Road Trip Report: The Loneliest Road in America
Do you ever get weird looks when you try to explain to someone where you went on vacation? It can be awkward, but I take that as a sign I planned something truly special, and this is what I encountered after I got finished driving across Nevada along Highway 50, also known as the “Loneliest Road in America.”
I can see why that would be a more difficult trip to grasp than a simple weekend at the beach, but as a lifelong city-dweller—and a resident of one of the worst traffic areas in the country—a lonely highway sounded like a dream come true.
This highway stretches 408 miles across the state of Nevada, crossing 17 mountain ranges and reaching elevations of over 7,000 feet in some parts. The contrast of the snowcapped peaks towering over the flat, brown desert land was truly stunning. Forget “things to do”: five and a half hours of driving through this landscape WAS the attraction for this East Coaster.
I began the drive in Ely, Nevada, where I stayed at the historic Hotel Nevada and Gambling Hall. Highway 50 runs right through the middle of town, which sparkles with neon on both sides. It was surprisingly active for a Wednesday evening, perhaps full of other travelers either starting or ending their own drive across the Loneliest Road. The region’s history really comes alive on this corner with the Hotel Nevada, and the surrounding landscape is gorgeous at sunset.
In the morning, after fueling up with a free breakfast from the hotel Denny’s, I got in the car to head west, with a full schedule of stops to make along the way. The first stop was about an hour into the drive in a little town called Eureka when I stopped for a latte at a roadside coffee shack called The Roost. While I waited for a latte, I chatted with the owner about what it’s like living in such a small town. She was so welcoming and happy to chat, and she said that last year’s high school senior class was just 14 people! (Side note: I was blown away by how fair her prices were. I've been living in the city too long!)
Another hour past Eureka, I stopped in Austin for gas and to see the first real “attraction” of the trip: Stokes Castle. It’s about a mile off the highway, and it’s not so much a castle as just a brick tower behind a fence.
I honestly found it underwhelming, but there was one feature that made the pit stop worthwhile: the VIEW! I did a lot of research for this trip, and not one website mentioned how phenomenal the view was from Stokes Castle. Austin, Nevada, has an elevation of 6,605 feet, and this view offers expansive, panoramic views of the landscape below and the surrounding mountains. It was breathtaking, and I would recommend a stop here for the view alone!
One more hour down the road, and it was time for lunch. I pulled over at Middlegate Station, which appears to be one of the only restaurants on Highway 50 (it’s also a motel and gas station). Luckily, it happened to be a GREAT one. I ordered a pastrami melt on rye and onion rings, which really hit the spot after a long morning of driving. I chatted with a number of the employees. They were all interested in where I was from and what I was doing there. I loved thinking about how many different stories they must hear from travelers passing through.
From Middlegate, the next stop involved an international border crossing… sort of. Near Dayton, Nevada, just a couple miles off the highway, lies a micronation called Molossia. Micronations are small regions that claim to be independent nations but are not actually recognized by any governing bodies. There are 10 micronations in the United States, and the Republic of Molossia is one of them. I got there before their official tourist season opened, so I wasn’t able to fully explore (it’s still private property, after all), but I did get a picture at the border!
At this point, I had been traveling for about 6 hours, and it was time to head to the final stop: Lake Tahoe! The drive through this mountain region was quite a contrast to the flat desert I drove through earlier in the day! Finally I arrived for the evening at the Coachman Hotel in South Lake Tahoe, California. Sitting around their fire pit with s’mores and red wine was the absolute perfect way to unwind after such a long day.
I assumed the drive along The Loneliest Road in America would be pretty cool, but it more than exceeded my expectations. It was thrilling to frequently change elevations. It was calming to pull over in such quiet areas. And the changing landscapes all along the way were stunning. The terrain is its own attraction. If clean mountain air and gorgeous scenery is what you need, Highway 50 has it. 🌟
