U.S. Route 50 in Nevada
The Loneliest Road in America Lincoln Highway | ||||
Route information | ||||
Maintained by NDOT | ||||
Length | 408.82 mi[1][2] (657.93 km) | |||
Existed | 1926–present | |||
Major junctions | ||||
West end | US 50 at California state line | |||
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East end | US 6 / US 50 at Utah state line | |||
Location | ||||
Country | United States | |||
State | Nevada | |||
Counties | Douglas, City of Carson City, Lyon, Churchill, Lander, Eureka, White Pine | |||
Highway system | ||||
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U.S. Route 50 (US 50) is a transcontinental highway in the United States, stretching from
US 50 has a diverse route through the state, traversing the resort communities of
The route was constructed over a historic corridor, initially used for the
Route description
US 50 crosses the central portion of
In the stretch of highway between
In addition to portions being designated the Loneliest Road and Lincoln Highway, the portion concurrent with Interstate 580 in Carson City is designated the Carson City Deputy Sheriff Carl Howell Memorial Freeway in honor of a sheriff's officer who was shot to death while attempting to rescue a victim of domestic violence from her house.[8][9]
Western Nevada
US 50 enters Nevada from
After Carson City, US 50 follows the
At Silver Springs,
Fallon to Austin
The scenery and level of traffic changes upon leaving the Fallon area. The road narrows from four lanes to two and crosses remote terrain characterized by
The next services are in the single-building settlement of
Nearby is a grove of
East of Middlegate, the paths of the Pony Express, Lincoln Highway, and US 50 diverge, using different passes to cross the Desatoya Mountains. They rejoin west of Austin.[3] The first paved route of the Lincoln Highway is preserved as State Route 722.[23]
Austin to Ely
Austin lies 110 miles (180 km) east of Fallon. The city, founded by Pony Express riders who discovered silver, was a mining
The next town is Eureka, which bills itself as the "Friendliest Town on the Loneliest Road in America". Eureka was similarly founded as a mining boom town. Although mining has diminished, it remains a large component of the community and its economy.[25] The centerpiece of the historical district of Eureka is the Eureka Opera House, built in 1880.[26]
Past Eureka is
Eastern Nevada
Ely is the last city along US 50 in Nevada. The next city is
This portion of the highway is mountainous with the highest point along US 50 in Nevada at Connors Pass at 7,729 feet (2,356 m).
Mountain passes
From west to east US 50 crosses several mountain ranges using 17 passes and one tunnel.
Name | Elevation | Location | Range | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Cave Rock Tunnel | 6,260 feet (1,908 m) | Between Zephyr Cove and Glenbrook | Cave Rock (Carson Range) | |
Spooner Summit | 7,146 feet (2,178 m) | East of SR 28 | Carson Range | |
Sand Springs Pass | 4,631 feet (1,412 m) | West of SR 839 | Stillwater Range/Sand Springs Range | |
Drumm Summit | 4,600 feet (1,402 m) | East of SR 121 | Fairview Peak | |
Westgate | 4,605 feet (1,404 m) | West of SR 361 | Clan Alpine Mountains | |
Middlegate | 4,605 feet (1,404 m) | East of SR 361 | Clan Alpine Mountains | Eastgate is along an old routing of US 50, now SR 722 |
New Pass Summit | 6,348 feet (1,935 m) | Lander–Churchill County line | Desatoya Mountains | |
Mt. Airy | 6,700 feet (2,042 m) | West of Reese River | Shoshone Mountains | |
Austin Summit | 7,484 feet (2,281 m) | East of Austin | Toiyabe Range | |
Bob Scott Summit | 7,267 feet (2,215 m) | West of SR 376 | Toiyabe Range | |
Hickison Summit | 6,546 feet (1,995 m) | East of SR 376 | Toquima Range/Simpson Park Range | |
Devils Gate | 5,990 feet (1,826 m) | West of Eureka | Mahogany Hills | |
Pinto Summit | 7,376 feet (2,248 m) | East of Eureka | Diamond Mountains
|
|
Pancake Summit | 6,517 feet (1,986 m) | East of SR 892 | Pancake Range | |
Little Antelope Summit | 7,438 feet (2,267 m) | Near ghost town of Illipah | White Pine Range | |
Robinson Summit | 7,607 feet (2,319 m) | West of Ely | Egan Range | |
Connors Pass | 7,729 feet (2,356 m) | West of Majors Place | Schell Creek Range | Highest point along US 50 in Nevada |
Sacramento Pass | 7,154 feet (2,181 m) | Near ghost town of Osceola | Snake Range | |
Source: Benchmark Maps: Nevada Road and Recreation Atlas[3] |
Cultural references
