Named by Life magazine as the Loneliest Road in America, Nevada Hwy 50 is definitely deserted. Essentially, the 380 mile stretch from Carson City to Baker passes through very few communities with only several opportunities for food, gas, or hotels. The highway itself is quite historic. It travels along the route of the Pony Express Trail as well as the Lincoln Highway. It is also quite scenic. First, you’re going to pass multiple mountain ranges separated by high valleys, mostly of sagebrush and few trees. Additionally, you’ll be going through small mining towns, which in the 1870s attracted thousands of miners to the area. If you’re driving this way, here are 5 interesting stops on the Loneliest Road in America you should visit:
5 Interesting Stops on the Loneliest Road in America
Middlegate
Roughly 30 miles east of Fallon is a tiny community of Middlegate. Not much more than a stop in the middle of nowhere, Middlegate has a cool old mining saloon, a hotel, and a few artifacts going back to the mining boom. It’s a fun stop along the way, so definitely check it out.
Austin
Austin, NV is another mining town. Supposedly, 11 buildings in the town are on the National Register of Historic Places. However, in July of 2020, they all seemed to be under construction. One of the historic buildings is Stokes Castle, a stone building overlooking the town, built in 1897. It is visible from the road but if you’re interested, you can hike to it. If you’d like to take a picture of the symbolic road sign for Hwy 50, the Loneliest Road in America, you can do it here as well.
Eureka
Certainly bigger than Austin, Eureka has done a good job restoring their buildings. The highlight of the town is the pretty Opera House but other buildings also look nice. The town also boasts a little museum where you can obtain a guide for a self-guided tour of the town.
Ely
Essentially the largest town east of Carson City, Ely offers more amenities than Austin or Eureka. Why should you stop here? Well, Ely is home to the Nevada Northern Railway National Historic Landmark. You can actually take a train that will take you to several mining spots. Because we were traveling during the Covid 19 pandemic, we didn’t entertain this option. At any other time, however, it would be an interesting experience.
Baker
Baker is the gateway to Great Basin National Park. Should you stop here? Yes. There is a little coffee stand in town that offers great lattes and if you’re looking for a bite to eat, the Kerouac restaurant and bar is open Thursday- Monday.
Other points of interest on the Loneliest Road in America
- There are multiple sites dedicated to the Pony Express Trail Along the way.
- There are also several sites where you can see petroglyphs.
- Fallon Naval Air Station
- Carson City- If you’ve never been, Carson City is certainly a cool town to explore!
