The loneliest road U.S. Route 50 in Nevada runs through a lot of nowhere to get somewhere

By HILDA and BARRY ANDERSON
SPECIAL TO THE POST-INTELLIGENCER

EUREKA, Nev. -- The two-lane ribbon of blacktop reaches out to infinity, disappearing into a nearly invisible slot in the mountains on the far horizon. Cloud shadows drift across vast expanses of sagebrush stretching away on either side and the smell of juniper in the air is tangy from a fresh summer thunderstorm.

This is U.S. Route 50 -- The Loneliest Road in America. For lovers of wide open spaces, it is the ultimate in mind-expanding highways.

Life magazine dubbed a 284-mile section of U.S. 50 as America's loneliest road in a 1986 article. Between Fernley and Ely, the route stretches across the waist of Nevada, crossing eight mountain passes, five of them over 7,000 feet.

Why go?

Aside from the obvious been-there-done-that bragging rights, it's a magnificent road to explore. Snow-mantled mountains reach summits of more than 11,000 feet. Remnants of the pony express route are visible for much of the way. Attractions include several well-preserved 19th-century mining towns, a steam excursion railroad and Nevada's only national park.

On the principle that when you have a lemon you make lemonade, the Nevada legislature reacted to the Life article by officially declaring the route "The Loneliest Road in America" and placing signs at strategic locations along the way.

The infrequent motels, cafes and tourist stops hand out free Loneliest Road Survival Kits and sell T-shirts with the message, "I survived the loneliest road."

There's even a Loneliest Bike Store in America in Austin.

Highlights of the trip include:

Fort Churchill. A 20-mile detour south at Fernley, the impressive ruins of a frontier Army post date from 1860. The park enclosing it includes a small museum, interpretive trails and campsites.

Pony Express Trail. During their brief 18-month appearance on the world's stage (1860-61), pony express riders thundered over the sagebrush flats on lathered horses speeding the mail between Sacramento and St. Joseph, Mo.

Signs along U.S. 50 identify the trail, and two of the way stations -- Sand Springs and Cold Springs -- lie just off the highway, 50 and 59 miles east of Fallon. Both have been partially restored and offer signed interpretive trails.

Austin. Perched at the 6,577-foot level of the Toiyabe Range, ramshackle old Austin sprawls down the slopes. It's one of Nevada's best-preserved mining towns. You'll find dozens of photogenic old buildings dating from the 1860s and '70s scattered beside its steep streets.

Three historic churches, 1863 Gridley Store and the architecturally strange Stokes Castle are worthy of your attention.

If you like the rustic atmosphere of old-fashioned Western saloons, you'll find several along the way, including the Owl Club and the Last Chance Saloon in Austin and the Owl Club in Eureka.

Indian petroglyphs. Watch for signs 28 miles east of Austin at 6,564-foot Hickison Summit that point out petroglyphs (ancient pictures carved in rock) left by prehistoric Shoshones. The site is adjacent to the BLM campground.

Eureka. Another of the state's venerable mining towns, this one looks a bit more prosperous than Austin. The handsome red brick courthouse and the refurbished Eureka Theater, originally an opera house, face each other across Main Street. Both date from 1879.

Much of the town's colorful past is recorded in its six cemeteries and in the historic photos and newspaper reproductions at the Eureka Sentinel Museum.

Ely. Largest town in eastern Nevada and the seat of White Pine County, Ely offers more than 600 hotel and motel rooms, several good restaurants and recreational vehicle campgrounds.

Until tourists discovered it in the past decade, the town's prosperity depended on the open-pit copper mines. The mines are closed now, but you can still view the giant "glory holes" about five miles west of Ely.

The small county museum focuses on the mining history of the region.

These days, most visitors to Ely come to ride the "ghost train" of the Nevada Northern Railway. From May through September a variety of excursion trains, both steam- and diesel-powered, offer trips over the old line.

In addition to the regular day trips, choices include a sunset wine-and-hors d'oeuvres train and an evening starlight ride. Passengers can ride inside vintage coaches or out in the open air aboard a flat car furnished with benches.

The railroad also has a program that permits visitors to actually run a steam locomotive under the supervision of a regular engineer. Cost for the passenger trips ranges from $12 to $20 per person, depending on the route.

For information and reservations write to the Nevada Northern Railway Museum, 1100 Ave. A, East Ely, NV 89301 or call 702-289-2085.

Great Basin National Park. Though not included in Life's definition of the loneliest road, Nevada's only national park is a logical stop for anyone driving U.S. 50.

Just more than 60 miles east of Ely, the park was established in 1986 to preserve the unique ecosystems of the Great Basin, including mountain peaks, alpine meadows and lakes, limestone caves and a wide variety of plant and animal life.

The visitor center, open year-round, features interpretive exhibits of the region's flora, fauna, history and geologic development.

Twelve-mile Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive climbs to 10,000 feet on the flank of the 13,063-foot mountain for sweeping views of desert landscapes to the north and east. Several trails lead from the end of the road to an ancient bristlecone forest, a glacier and the summit of the peak.

Ranger-guided tours of Lehman Caves lead you deep underground into limestone caverns festooned with intricate calcite formations. Tours last 90 minutes.

© 1998 Barry and Hilda Anderson.
All rights reserved.