Heaps to Explore on Highway 50
From ghost towns and state parks to hot springs and Sagebrush Saloons, the Loneliest Road is alive with passions to chase. Along the way, you’re bound to enjoy Highway 50’s endless vistas, friendly communities, and historic towns filled with stories and characters who can spin a yarn that’ll keep you mesmerized and yearning to explore more.
Leg 1
Follow in the Hoof-steps of the Pony Express
Snag a Highway 50 Survival Guide (and first stamp) in Carson City, then hit the Loneliest Road, visiting Fallon, Sand Mountain, the Shoe Tree, and more en route to Austin NV.
Leg 2
Get Found in the Middle of Somewhere
Check out a “castle” with a view and shop for turquoise in Austin before heading toward Eureka, with detours to a hot spring, a sagebrush saloon, and a ghost town.
Leg 3
“Eureka!” Discover the Heart of Nevada.
Explore an opera house, haunted hotel, and newspaper museum in the old mining town of Eureka before cruising to Ely, where great grub, neat history, and outdoor action await.
Leg 4
A Day (or More) in the Parks
This leg is all about Great Basin National Park. 5,000-year-old trees. Millenia-old cave formations. 13,064-ft Wheeler Peak. And a few million stars. You do the math.
Leg 1
Reno or Carson City to Austin NV
170 to 215 miles
- Fall for Fallon’s farm-to-fork fare, arts scene, and wildlife watching
- Attempt to slay the massive Monster Burger at Middlegate Station
- Tour a ghost town and prehistoric fossil site at Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park
Embark from Carson City, Nevada’s cultured-up capital town. Before you ditch civilization, order your Highway 50 Survival Guide (or grab one from our pals at the Visit Carson City HQ). Collect stamps in at least five communities along your journey and we’ll send you some sweet “survivor” swag. Then head for the old mountaintop mining town of Austin, by way of Fallon, an ancient petroglyph site, a huge singing sand dune, an old-school roadhouse, and more.
Travel Nevada Pro Tip
Launching from Reno? You can also connect to route 50 in Fernley.
Stay in a motel or a cute, cozy suite in town at Union Street Lodging in town, or opt for an Uncommon Overnighter in an ornate, old-fashioned estate room in a star-studded valley at Paradise Ranch Castle
Best Western Fallon Inn & Suites
Fallon
Kingston Cabin
Kingston
Holiday Inn Express – Fallon
Fallon
Reese River Cabins
Austin
Cold Springs Station Resort
Fallon
Paradise Ranch Castle
Austin
Dayton RV Park
Dayton
Cozy Mountain Motel
Austin
Union Street Lodging B&B
Austin
Uncover mining-era history at Dayton, Fort Churchill, Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Parks. Be a bird nerd at Stillwater NWR or a culture-vulture at Oats Park Art Center. Or send it big at Sand Mountain Recreation Area.
Dayton State Park
Dayton
The Shoe Tree of Middlegate
Middlegate Station
Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park
Gabbs
Hidden Cave & Grimes Point Archaeological Site
Fallon
Middlegate Station
Fallon
Fort Churchill State Historic Park
Silver Springs
Churchill County Museum & Archives
Fallon
Republic of Molossia
Dayton
Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge
Fallon
Lattin Farms
Fallon
Find farm-to-fork foodie flavors in Fallon, “The Oasis of Nevada.” Tour Frey Ranch, one of the USA’s only estate distilleries. Or take on the infamous, multi-pound Monster Burger at Middlegate Station to win a trophy shirt.
The Slanted Porch
Fallon
J’s Old Town Bistro
Dayton
Middlegate Station
Fallon
Cold Springs Station Resort
Fallon
Dayton Taphouse
Dayton
The Courtyard Café & Bakery
Fallon
Telegraph Coffee & Tap
Fallon
Roadrunner Café
Dayton
Frey Ranch Farmers + Distillers
Fallon
Azteca Grill & Bakery
Fallon
Visitors flock to Fallon to appreciate Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge’s 260+ migratory bird species, to celebrate the town’s famed Hearts of Gold cantaloupes, and take a shot at out-drawing fellow sharpshooters.
Leg 2
Austin, NV to Eureka, NV
70 to 135 miles
- Browse turquoise jewelry and other Nevada gems at Jason’s Art Gallery
- Get stoked to soak and listen for braying burros at Spencer Hot Springs
- Admire ancient art at Hickison Petroglyph Recreation Area and Toquima Cave
Sure, you could blast from Austin to Eureka in just over an hour. But with all these on-the-way wonders, what would be the fun in that? That’s why we’ve designated this slice of Highway 50 its own leg—one offering chances to pull up a stool in a classic Sagebrush Saloon with a Big Smoky Valley view; soak your cares away while listening for the bray of wild burros at Spencer Hot Springs; examine millennia-old cave paintings and rock carvings; and more. Combine it with Leg 3 or make it a full day on its own. The options are endless.
Sleep and sip in 1870s opulence at the elegant, beautifully restored Jackson House Hotel & Tea Room (ghost tours on weekends). Or cozy it up in the Eureka Doll House, a gorgeous little 1880-built cottage with a jacuzzi tub.
Sundown Lodge
Eureka
The 1870 Heritage House
Eureka
Stone Church Lodge
Eureka
Colonnade Hotel
Eureka
Jackson House Hotel & Tea Room
Eureka
Eureka Doll House
Eureka
Ike’s Canyon Ranch
Las Vegas
On this historic leg, investigate 3,000-year-old cave paintings and 10,000-year-old petroglyphs, taste tea between ghost tours at Jackson House Hotel, and glimpse mining-era grandeur at an opera house and newspaper museum.