In July 1986, Life magazine published an article that gave US 50 in Nevada the name "The Loneliest Road in America".[14] The article portrayed the highway, and rural Nevada, as a place devoid of civilization. Officials from White Pine County decided to make the best of the publicity generated from the article, and convinced state authorities to do the same. Jointly, they began to use the pejorative article as a platform to market the area for visitors interested in desert scenery, history, and solitude.[32] The Nevada Department of Transportation adopted the name in official highway logs, and placed custom Highway 50 markers along the route.[33]
The Nevada Commission on Tourism sponsors a promotion where visitors can stop at several designated locations along the route and have the passport section of a state issued "survival guide" marked with a stamp representing that location. Visitors can mail in the completed passport and receive a certificate, signed by the Governor, certifying they survived The Loneliest Road in America.[14] The word "survived" is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the Life article, which quoted an American Automobile Association spokesperson as saying, "We warn all motorists not to drive there unless they're confident of their survival skills."[32]
Since the article was published, US 50 has gained popularity among people desiring a scenic or less traveled alternative to Interstate 80 across Nevada. This increase in popularity has caused at least one writer to dispute whether US 50 still deserves the title of The Loneliest Road in America.[34] Traffic counts on US 50 are now considerably higher than on US 6, just to the south in Nye County.[35]
The 1971 road movie Vanishing Point, notable for its on-location filming across the southwest United States, used several sections of US 50 as part of the driving sequences.[36] In 1991, Stephen King drove along US 50 as part of a cross country trip. He stopped at Ruth, a small town near Ely. Studying the town, King fantasized about the fate of the residents. King then heard a local legend about how the ghosts of Chinese miners, who died while trapped in a cave-in, can be seen crossing Highway 50 to haunt the city of Ruth. King merged these details into his own story, including references to The Loneliest Road in America, which became the novel Desperation.[37][38]
In 2002, Neil Peart, then taking a sabbatical from Rush, published Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road, his account of a long-distance motorcycle journey across Canada and the United States. He traveled across US 50 in Nevada, and remarked on the complete absence of any development on long stretches of the road, including a sign reading "No Services for 88 Miles."[39]
In 2008, the British television show Top Gear featured the show's presenters Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May driving across Nevada along US 50 in the cars of their choice. Clarkson stated he was "mesmerised by the straightness of the road."[40]
History
Lincoln Highway
In Nevada, US 50 was built mostly along the route of the
In 1926, when the
Route changes
Most of modern US 50 was pieced together from several routes designated as Nevada State Routes in the early 20th century. The portion from Lake Tahoe to Carson City was originally a portion of State Route 3. The original designation for US 50 from Carson City to Ely was Route 2 and 2A. East of Ely was originally numbered Route 7 to the modern junction with US 93 and Route 14 from there to the Utah state line.[50] The modern route of US 50 has significantly changed since the highway was first commissioned in 1926. The biggest change is between Ely and
Previously, the road to Delta consisted of unpaved state routes. The paved route did not follow the exact route of the old dirt roads. The improved route bypassed the ghost town of Osceola and entered Utah approximately 14 miles (23 km) to the south of the dirt road. The border crossing was moved to facilitate an easier route across western Utah. In Utah, the old road traversed a difficult route through Marjum Canyon, while the paved route followed a simpler path along the north shore of Sevier Lake.[53]
Three different routes have existed between
US 50 was rerouted through the eastern half of Fallon. The original route is not drivable as it runs through Naval Air Station Fallon; portions are still in public use as Harrigan Road (SR 115) and Berney Road (SR 119).[58] Around 1967, US 50 was improved between Middlegate and Austin, to bypass steep grades and sharp curves over Carroll Summit. The original route is now SR 722.[59] In 2017, US 50 was re-aligned onto the completed Interstate 580 bypass, replacing its former route through downtown Carson City.[1][60]
Major intersections
- Note: Mileposts in Nevada reset at countylines. The start and end mileposts in each county are given in the county column.
