Summer 2021

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Summer is here, and it feels like those summers when we were kids. Nevada has opened back up, and it's time for that long-delayed adventure, so check out the stories we have for you this issue. To get started, take a look at our rundown of travel apps that are Nevada-specific to help you plan the best trip ever. When you're ready to hit the road, we have stories about a great little eatery in Eureka, some amazing spots to hunt for Silver State gems and minerals, a couple ghost towns just ready to be discovered by you and your crew, and a seriously gorgeous story about one of our favorite state parks, Cathedral Gorge. To help get you in the mood to discover something new, check out some stories about our state's history that are sure to pique your curiosity for what's out there, waiting to be found.  And if you're looking for the ultimate outdoor experience, point your car toward Ely after reading our story about all the ways to enjoy this great town from the outside in. Happy Summer all!
Issue Cover Summer 2021

What’s Inside

High-Flying Wayfinding

Imagine that you are the pilot of an open-cockpit biplane, flying from Reno to Elko with 300 pounds of mail. It is night in 1926 and you are relying on a recently installed innovation on the ground to keep on course over Nevada’s deserts and mountains. You have a strip map and compass and a railroad to follow in daylight. But at night these are useless. Instead of having the navigation equipment and air traffic control that keeps planes on course today, you follow a newly constructed route marked by orange concrete arrows embedded in the ground, each about 50 feet long and lit by beacons powered by acetylene gas or electricity. ... read more

The 2021 Silver State Scavenger Hunt Results

The 2021 Silver State Scavenger Hunt returned with a throwback to our first hunt, where dedicated adventurers traversed the state to discover some incredible history through the Nevada State Historical Markers. Participants searched near and far to complete the hunt, collecting memories and crossing off places they’ve never visited before. ... read more

Rocks and Minerals in the Silver State

Almost three-quarters of the Earth is covered by water, some 71 percent. For anyone who has looked upon the vistas and mountain ranges of the Nevada landscape, that can be a mind-boggling thought. Our arid nature comes at a cost sometimes, but boy, that land provides wealth that goes way past bank accounts. Getting down—and maybe dirty—in the hills of our state is one of the easiest, least expensive, and most rewarding pastimes you’ll ever find. ... read more

Ghostly Social Distancing, Nevada Style

I decided 2020 would be my year of travel with multiple, domestic and international trips. My first planned trip was the week of the shutdown but instead of having my plans derailed, I decided it was time to renew my interest in Nevada history. It was still the year of travel, but 2020 was not as I had planned. Instead, every week I visited ghost towns, mining camps, emigrant trails, and Pony Express stations. I met wonderful friends, became an off-road Jeeper, and learned about history and myself. My third-generation Nevada husband is amazed by the locations I discover, many unknown to him. I feel like a teenager without the curfew and have had an amazing time exploring our beautiful state. ... read more

Through the Lens: Cathedral Gorge State Park

“One hundred ninety-eight miles to Panaca,” our GPS announced as my husband and I left Tonopah. The robot voice pronounced it panic-uh, and Google kept autocorrecting it to panacea, and in the end, our four-day trip resulted in both being accurate. Cathedral Gorge State Park, born of volcanic activity more than 10 million years ago, touts itself a photographer’s dream and I can attest to that being true. For a relatively small state park, it is huge in character, drama, and opportunities to explore. We spent four days and three nights at the Swallow Cove B&B in Panaca, merely 2 miles from the park entrance. If not camping at the park itself, this is the closest lodging and a perfect option for photographers who plan to be there all hours. ... read more

Outside Ely

Sometimes, to know the heart of a town, you need to look from the outside in. Staring down into the town of Ely, located in the state’s northeastern region, I see the requisite historical buildings that dot Nevada. I see the intense landscape that flanks the area, mostly the verdant and hardy scrub brush that thrives in the clear, dry air, and the towering Egan and Schell Creek mountain ranges that soar high above the town which itself sits at more than 6,500 feet elevation. ... read more

Yesterday: Dam Historic Places

Yesterday: Dam Historic Places. Hoover Dam is Nevada's most famous river barrier, but other dams in the state have historic foundations, too. In honor of Hoover's 60th birthday, following are some of the Silver State's most noteworthy dams.   ... read more

App-solutely Perfect Travel Planning

For many of us, the days of maps and travel brochures sprawled across the table while we scribble on a notepad are gone. Replaced by websites, mobile maps, and travel apps, a new selection of on-the-go providers are ready to pave the way to your next adventure.  ... read more

Urban Cowboy Bar and Grill

Traveling along the Loneliest Road in America—aka U.S. Route 50 or Highway 50—visitors expect barren landscapes and long periods of solitude. That feeling of emptiness, of vast wide-open spaces, is what most adventurers along this road seek...except when it comes to their stomachs. There are few towns along Highway 50 which, while being part of the appeal, can also make it hard to find a really good meal. There is, however, a shining beacon for those who experience hunger pains as they are about halfway across the state: the Urban Cowboy Bar and Grill in Eureka. ... read more

Sweet Saviors of Virginia City

In the 1860s, Virginia City was a rough and tumble mining camp, with 24-hour hustle and bustle. Men swarmed the streets and saloons, while miners labored deep within the tunnels underneath the town. The loud, constant clanking metal of stamp mills and jarring explosions echoed throughout the valley and mountains. It was a dangerous place, where rope and cable sometimes broke, sending cages full of miners falling to their deaths. Many an accident or fire in the mines or city left children as orphans.   ... read more

Your Favorite Nevada Place to Take Visitors

Each issue we showcase what we love about Nevada. Well, now it’s your turn. We’re dedicating these pages to our readers this year, and we’re asking you to share images of your Nevada favorites. We’ll pick a theme (see below) and let our readers lead the way! We all have at least one–that special place you can’t wait to show someone visiting. The spot where you wait to see their eyes light up as soon as they see it. For this issue we wanted to see those magical Nevada places you hold in the highest esteem, that are nearest and dearest to your hearts.  ... read more

The Real Sound of Rural Nevada

“This is KGFN, Radio Goldfield, the Voice of the Old West!” Chances are if you live in central Nevada or have driven through the area on U.S. Highway 95, you’ve probably heard, or at least heard of, Radio Goldfield. It’s about the only signal on the FM radio dial for many miles. ... read more

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