Eureka Sentinel Museum
Eureka
Toiyabe Crest National Recreation Trail & Arc Dome Wilderness
Austin
Eureka Opera House
Eureka
Eureka Underground Tunnels
Eureka
Stokes Castle
Austin
Hickison Petroglyph Recreation Area
Austin
Eureka Historic Walking Tour
Eureka
Spencer Hot Springs
Austin
Toquima Cave
Toquima Mountain Range
Jason’s Art Gallery
Austin
Dip down about twenty minutes southwest off Highway 50 to Kingston, home of the Lucky Spur Saloon, where the drinks are strong and the decor fits the name. In Eureka, dig into steaks and American classics at the Owl Club.
Raine’s Market Deli
Eureka
Lucky Spur Saloon
Kingston
Eureka Owl Club
Eureka
Urban Cowboy Bar & Grill
Eureka
Champs Burgers
Austin
Hop into haunted history at the Jackson House Hotel, which has lured the Travel Channel’s Ghost Adventures crew. Or listen as some of Nevada’s most talented musicians fiddle their way to victory in the Eureka Opera House.
Leg 3
Eureka to Ely
80 to 185 miles
- Peruse gems at Garnet Mercantile or rockhound for your own at Garnet Hill
- Explore Cave Lake State Park and cruise the aspen-lined Success Loop
- Buzz around beehive-shaped kilns at Ward Charcoal Ovens State Park
The short, beautiful 1.25-hour drive from Eureka to Ely rewards you with plenty of time to fill your day exploring a mountain town built on art, history, and outdoor adventure. Stop at Garnet Hill to search the ground for ruby-like stones before rolling into town, where you’ll find more gems at the bauble-filled Garnet Mercantile, plus paintings at the Ely Art Bank and on a town-wide mural tour. After wandering trails, rails, and historic sites, treat yourself to a hearty dinner and rest up for the last leg of the Loneliest Road in America.
The western-chic, century-old Hotel Nevada delights with funky flair, killer neon, and rooms honoring famous former guests, while the Bristlecone delivers mountain views, and the Prospector offers paw-some, pet-friendly rooms.
Bristlecone Motel
Ely
Holiday Inn Express & Suites—Ely
Ely
Magnuson Park-Vue Motel
Ely
El Rancho Motel
Ely
La Quinta Inn & Suites—Ely
Ely
Historic Hotel Nevada & Gambling Hall
Ely
Jailhouse Motel & Casino
Ely
Prospector Hotel & Gambling Hall
Ely
With hands-on history at a railroad museum, a working locomotive yard, and Renaissance Village; fabulous art at the Ely Art Bank and all over town; and outdoor activities galore, discover what it means to get Ely-vated.
Renaissance Village and Ely Mural Walking Tour
Ely
Nevada Northern Railway Museum
Ely
Cave Lake State Park
Ely
Ward Mountain Recreation Area
Ely
Garnet Hill
Ely
Ely Art Bank
Ely
East Ely Railroad Depot Museum
Ely
Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park
Ely
McGill Drugstore Museum
McGill
There’s a lot to eat in Ely. From one of Nevada’s best Basque chorizo burgers to old-fashioned malts to juicy steaks served in your own private jail cell, you’ll have your plate full with this list of our favorite Ely eats.
Economy Drug & Old Fashioned Soda Fountain
Ely
Racks Bar & Grill
Ely
The Cup
Ely
From on-the-ice sculpting, fishing, and bowling contests to cranking the pedals in bike races up mountains or against old-school steam locomotives, Ely’s no stranger to exciting events.
Leg 4
Ely to Great Basin National Park
65 to 95 miles
- Stargaze in the Lower 48’s darkest night skies at Great Basin National Park
- Trip out on kaleidoscopic patterns and rare formations at Lehman Caves
- Wind up Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive to breathtaking views at 10,000 feet
Another hour-and-change drive whisks you to wonderment at Great Basin National Park, a sanctuary where solitude can still be found and nature runs wild. Get gnarly among 5,000-year-old bristlecone pine trees—the oldest living things on Earth. Drive up to 10,000 feet and hoof it up to 13,064-ft Wheeler Peak—Nevada’s 2nd tallest. Navigate stalactites and stalagmites at stunning Lehman Caves. Then discover why “half the park is after dark” as you scan the Lower 48’s darkest night skies for shooting stars and entire galaxies.
Enjoy Great Basin’s incomparable night skies from the courtyard at Stargazer Inn, from the hot tub at Hidden Canyon Retreat, your RV site at Whispering Elms, or around the campfire at one of the National Park campgrounds.
Whispering Elms Campground, Motel and RV Park
Baker
Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive & Campground
Baker
Border Inn RV Park
Baker
Stargazer Inn & Bristlecone General Store
Baker
Hidden Canyon Retreat
Baker
Cruise into Baker via Osceola Ghost Town. Then hit the park to check out water-carved formations in Lehman Caves, hike among ancient trees and towering peaks, fish backcountry lakes, and gaze galaxies with your naked eye.
Osceola Ghost Town
Osceola
Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive & Campground
Baker
Lehman Caves
Baker
Great Basin National Park
Baker
Mt. Moriah Wilderness Area
Baker
Great Basin Hiking Trails
Baker
Baker: small town, big flavors. Slide into Sugar, Salt & Malt for everything from breakfast to sushi and ice cream cookie sammies. Pick up burgers and burritos at 487 Grill, AM eats to go at Great Basin Café, and south-of-the-border favorites at Sandra’s Mexican Food.
Stargazer Inn & Bristlecone General Store
Baker
487 Grill
Baker
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True Tales & Travel Tips
Featured Stories
Get our takes on must-experience attractions, excursions, restaurants, and lodging—as well as plenty of pro tips on visiting ghost towns, parks, historic sites, and far more—all curated by those who know this wild state by heart.