Nevada’s Great Basin National Park
There’s something profoundly American about setting out on the open road, especially one as storied as Highway 50. Known as “The Loneliest Highway in America,” this stretch of asphalt where valleys extend for miles between mountain passes transforms the journey itself into a meditation on space and freedom uniquely found in the American West. After 20 years of living in Nevada, the magnetic pull of a tour of Ely became irresistible—this small town, with its weathered brick buildings and timeless character, serves as both destination and gateway to the vast, untamed spaces that define the Great Basin.
Highway 50 follows much of the original Lincoln Highway, America’s first transcontinental automobile route. Driving along this historic thoroughfare creates an almost hypnotic experience as the road stretches endlessly ahead, with mountains rippling against the horizon in every direction. The solitude found here isn’t the emptiness of abandonment but rather a precious commodity in our overcrowded world—space to think, to breathe, to connect with America’s pioneering spirit.
Perhaps the most unexpected treasure lies beneath the surface at nearby Great Basin National Park. Descending into Lehman Caves reveals an otherworldly realm of limestone and marble chambers adorned with massive stalagmites and delicate formations that have developed over millennia. With knowledgeable park rangers guiding the way through these subterranean passages, visitors gain unique insight into both geological processes and human history.
The magic of Ely and the Great Basin lies in their ability to transport visitors through time. As the sun sets behind rugged mountain silhouettes, painting the vast sky in watercolor hues of orange and purple, it’s easy to imagine yourself as part of the grand American narrative that has unfolded across these landscapes. The pioneer spirit remains palpable here, not as a distant memory but as a living presence that continues to inspire those who venture off the beaten path to discover America’s lonely highways and hidden treasures.
Despite its small size, Ely preserves remarkable architectural remnants from Nevada’s mining boom days. The town’s historic district features buildings constructed during the early 20th-century copper mining surge and modern building murals. The Nevada Northern Railway Museum maintains operational steam locomotives that still run on original tracks as the “Ghost Train of Ely”, offering visitors not just a view of history, but an authentic transportation experience from a bygone era.
