The Loneliest Road's Endless Magic

Nevada’s Highway 50 stretches across the state from the shores of Lake Tahoe to the mountains of Great Basin National Park. It cuts through valleys wild with sagebrush and pronghorn antelope and passes Wild West saloons. This road offers travelers hot springs, petroglyphs, museums and art, but it also offers something priceless: solitude. 

Before it was Highway 50, the route was used by fearless riders who raced through the wilderness to deliver mail along the Pony Express Trail. These messengers connected the growing Western population with the rest of the nation, and though their work ended with the arrival of the telegraph and railroad, their ruined  stations remain.

A century after those Pony Express riders navigated mountain passes and sandy basins, Life Magazine described Highway 50 as the Loneliest Road in America. The moniker was meant as criticism, but it’s hard for a bad reputation to stick to a road with endless views and no traffic. Today, Nevada embraces the nickname as an earnest appeal to those who seek sunsets, ghost towns, and the pleasure of discovering something unexpected. 

This literal road less traveled is an unforgettable tour of Nevada from Lake Tahoe to Great Basin National Park. Whether ATVing at Sand Mountain Recreation Area or riding a steam train at the Nevada Northern Railway, the route is rich with opportunities to truly explore. You can get the state’s free official Highway 50 Survival Guide and have it stamped along the way, but you should also follow your curiosity. Take detours, check out that state park, and order a burger in the middle of nowhere. If you like stargazing, spotting bighorn sheep, or drinking at Old West saloons, you’ll find what you’re looking for on Highway 50.

Head to travelnevada.com to learn more.