The Loneliest Roads in America

This trip was originally planned for September-October of 2023, with the idea that the weather would be cooler, the snow wouldn't have started in the higher elevations, and the leaves would be gorgeous. But the threat of a Congressional budget fight shutting down the government was a big worry--after all, 80% of Nevada is federal land, and our key destinations were all managed by the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management.

So, we decided to delay until June 2024. "It shouldn't be too hot in June."

I didn't quite expect the temperature would be 109 when we stepped off the plane in Las Vegas, or that it would hit 120 in Death Valley. On the other hand, we were wearing sweaters and gloves in Lamoille Canyon, where the snowy lakes were still frozen. This was a trip with a lot of diverse areas, but outside of Las Vegas, the over-whelming sense was how vast and empty Nevada is.

The 3-week trip ended up focusing on the following locations:

  1. Death Valley
  2. Tonopah
  3. Lunar Crater
  4. Loneliest Road (Austin to Eureka)
  5. Elko, the Ruby Mountains, and Lamoille Canyon
  6. Baker and the Great Basin National Park
  7. Caliente
  8. Boulder City and Hoover Dam

Downtown Portland

We started and ended in Las Vegas, and covered territory from Death Valley northward to the Ruby Mountains, and back south to Boulder City--1,291 miles of roadway, according to Google maps.

One thing to remember about driving in Nevada: there are VERY long stretches of highway with no gas stations. Always fill up when you have the chance!

Arriving in Las Vegas