Wide Open

Nye County is a big place. If it were a state, it would be the 42nd largest—twice the size of Massachusetts. In addition to wide-open ranges and countless miles of dirt road, this slice of the American West is home to one of the state’s most remote and scenic attractions: Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park.

Six prime hotspots for watching feathered friends. Nevada’s vast landscape holds many secrets, not the least of which is its popularity with birds. While it may come as a surprise to some, the number of recorded bird species visiting, breeding, or living in the state is a whopping 488. Hundreds of thousands of birds following […]

One of the greatest appeals of the American West has always been that sense of unbridled freedom and room to roam. In the crowded world we live in today, it might be hard to picture that solitude and deep connection with nature, but for the modern-day pioneer, it is still within reach in a place called Nevada.

The Ruby Mountains—one of Nevada’s most precious gems—evoke a sense of discovering some elegant treasure. It’s like walking though a field of sagebrush and stumbling upon a shimmer of color peeking up from the dull dirt—a glimpse of something that begs to be studied. Just as someone might study a gem’s unique characteristics, the Ruby Mountains provide countless opportunities to get a closer look and a deeper understanding.

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.

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.

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.

Traffic jams, smog, lines, crowds, the DMV, cellphones, deadlines, alarm clocks…when will it all stop? 

It stops when you say it stops.

Through the chaos of everyday life that many of us experience, serenity never ceases to whisper in our ear. In fact, when dealing with life’s sometimes-less-than-ideal aspects mentioned above, nature’s constant calling may increase in volume to a violent roar, signaling the time to retreat to the state’s rural recesses for some rest, relaxation, recreation, and recuperation.

East of the crest of Nevada’s Ruby Mountains lies the immense Ruby Valley, a pastoral expanse of quiet and prosperous ranch land. The dirt Ruby Valley Road follows the western edge of this high desert valley for 35 miles, before finally arriving at an oasis: A huge wetland of marshes, shallow lakes, and drainage ponds that encompasses the Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge, the most remote wildlife refuge in the continental U.S.   

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.

Screaming. Roaring. Whistling. Squeaking. Singing. All can be used to describe the sounds of Sand Mountain’s sands. I travel to experience this puzzling, impressive, natural phenomenon, some 30 miles east of Fallon, along Highway 50, where the expansive mountain is located.

“I go down every road there is, just to see what’s around the bend.” –From “Around the Bend”  by blues guitarist Joe Bonamassa
“Take the road less traveled” is a familiar slogan, but I doubt that it fits anywhere better than the state of Nevada. It could easily be said that “real Nevada starts where the pavement ends.” With thousands of backcountry roads to explore, Nevada travelers could easily never stop searching to find out what spectacular sight is waiting around the bend.

My friend Adam Stone and I finished the 13-mile, 2,500-foot climb to Virginia City just after 7 p.m. It was the biggest hill I had ever ridden, and my bike was loaded with camping gear, food, and supplies for a six-day trip. I had feared not making it up Geiger Grade at all, but now, heading for our campsite outside the former boomtown, I was cautiously optimistic I could ride all the way across Nevada.

Nevada’s parks ebb and flow with the seasons and the water they receive, and it means they grow and change so one visit is never enough. There is no better reason to explore than just because the parks offer a chance to get outside, get away from it all, and discover your wildest dreams.

Most of Nevada is part of the Great Basin Desert—a massive, dry expanse of parallel mountain ranges and deep valleys covered in sagebrush, where you can drive miles without seeing much in the way of humanity. While some look at the vast desert as mileage that needs to be covered before reaching a destination, author and University of Nevada, Reno English Professor Michael Branch looks at what others consider nothingness as a place of complicated beauty that is waiting to be explored on foot. Branch has penned three books that chronicle the joys—and hilarious challenges—of his life living on the edge of the dry Nevada wilderness.

On my frequent trips between northern and southern Nevada, I have a lot of time to look at the landscape. As I pass close to Area 51, I keep a keen eye out for alien or unusual phenomena. 

New movie takes an authentic, in-depth look at the working-ranch lifestyle. BY JOLYN YOUNG A cowboy trots briskly across an expansive meadow, riding toward an unknown destination. He is a solitary figure in a black hat and brown chaps, accompanied only by his horse. The meadow they quickly cover provides feed for the ranch’s cattle […]

I’ve spent nearly 300 hours in the car and used 700 gallons of gas to seek out more than 70 ghost towns. I’ve drank 36 cups of coffee, eaten 36 breakfast burritos, and spent 36 days on the road. I’ve encountered at least 3 flat tires, and many more migraines as a result. I’ve explored ghost towns in weather that fell well below 32 degrees, and well above 105. I’ve written roughly 26,500 words about these places in 12 different issues of Nevada Magazine, equating to about 2.2 words per mile. I’ve seen thousands of deer, hundreds of antelope, dozens of elk, and a couple trout. I’ve seen billions of sagebrush and stars.

