Discover Nevada’s history on this epic road trip

Nevada’s highways are a tapestry of history, natural beauty, and offbeat attractions. Where else can you see ancient petroglyphs, wind- and water-carved landscapes, and UFO-themed attractions on the same day?

In just over a week, you can visit practically every side of America’s seventh-largest state. Your schedule will be packed with amazing landscapes, rich history, quirky art, unique food, high-adrenaline adventures, and natural wonders. Best of all, if you like wild and isolated drives, you’ll be spellbound by Nevada's scenic and remote back roads.

From the largest alpine lake in North America to spooky hotels and historic saloons, a Silver State road trip is an adventure you’ll never forget.  

Day 1

Start this epic road trip with a day spent in the Mojave Desert outside Las Vegas, where cacti, juniper, and dune grass point the way to natural hot springs and rare plants and animals. Calico Basin and Red Rock Canyon offer stunning banded formations and sandstone bluffs, plus a wealth of climbing, hiking, mountain biking, and other adventures.

A little over an hour away via Hwy 95 North and Nevada 373, take some time to explore Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge and its astonishing ecosystem of spring-fed sapphire hot pools and 26 plants and animals so rare you won’t find them anywhere else on Earth. Wander the boardwalks, explore the visitor's center, and check out the historic cabin once owned by the legendary Old West character Jack Longstreet, a miner and friend to the local Native American tribes. Head back to Las Vegas at the end of the day.

Day 2

From Las Vegas, head north to Ely. Along the way, you’ll find close encounters of the trippiest kind by taking a detour along the stretch of State Route 375 known as the Extraterrestrial Highway. This area is home to the legendary Area 51, where many believe the government secreted an alien spaceship.

Area 51 itself is closed to the public, but you might be convinced the stories are true after a visit to the Alien Research Center. Earthlings are also welcome at the Little A’le’ Inn, the UFO-themed pit stop serving burgers and cold beer as well as comfortable lodging.

If those far-out attractions have you longing for a more grounded experience, get in touch with nature at Mt. Irish Wilderness Area, home to bighorn sheep, antelope, mule deer, and dozens of species of bird. Pay attention as you hike past boulders, rock outcroppings, and caves. Many are covered in ancient petroglyphs carved by indigenous peoples up to 4,000 years ago. There’s little light pollution in this area of Nevada, making for an incredible night-sky-viewing experience.

About an hour and a half away along Hwy 93 is the awe-inspiring Cathedral Gorge State Park. This maze of hoodoos, spires, and slot canyons is full of unmatched natural experiences and is particularly beautiful at sunset.

Camp here, or continue your drive to Ely.

Day 3

Ely is a historic stagecoach stop that found success in the early 1900s thanks to the Nevada Northern Railway, which helped fulfill the nationwide demand for copper with the output from the area’s mines. The Ely Renaissance Village tells the story of life in those early days, and its restored mining shacks and railroad houses are reminders of the communities that pursued their dreams here, including Basque, Italian, Chinese, German, and Slavic peoples.

Further immerse yourself in the area’s rich locomotive history at the Nevada Northern Railway Museum, a still-operating historic rail yard that includes the restored depot building and a treasure trove of vintage locomotives. On the second floor is the East Ely Depot museum, with fascinating period office equipment and a huge collection of original documents. Hands-on history exhibits and train rides are all part of the experience. 

Natural activities are plentiful as well, with nearby Ward Mountain offering excellent hiking and mountain biking.

Day 4

One of the prettiest sections of the trip is your drive from Ely to Elko. Make a detour to drive the glacier-carved wonder of the Lamoille Canyon Scenic Byway and stretch your legs with more hiking in the stunning Ruby Mountains.

Elko was a ranching community and the town became an important railroad stop on the transcontinental railroad. Today it is the site of the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, the National Basque Festival, and Nevada’s oldest rodeo, the Silver State Stampede.

In addition to hosting some of Nevada’s most beloved festivals, the town is essentially an open-air art museum with more than 100 murals downtown. Take a self-guided mural tour, where you’ll see colorful depictions of the region’s Basque, Native American, Old West, and mining heritage.