County[1] | Location[3] | mi | km | Destinations | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Douglas DO 0.000–14.601 | Stateline | 0.0 | 0.0 | US 50 west – South Lake Tahoe | Continuation into California |
0.639[61] | 1.028 | SR 207 east (Kingsbury Grade) – Gardnerville, Minden | |||
| 1.9 SR 760 west – Nevada Beach | ||||
| Cave Rock Tunnel | ||||
| 12.106 Lake Tahoe – Nevada State Park | ||||
City of Carson City CC 0.000–15.728 0.000-4.097[a] | 7.502[1] 0.000 | 12.073 0.000 | US 395 south / US 395 Bus. north (S. Carson Street) – Minden, Gardnerville | Western end of freeway; western end of I-580/US 395 concurrency; mileposts reflect distance along I-580 | |
3.146 | 5.063 | Fairview Drive | I-580 exit 3 | ||
4.097 11.599 | 6.593 18.667 | I-580 north / US 395 north – Reno | Eastern end of freeway; eastern end of I-580/US 395 concurrency; I-580 exit 5; surface road continues as William Street; mileposts resume US 50 distance | ||
Moundhouse | 2.065[61] | 3.323 | SR 341 north – Virginia City | ||
SR 822 east) | |||||
Silver Springs | 26.8[63] | 43.1 | SR 439 north (USA Parkway) / Opal Avenue – Tahoe Reno Industrial Center | ||
29.192 | |||||
Churchill CH 0.00–106.963 | | 11.201 | 18.026 | US 50 Alt. west – Fernley, Reno | |
Fallon | 15.106 | 24.311 | SR 117 east (Sheckler Road) | ||
16.142 | 25.978 | SR 723 north – Soda Lake | |||
16.391 | 26.379 | McLean Lane (SR 715 south) | |||
20.326 | 32.712 | Las Vegas | Western end of US 95 concurrency | ||
20.571 | 33.106 | US 95 north – Winnemucca, Boise | Eastern end of US 95 concurrency | ||
21.334 | 34.334 | SR 115 south (Harrigan Road) – Naval Air Station Fallon | |||
25.488 | 41.019 | SR 116 east – Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge | |||
| 52.5[64] | 84.5 | Nevada Scheelite Mine Road (SR 839 south) | ||
| 60.731[61] | 97.737 | Dixie Valley Road | Former SR 121 north | |
Middlegate | 68.437 | 110.139 | SR 361 south – Gabbs | ||
| 71.856 | 115.641 | SR 722 east | Former US 50 east | |
Lander LA 0.00–56.740 | | 21.331 | 34.329 | SR 722 west | Former US 50 west |
Austin | 23.606 | 37.990 | SR 305 north – Battle Mountain | ||
| 35.489 | 57.114 | SR 376 south – Round Mountain | ||
Eureka EU 0.00–47.340 | | 35.337 | 56.869 | SR 278 north – Carlin | |
SR 780 west | |||||
White Pine WP 0.00–68.43 37.96–101.88[b][65] | | 4.4[66] | 7.1 | Strawberry Road (SR 892 north) | |
Ely | 66.45[65] | 106.94 | US 93 north – Wells, McGill, Twin Falls | Western end of US 93 concurrency | |
68.43 37.96 | 110.13 61.09 | US 6 west – Tonopah | Western end of US 6 concurrency; mileposts reflect distance along US 6 | ||
Las Vegas | Eastern end of US 93 concurrency | ||||
| 65.6[67] | 105.6 | Spring Valley Road (SR 893 north) | ||
| 93.824 Lehman Caves, Great Basin National Park | ||||
Border | 101.331[1] | 163.076 | US 6 east / US 50 east – Delta | Continuation into Utah | |
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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See also
- Reno Arch, marker celebrating the completion of the Lincoln Highway in Nevada
- Other geographic features traversed by the highway
- Antelope Valley (Eureka County)
- Big Smoky Valley
- Newark Valley (Nevada)
- Snake Valley (Great Basin)
- Spring Valley Wind Farm
- Steptoe Valley
- Related routes
- U.S. Route 50 Alternate
- State Route 2B, former spur of US 50 (as State Route 2A), no longer part of the state highway system
- State Route 2C, former spur of State Route 2A, no longer part of the state highway system
Notes
- ^ Mileposts reflect distance along I-580 where concurrent
- ^ Mileposts east of Ely reflect distance along concurrent US 6.
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h "State Maintained Highways of Nevada, Descriptions and Maps". Nevada Department of Transportation. 2023. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
- ^ Federal Highway Administration. "National Highway Planning Network GIS data version 2005.08". Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved January 20, 2008.
- ^ ISBN 0-929591-81-X.
- ^ Google (January 26, 2009). "Fallon to Delta" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved January 26, 2009.
- ^ Google (January 20, 2009). "Boston to Baltimore" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved January 20, 2009.
- ^ Google (January 20, 2009). "Paris to Zurich" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved January 20, 2009.
- ^ Nevada Department of Transportation. "2007 Annual Traffic Report". Nevada Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on November 21, 2008. Retrieved February 1, 2009.