I’ve gazed across infinite miles of this great state; God’s own country.

The Red Rock National Conservation Area sits on the west side of Las Vegas, just 14 miles from The Strip. A combination of wind and water over millions of years have shaped unique sandstone and limestone formations that provide recreation and memories. With 26 trails to choose from, Red Rock Canyon gives Vegas hikers of all ages a place to get outside. While not yet familiar with all of the trails, there are three that make me forget I live in the middle of Sin City.

Oily indigo smoke billowed from a circular opening in the top of a strange beehive shrine, marking the near completion of a process as foreign as the 1800s Nevada frontier had ever seen. Weeks prior, cords of juniper and pinyon were lain into the rocky tomb, set ablaze, and cooked in the oxygen-starved environment, as observant eyes kept watch of the smoke, and attentive hands operated a series of flues. At first, the smoke burned white, then yellow for a couple days, then dark blue, marking the completion of the process. An uninformed Nevada frontiersman who witnessed these makeshift mausoleums may have attributed the colossal bulbous structures to the occult, maybe even gone as far as to believe they were a portal to the underworld.

In a remote corner of southern Nevada, groves of ash and mesquite trees shelter spring-fed pools of warm, crystal-clear water that are a boon for native wildlife, some of which are rare and found nowhere else on Earth. This unexpected fertile patch—Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge—is where the desert springs to life.

As the sun sets and light slowly fades from the sky, stars begin to appear and the dark side of Nevada shows itself. Long known for remote and beautiful landscapes, Nevada is now being recognized for its exceptionally dark skies. In March, the International Dark Sky Association designated the Massacre Rim Wilderness Study Area (WSA) in northern Washoe County as an International Dark Sky Sanctuary, only the fourth location in the country to achieve this status and the seventh in the entire world.

It’s May 21 when I start my ghost town adventure, which means its springtime in Nevada. The birds should be chirping, flowers should be in full bloom, and the sun should be smiling down upon the Silver State. Hotel Nevada in Ely is my ghost town base camp for the trip, and as I open my eyes and peer outside…it’s absolutely dumping snow. I feel like a kid on Christmas morning…only the opposite. I asked Santa for a mountain of presents and a trove of dry roads and easily accessible ghost towns, and I’m greeted with a mountain of coal that I know means soupy mud roads and malicious mountain passes. But, considering I don’t have a choice, I set off into the great and mysterious unknown.

Just around suppertime on July 11, 1912, housewives prepared meals, miners clocked in and out, and children played in the streets of the northwest Nevada mining camp of Mazuma. The town rested at the mouth of Seven Troughs Canyon, just below the mining camp of the same name, and on that day, everything seemed normal in this little slab of sagebrush, save for an unusually colossal gathering of somber thunderclouds that hovered just up the canyon.

Then, amid thunderous roars and cloudburst, a biblical tsunami rained down upon the canyon as if Heaven’s bathtub had swiftly cracked in two.

Nevada’s vast and diverse landscape holds many secrets, not the least of which is its popularity with birds. Our feathered friends are not only populous in numbers, they are increasingly popular as evidenced by the rising use of “birding” and “birders,” two words that do not appear in the dictionary, but are proof of this ever-growing hobby.

More than 100 years ago, southern Nevada pioneers and prospectors spent every day surviving on the razor-edge of death. Mucking, sweating, and blasting in sweltering summers and stinging winters. They moved earth as they dug their dwellings into the sides of mountains, sleeping in ramshackle huts made of rock and wood. They tossed fire and brimstone over their shoulders with shovels and pickaxes as they sought to manifest their destiny. They took up arms against Mother Nature, who tried her hardest each and every day to convince them that living there wasn’t worth it, but they only thumbed their noses and kept digging.

Ghost towns by their very nature are plagued by hardships. They exist because something didn’t work out the way people had hoped. They exist because obsessions of riches and grandeur faded to sometimes sickening realizations that precious time may have been wasted; wrong choices were made. They exist because of broken dreams.

