Miles from Anywhere, Close to Everything
Comins Lake, south of Ely, is a popular destination for fishing and birding. | Travel Nevada
Campgrounds, caves, sand dunes and stars—the wild landscapes along Nevada’s Highway 50 are built for the bold and the curious.
With its bristlecone forests, sand dunes, and starry night skies, Highway 50 offers room to roam in whatever form that might take for you. The isolated stretch of road covers a geographically diverse section of Nevada, the most mountainous state in the contiguous United States—and an underrated destination for outdoor adventure.
If you like fishing, spend a day on the Carson River at Dayton State Park, where you’ll find white bass, catfish, trout, and walleye. Afterwards, stretch your legs with a short hike to the Rock Point Mill and enjoy a picnic beneath the shade of cottonwood trees. Another popular stop along Highway 50 is Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park, located south of Ely. Here, six conspicuous beehive-shaped structures rise up from the sage. These well-preserved charcoal ovens are all that’s left of the long-gone mining town of Ward. The campground here is rarely busy and a perfect place for experiencing the area’s famously dark skies. For another peaceful camping option, head to Spencer Hot Springs, just off of Highway 50 near Austin. Soak in thermal pools amidst the dramatic mountains of the Big Smoky Valley and then pitch a tent nearby and fall asleep beneath the stars.
Sand Mountain Recreation Area, located between Fallon and Middlegate, is decidedly less quiet, thanks to the curious phenomenon of singing dunes—a booming that can be heard when the wind hits the sand just right. Off-roading is big at Sand Mountain, but you can also climb the 600-foot sand dune on foot.
If you crave a bigger climb, head to Great Basin National Park. This crowd-free national park is home to Wheeler Peak, which at 13,065 feet is the second highest mountain in Nevada (the 8.6-mile hike to summit this peak might be tough, but it’s definitely a rewarding experience). Great Basin also offers Nevada’s only glacier, an ancient bristlecone forest, and tours of Lehman Caves. Whichever you choose, you’ll sleep well at Whispering Elms, a motel and campground with plenty of shade and a seasonal build-your-own burger restaurant.
Head to travelnevada.com to learn more.