- ^ Munson, Jeff (December 8, 2015). "Stretch of Carson City Freeway Officially Named in Honor of Deputy Carl Howell". Carson Now. Retrieved December 8, 2015.
- ^ Munson, Jeff (August 16, 2015). "Carson City Deputy Killed in the Line of Duty Identified". Carson Now. Retrieved December 8, 2015.
- ^ "New Stretch of Freeway Opens in Carson". Reno Gazette Journal. September 25, 2009.
- ^ Deach, Ben (August 2, 2017). "Freeway Extension to Save Drivers Time in Carson City". Reno, NV: KOLO-TV. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
- ^ Nevada State Historic Preservation Office. "Forty Mile Desert: Nevada Historical Marker 26". Nevada State Historic Preservation Office. Retrieved February 26, 2008.
- ^ Nevada State Historic Preservation Office. "Ragtown: Nevada Historical Marker 19". Nevada State Historic Preservation Office. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
- ^ a b c Nevada Commission on Tourism. "The Official Hwy 50 Survival Guide: The Loneliest Road in America" (PDF). Nevada Commission on Tourism. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 23, 2016. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
- ^ Bureau of Land Management. "Sand Mountain Recreation Area". Bureau of Land Management. Archived from the original on February 19, 2008. Retrieved March 18, 2008.
- ^ United States Geological Survey. "Historic Earthquakes". United States Geological Survey. Archived from the original on February 7, 2010. Retrieved March 16, 2008.
- ^ Center for Land Use Interpretation (2004). "Nevada's Dixie Valley". Center for Land Use Interpretation. Archived from the original on April 14, 2008. Retrieved March 18, 2008.
- ^ Middlegate Station. "Middlegate Station". Middlegate Station. Retrieved December 15, 2007.
- ^ Del Cohen, Shayne. "Sagebrush Saloons". Nevada Magazine. Archived from the original on February 26, 2008. Retrieved March 13, 2008.
- ^ Fagan, Kevin (June 4, 2002). "A Tree with Wole: That Fruit Dangling from the Branches in the Nevada Desert Is Really ... Shoes". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
- ^ Stockwell, Kellene (January 3, 2011). "Highway 50 'Shoe Tree' Cut Down". KTVN. Archived from the original on March 9, 2012. Retrieved January 4, 2011.
- ^ "The Shoe Tree of Middlegate". Nevada Division of Tourism. Retrieved January 20, 2018.
- ^ Patrick, Kevin J.; Wilson, Robert E. "Lincoln Highway in Nevada" (PDF). The Lincoln Highway Resource Guide. Indiana, PA: Indiana University of Pennsylvania. pp. 214, 219. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 6, 2006. Retrieved March 9, 2009.
- ^ Austin Chamber of Commerce. "History & Ghost Towns". Austin Chamber of Commerce. Archived from the original on February 5, 2009. Retrieved February 16, 2009.
- ^ Nevada Commission on Tourism. "Eureka, Nevada". Nevada Commission on Tourism. Archived from the original on December 18, 2008. Retrieved January 26, 2009.
- ^ Eureka County. "Eureka Opera House". Eureka County. Retrieved March 13, 2008.
- ^ Nevada Commission on Tourism. "Ely, Nevada". Nevada Commission on Tourism. Archived from the original on December 18, 2008. Retrieved February 16, 2009.
- ^ American Automobile Association (1979). Western States (Map) (1979 ed.). 1:2,534,400. American Automobile Association.
- ^ Jensen, Jamie (2009). "Connors Pass and Major's Place". Loneliest Road: US-50. Avalon Travel. Retrieved June 24, 2013.
- ^ Jensen, Jamie (2009). "Great Basin National Park". Loneliest Road: US-50. Avalon Travel. Retrieved June 24, 2013.
- ^ Nevada Department of Transportation. "Nevada Scenic Byways". Nevada Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on June 10, 2016. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
- ^ a b Nevada Commission on Tourism. "Highway 50, the Loneliest Road". Nevada Commission on Tourism. Archived from the original on April 19, 2009. Retrieved March 16, 2008.
- ^ Nevada Department of Transportation (2012). "Named Highways of Nevada" (PDF). Nevada Department of Transportation. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 25, 2013. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
- ^ Dougan, Michael (March 28, 2004). "America's Not-So-Lonely Road: Looking for Life in the Dead Center of Nevada". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved February 2, 2009.
- ^ Nevada Department of Transportation. "2013 Annual Traffic Report". Nevada Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on August 19, 2014. Retrieved August 14, 2014.