SHOOTING FROM THE HIP Cowboy Fast Draw Association brings back the romance of the Wild West. BY ANNIE FLANZRAICH In a wooden barn on the outskirts of Fernley, a red-haired woman stands patiently, sizing up her target. She leans back, and settles her weight into her lower body. Her right hand rests lightly on the […]

Camel Safari offers a truly exotic adventure. STORY BY MEGG MUELLER In a corner of the harsh desert landscape some 75 miles northeast of Las Vegas, a camel, armadillo, porcupine, and llama walk into a yard. If you’re waiting for the punch line, you might want to go hang out with the sloth, because there […]

Tonopah BY ERIC CACHINERO In the days of old, miners seldom just stumbled upon massive silver strikes. That’s because silver ore doesn’t exactly look like the shimmering, polished metal found in wedding bands and werewolf bullets. Silver ore is oftentimes an amalgamation of many different types of minerals, and usually requires an assay to determine […]

The World’s Fastest Motorsport Comes Ely Eastern Nevada town launches first new air races in the West in 34 years. BY MEGG MUELLER When you have around 4,000 people in your town and you consider putting on a show, you might not endeavor to be the biggest. But there needs to be that special something […]

There’s a spot in Gold Butte National Monument where if you stretch your arms out wide, reaching your fingertips to their furthest extent, it seems as if you can almost touch Lake Mead and the Grand Canyon at the same time. It’s the southern apex of a landscape that encompasses the wealth of southern Nevada’s beauty and its arid, teeming desert.

Infinity Highway Opens USA Parkway links two major highways and opens a chapter of Nevada history. BY DALE BEESMER In 1928, some $9,000 in cash, $8,000 in gold, and $20,000 in bonds and traveler checks were robbed from a bank in Virginia City. The two thieves fled east and down the Clark Road toward the […]

Day Trippin’ in the Carson Valley One day in a place where a year isn’t enough. BY MEGG MUELLER Winter vacations in northern Nevada often consist of 1) go to Lake Tahoe to ski, and 2) take in a show and toss some dice in Reno. That’s fun, but now what? Just south of Nevada’s […]

Picture a uniquely diverse landscape spread out across 1.6 million acres. There’s little water, few defined trails, and even fewer roads, but so much to explore. It’s as close as 25 miles from Downtown Las Vegas, yet seemingly far away from the city lights and crowds. If you want to experience “a rugged sense of open space,” the Desert National Wildlife Refuge may be for you.

One year and 26 state parks later, the journey through our state parks is complete. Not intentionally, but perhaps appropriately, we began with Clark County and we end with Washoe, Douglas, and Carson counties. From south to north, east to west, the exploration of our historical and recreational parks has, I hope, been interesting and enticing. I know I learned more about our state parks than I could have imagined, and despite being thwarted by one park (I’m looking at you, Beaver Dam), I would happily do this adventure every year.

Nevada State Parks: Something for Everyone  PART 5: LYON, AND CHURCHILL, AND PERSHING…OH MY. BY MEGG MUELLER While it may not be a solely Nevada trait, the mercurial nature of our weather can truly shift our state parks year to year. Exquisite landscapes are abundant, but the viability of those landscapes is dependent, as we all […]

Nevada State Parks – Something For Everyone PART 4: THE COUNTIES OF WHITE PINE AND ELKO COOK UP A FEW WELL-HYDRATED SECRETS. BY MEGG MUELLER The neighboring counties of White Pine and Elko each have spectacular scenery, extraordinary vacation spots, and a whole lot of space. They both have two state parks, also, and while […]

Visiting every state park requires a bit of forethought and sometimes a bit of luck. There are 21 listed in the official State Park Passport, but technically there are 26 if you split out Elgin Schoolhouse and the individual parks that make up Lake Tahoe State Park. And then there are the two new parks Governor Sandoval announced during his 2017 State of the State address—Tule Springs State Park and Walker River State Recreation Area.

As the second entry in our year-long series, Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park takes center stage, and not just because it’s the only state park in Nye County, but for the immensely important role it plays in Nevada history

Ride Into The Wild New Yonder Pahrump’s myriad trails are making a name with OHV enthusiasts BY VERN HEE Climb on an ATV and ride east from Pahrump, and within 30 minutes of the southern town, the desert quickly falls behind as you undulate through mountain trails, checking out the wild horses, deer, or some […]

The National Park Service was established in 1916 as a means to preserve natural and cultural resources so they could be enjoyed for generations to come. Just 100 years later, America’s more than 10,000 parks receive approximately 275 million visitors a year. Nevada’s first state park was established in 1935, and in little more than six decades, we’ve created 23 distinct parks—from a historic schoolhouse to prehistoric rock formations, glacial lakes to charcoal ovens. Whether the adventure is watersports, hiking, camping, or a history lesson, Nevada has it all.

