From overlooked roadside attractions to unusual museums and obscure natural wonders, Local Hidden Gems will showcase some of the unique and unexpected treasures that make America extraordinary. We emphasize charm, surprise and delight.
Local hidden gem: White Pine County, Nevada
Nevada’s White Pine County is well off the beaten path. It’s a brisk day’s drive from Las Vegas, Reno or Salt Lake City, along what Life Magazine once called “America’s loneliest road.”
But its remoteness is exactly what makes it a spectacular draw for travelers seeking the outdoors – along with soaring mountain peaks, dark skies for spectacular stargazing and a surprisingly busy events calendar for a province of just 9,000 residents.
The county seat of Ely is the jumping off point for the Northern Nevada Railway, where visitors can not only ride the rails, but also operate the locomotive – or even spend a week as a member of a track crew as part of a Railroad Reality Week. It is also the finish line for the Silver State Classic Challenge, an 87-mile open road race recognized by Guinness as the world’s fastest open road race, reaching speeds of over 200 mph. (Want to participate? It’s open to anyone with a vehicle that can average at least 90 miles per hour… although there are of course a handful of other safety requirements.)
Local Hidden Gems: A spotlight on the American treasures in our backyards
Speed plays a role in several more special events in town, including the Fears, Tears and Beers Enduro Mountain Bike Race in June, the White Pine County Fair and Horse Races in August and the Race the Rails train-vs.-bikes duel in September.
Ely is an attraction in itself and also an ideal home base to explore the region. The town of about 4,000 residents is home to the historic Hotel Nevada, the antique soda fountain at Economy Drug and the kitschy charm of the Jailhouse Motel & Casino’s Cell Block restaurant, where guests can enjoy their meal in a booth behind bars.
Great Basin National Park, about an hour’s drive from Ely, is one of the country’s most underrated national parks. It is home to breathtaking mountain peaks, the world’s oldest living trees and a wide variety of flora and fauna. Visitors will find unique vistas above and below ground – Dark Sky International recognizes the park as one of the country’s best dark sky sites, and the two-mile-long Lehman Caves system underground has inspired reverence among visitors for more than a millennium . The park’s hiking trails are suitable for all levels, from amateurs to backcountry hikers; the campsites are suitable for backpackers, tent campers and campers.
This article originally appeared in Reno Gazette Journal: This Nevada gem offers dark skies, ancient trees: Local hidden gems