- ISBN 978-0-7864-1293-8.
- ISBN 1-58063-160-6. Retrieved March 10, 2009.
- ^ Shaputis, June. "Highway 50: The Loneliest Road in America Through White Pine County, Nevada". White Pine County Historical Society. Archived from the original on January 20, 2008. Retrieved January 27, 2009.
- ISBN 978-1-55022-546-4.
- . Retrieved 2 July 2013.
- ^ Weingroff, Richard F. "The Lincoln Highway". Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved January 21, 2009.
- ^ Johnston, Charlie. "Pony Express". Nevada Magazine. Archived from the original on October 7, 2011. Retrieved September 9, 2011.
- ^ Nevada State Highway Department (1919). Road Map of the State of Nevada (Map). Scale not given. Carson City: Nevada State Highway Department. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
- ^ Lincoln Highway Association. "The Lincoln Highway in Nevada". Lincoln Highway Association. Retrieved March 13, 2008.
- ^ National Park Service. "Auto Tour Route: Nevada Pony Express". National Park Service. Retrieved March 13, 2008.
- ^ Lincoln Highway Association. "1924 Map of the Lincoln Highway". Lincoln Highway Association (republished by Practice Press). Archived from the original on February 16, 2012. Retrieved March 13, 2008.
- .
- ^ Schindler, Hal (December 5, 1993). "The Long And Winding Road—The Lincoln Highway: Utah Played A Key Role In Taming West For Cars". State of Utah. Archived from the original on March 23, 2009. Retrieved January 21, 2009.
- ^ Patrick, Kevin J.; Wilson, Robert E. "15: Lincoln Highway in Utah". The Lincoln Highway Resource Guide. Indiana, PA: Indiana University of Pennsylvania. p. 203.
- ^ a b Nevada State Highway Department (1932). Highway Map of the State of Nevada (Map). 1:1,267,200. Carson City: Nevada State Highway Department. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
- ^ Nevada Department of Highways (1978). Official Highway Map of Nevada (Map) (1978–1979 ed.). Scale not given. Carson City: Nevada Department of Highways. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
- ^ Nevada Department of Highways; Rand McNally & Company (1954). Official Highway Map of Nevada (Map). Scale not given. Carson City: Nevada Department of Highways. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 12, 2005. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
- ISBN 0-929591-74-7.
- ^ a b c Nevada State Historic Preservation Office. "Spooner Summit: Nevada Historical Marker 261". Nevada State Historic Preservation Office. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
- ^ United States Geological Survey. "USGS Flood Chronology of the Carson River Basin". United States Geological Survey. Archived from the original on September 17, 2008. Retrieved March 16, 2009.
- ^ United States Forest Service. "Kings Canyon Road". United States Forest Service. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
- ISBN 978-1-930193-15-4. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
- ^ Nevada Department of Transportation (1934). "Fallon, Nevada". Nevada Department of Transportation. Retrieved February 18, 2009 – via forgottennevada.org.
- ^ Road Atlas (Map). H.M. Gousha Company. 1967. p. 45. Retrieved January 27, 2008 – via Broer Map Library.
- ^ Deach, Ben (August 2, 2017). "Freeway Extension to Save Drivers Time in Carson City". KOLO-TV. Retrieved January 20, 2018.
- ^ US Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
- ^ Google (January 31, 2009). "US 50 Douglas County" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved January 31, 2009.
- ^ Google (April 26, 2023). "US 50 Lyon County" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
- ^ Google (January 31, 2009). "Churchill County" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved January 31, 2009.
- ^ a b Nevada Department of Transportation. NDOT Maintenance Districts and Mileposts (PDF) (Map). Nevada Department of Transportation. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 25, 2013. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
- ^ Google (February 1, 2009). "White Pine County" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved February 1, 2009.
- ^ Google (February 1, 2009). "Ely to Baker" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved February 1, 2009.
Further reading
- McPhee, John (1990) [1980/81]. Basin and Range (Paperback ed.). New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN 0-374-51690-1. (Geology of the Basin and Range written for laymen)
External links
- AARoads: U.S. Highway 50 – Nevada
- Highway 50 Revisited: America's Loneliest Road from the Las Vegas Sun (August 2011)
- Loneliest Road: US-50 by Road Trip USA
- The Blue Butterfly at the end of the Loneliest Road by Erik Gauger, Notes from the Road
- Nevada's "Loneliest Road in America" Celebrates 20 Years Archived 2021-06-14 at the Wayback Machine Ron Bernthal, Travel Writers Magazine