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Supernatural Sightseeing in the Silver State
Nevada offers endless inspiration for getting a little out there into a wonderland of outdoor recreation. But what if you want to get a little out there?
The Silver State brims with alien adventures, haunted hot spots, and offbeat destinations, too. Let the Paranormal Passport lead you on a quest to discover otherworldly oddities throughout the state and earn spirited swag along the way.
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Exploring the Extraterrestrial Highway
It started as a joke. Or maybe more of a bad pun. “A Rachel in Rachel, Nevada.” Unexpectedly, the little quip snowballed. “Ali at the Little Ali-Inn,” playing off the legendary Little A’Le’Inn near Area 51. Before we knew it, the two of us were packing up the car, topping off the gas tank, and departing Carson City. Bound for the Extraterrestrial Highway, we were ready for a true Nevada road trip.
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Rural Wranglers: Tonopah
Located halfway between Las Vegas and Reno, Tonopah is a welcome stop for road-weary travelers. But this old mountain town is no mere rest stop. Tonopah is the perfect weekend getaway to wander Sahara-like dunes, dine in luxurious haunted hotels, and take in some of the darkest skies around.
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The Glory of Goldfield
On a fine spring day in the year 1900, a rancher named Jim Butler was wandering the remote hills of south-central Nevada—looking for a stray burro, as the story goes—when he came across an outcrop of black-banded rock. Ever the hobbyist prospector, Butler picked off a few samples and headed back to civilization to get them evaluated. The assayer was shocked to discover that the black bands were pure argentite. Jim Butler had discovered one of history’s richest silver deposits.
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Free-Range Art Highway
Ready to give your camera a workout? With the Free-Range Art Highway as your canvas, the photo-op stops are countless. Whether you’re a newbie photographer just learning the definition of aperture or a veteran documentarian seeking new stories, you’ll find plenty of odd and awesome vistas to ogle along this Reno-to-Vegas road trip.
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Uncommon Overnighters: The Clown Motel
The Clown Motel in Tonopah boasts what’s got to be the largest collection of clown figurines and memorabilia under the sun. Some 3,200 clowns call the motel’s lobby home, with more pouring in weekly as donations from around the world. It’s a sight to behold and one that you won’t find anywhere else.
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Spirited Adventures
Nevada’s distinct history is borne by the nearly 600 towns that rose and fell before the 1900s even had a chance to stretch its legs. The gold and silver fever that struck the nation resulted in a clamor that touched nearly every corner of the state. While most towns bore fruit only for short periods, they literally left their mark on the state’s landscape. Many ghost towns have no more residents, but they are still full of stories, if you listen carefully.
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Soaking in the Scenery
What do majestic natural hot springs, vast desert regions, and endless skies unencumbered by buildings have in common? They can all be found in the breathtaking state of Nevada, for one. This magical territory offers countless experiences unlike anywhere else in the world and can lead adventurers to places they never expected.
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The Ballad of Diamondfield Jack
Despite the Hollywood version of cattle raising in the Old West, few ranchers employed a gun-for-hire to eliminate rustlers or sheepherders. This is not to say it wasn’t done; around 1895, a few of the larger spreads in Wyoming brought in a “regulator” named Tom Horn to “clean up” the range, and at $500 a head, he was well on his way to doing so when he was convicted of murder and sent to the gallows. For years, Jack Davis faced the likelihood of the same fate.
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Haunted Nevada: Something Spectral
With an arsenal of abandoned historical buildings and eerie locations, Nevada can occasionally be spooky. Much of the energy stems from the state’s mining history, which got grizzly and dark at times. Mine fires and construction catastrophes are engrained in Nevada, as are Wild West-style murders. Some people attribute these factors to the reported hauntings at many of the state’s oldest mines and buildings.
Not everything paranormal needs to be scary, though. Many people believe in the presence of residents past, whose ties to a particular area simply withstand the test of time.
Whether you believe in ghosts or not, there’s a strong case to be made that different buildings or areas can affect our senses in different ways. This certainly has been the case with countless paranormal investigators that have spent countless hours in the Silver State searching for something spectral.
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Tonopah’s Revitalization
The Middle of Everywhere Not content to be a drive-through town, Tonopah is leading the charge of change. BY MEGG MUELLER In a 1975 story about Tonopah in Nevada Magazine, the writer spent a great deal of space discussing how favorable Tonopah’s climate is for those suffering from various conditions, such as bronchitis, arthritis, rheumatism, […]
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Back-Road Bites
Back-Road Bites BY MEGG MUELLER There’s one thing Nevada’s lesser-traveled roads reveal: while there may be scenic views for days, there may not always be a place to eat. Some towns have just one restaurant with mercurial hours (think Austin), while others have none (sorry, Ione). Lest you be discouraged, there are plenty of cafes, […]
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Law, Order, and a Game of Chance
Law, Order, and a Game of Chance THE EARP BROTHERS SEEK THEIR FORTUNES IN NEVADA. BY RON SOODALTER Life in the Old West—Hollywood notwithstanding—was often mundane. The deadly gunfights and daring hold-ups were comparatively few. Yet, certain names have attained legendary status, selling countless books and millions of theater tickets, while the reality was considerably […]
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Tour Around Nevada: Tonopah
Central Nevada town proves it’s more than just a stop along the way. BY MEGG MUELLER The draw of Tonopah has fluctuated over the years. As home to the second largest silver deposit in Nevada history, its importance as a mining town is undeniable. As the almost-exact halfway point between two of Nevada’s largest cities […]
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Front and Center
A hearty dose of central Nevada is good for the soul BY MEGG MUELLER & ERIC CACHINERO A series of unexpected and delightful moments. This is the appeal of a ridiculously long roadtrip. For our latest adventure, Associate Editor Eric Cachinero and I chose another ambitious trip. Last September, we wrote about our trip to […]
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Tonopah Brewing Co.
Barbecue and brews serve as a tasty toast to the town’s mining heritage. BY MEGG MUELLER Driving between Reno and Las Vegas can be a long, dry trip. The Nevada desert stretches for miles in between major (and even minor) cities along U.S. Route 95, and after a while, even the sight of ghost towns […]