Elko is also one of the best places to sample Nevada’s unique take on Basque cuisine at restaurants like Basque OG Deli Bar and Pintxos, the Star Hotel, or Toki Ona.

Day 5

From Elko, head west about 300 miles for Reno. The first thing you’ll notice are the snow-dusted Sierra Nevada framing the town. The second are the enormous signs proudly marking the exterior of the casinos, turning the city into a large-scale neon museum. But Reno, like the rest of Nevada, is full of surprises. Downtown Reno is brimming with art ranging from colorful murals to large-scale sculptures once featured at the state’s iconic Burning Man gathering. The most famous, Space Whale, is best appreciated at night, when the stained-glass panels of mother and calf humpback whales are illuminated.

Ready for even more art? Continue your cultural exploration at the Nevada Museum of Art in the heart of the city’s MidTown District. The building was designed to reflect the geological formations in northern Nevada’s Black Rock Desert and houses a renowned collection spanning centuries that focuses on human interaction with the land.

Finally, Reno is known for its all-you-can-eat sushi, with fresh ingredients brought in daily and offered in dozens of restaurants – from high-end environments in the Peppermill to unassuming locations scattered across the city. Reno also offers another opportunity to indulge in Nevada’s most celebrated cuisine at Louis’ Basque Corner, beloved by locals since 1967.

Day 6

Today, you’ll leave the ‘Biggest Little City in the World’ and take a day trip to the Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge in Fallon. This vast wetland is a key migration stop for hundreds of thousands of birds including American white pelicans, egrets, herons, and golden eagles. Also nearby is the Sand Mountain Recreation area, which offers high-adrenaline off-roading adventures along a two-mile-long, six-story-high dune.

Afterward, explore the region’s rich Indigenous history at Grimes Point/Hidden Cave Archeological Site. Many of the boulders here are covered with ancient petroglyphs and viewable from a quarter-mile interpretive trail. Grimes Point is also home to Hidden Cave, a working archeological site where thousands of artifacts – including baskets, fishing equipment, and carving tools – have been uncovered.

If you’re feeling parched, head to a certified Sagebrush Saloon, Middlegate Station, which is located in a Pony Express building dating back to 1860. Try the Monster Burger if you dare: the triple-decker is so big you’ll win a free T-shirt if you finish.

Day 7

On day seven, you’ll stand on the shores of North America’s largest alpine lake. Lake Tahoe’s sapphire waters are so clear that you can see more than 70 feet below the surface. Some of the best views are at Cave Rock State Park. The park’s namesake has significant meaning to the Washoe people: from some angles, it resembles a woman watching over the lake.

The Silver State’s oldest settlement, Genoa, is a half-hour drive away. Nestled at the base of the Sierra Nevada, the mountains are so close you can practically touch them as you spend the day wandering the historic buildings and shops on Main Street, including Genoa Bar and Saloon, Nevada’s oldest thirst parlor.

Also nearby is Virginia City, a town-sized national historic landmark. This is where the legendary Comstock Lode was struck, which sparked a silver bonanza that began in 1859 and stands as one of the world's richest silver strikes. At its peak, Virginia City was a high-flying, rip-roaring Wild West boomtown with 30,000 residents. Today, the well preserved community boasts a main street flush with wooden sidewalks, historic saloons, Victorian hotels, and plenty of window shopping.

Day 8

A little over 300 miles southeast of Virginia City via Hwy 95 is Rhyolite. This was once a thriving gold mining camp with more than 50 saloons, 19 lodging houses, 16 restaurants, a weekly newspaper, and of course, a red-light district full of brothels. Today, you can visit Rhyolite Ghost Town and wander among the ruins. You’ll also find Goldwell Open Air Museum nearby, featuring a haunting life-size version of Da Vinci's Last Supper and dozens more large-scale sculptures.

End your trip in Tonopah. This historic silver mining town is also famously home to the Clown Motel, which bills itself as America’s scariest motel (aptly located next to the Old Tonopah Cemetery).

Your road trip is over, but Nevada is vast. You’ve only scratched the surface of places to explore when you return.