  ODYSSEY OF A GHOST TOWN EXPLORER LAST OF SIX-PART SERIES EXAMINES ABANDONED SETTLEMENTS IN SOUTHERN NEVADA. PART 6: MILES BY ERIC CACHINERO 5,724 miles. That is the driving distance from Los Angeles to New York City and back again, with about 150 miles to spare. It’s also the distance I have driven within the […]

  THROUGH THE LENS: Great Basin National Park STORY AND PHOTOS BY KIPPY S. SPILKER I leave Ely at 3:15 a.m. and head to the park in hopes of catching a good sunrise. I am not disappointed. Without traffic and construction, I make it there quicker than anticipated, and am able to photograph Wheeler Peak […]

ODYSSEY OF A GHOST TOWN EXPLORER FIFTH OF  SIX-PART  SERIES EXAMINES ABANDONED SETTLEMENTS IN NORTHEASTERN NEVADA. PART  5: THE JARBIDGE  RUNS  THROUGH IT BY ERIC CACHINERO “Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world’s great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of […]

ODYSSEY OF A GHOST TOWN EXPLORER FOURTH OF SIX-PART SERIES EXAMINES ABANDONED SETTLEMENTS OFF THE LONELIEST ROAD IN AMERICA. PART 4: THE ELK OF EBERHARDT BY ERIC CACHINERO I am of the deeply held belief that Rocky Mountain elk are among the most majestic and genuine creatures to walk the earth. I am also of the […]

History Restored With the help of friends, Belmont Courthouse celebrates 140 years. BY RICHARD MASSEY Fiddles played, whiskey flowed, and there was dancing in the streets of Belmont on July 4, 1876. Not only was this the 100th birthday of our country, it was a day to celebrate the grand opening of the Belmont Courthouse. […]

Odyssey Of A Ghost Town Explorer THIRD OF SIX-PART SERIES EXAMINES ABANDONED SETTLEMENTS OF SOUTHEASTERN NEVADA. PART  3: THE WIDOW MAKER BY ERIC CACHINERO Some trips into the Nevada desert begin on a warm spring morning, with birds chirping, dry roads, and an overwhelming feeling of serenity and comfort. Sometimes the planets seem to align; ghost […]

  ODYSSEY OF A GHOST TOWN EXPLORER SECOND OF SIX-PART SERIES EXAMINES ABANDONED SETTLEMENTS OF SOUTHWESTERN NEVADA. PART 2: ROAD NOT MAINTAINED IN WINTER BY ERIC CACHINERO Sometimes we have the seasons in their regular order, and then again we have winter all the summer, and summer all winter. Consequently, we have never yet come […]

Odyssey Of A Ghost Town Explorer PART  1: SKELETONS  OF HISTORY BY ERIC CACHINERO Ghost towns are skeletons of history. Though time has withered many away to the point of almost nothingness, even the most seemingly inconsequential heap of rocks and sticks tells a story: stories of hardship, stories of hope, stories that only the […]

Middlegate Station balances on the edge of history and extinction. BY LISETTE CHERESSON Driving along Highway 50, even seasoned road-trippers may find themselves a bit of panic. Once they’ve ridden the ghost train in Ely or visited the Eureka Opera House, there’s a kind of nothing that conjures visions of lone cowboys on horseback; the […]

Tiny town serves as a perfect base for middle-of-Nevada roadtrip. BY MEGG MUELLER & ERIC CACHINERO There’s a funny conundrum travel writers often face. We’re tasked with discovering little-known gems and encouraging readers to feed their wanderlust and emulate our adventures. Except, we really don’t want any of you to go to Kingston. OK, that’s […]

  Hunters and Conservation are a Natural Pair NEVADA’S WILDLIFE RELIES ON EFFORTS OF HUNTERS AND NON-HUNTERS ALIKE. BY ERIC CACHINERO Go afield with a good attitude, with respect for the wildlife you hunt, and for the forest and fields in which you walk. Immerse yourself in the outdoor experience. It will cleanse your soul […]

Night in the Country Music Festival: A First-Timer’s Guide Camping, country tunes, and crazy times rule at annual event. BY CARRIE ROUSSEL If you love country music and you live in Nevada, you’ve probably already heard about northern Nevada’s Night in the Country Music Festival (NITC). For those not yet in the know, hang on […]

Pottery makers draw inspiration from Nevada’s environment, culture. BY JOHN SEELMEYER When she was a schoolgirl, Las Vegas pottery maker Donna Potter persisted in choosing a purple crayon to color mountains despite the urging of adults who tried to convince her that mountains are brown. A native Nevadan, Donna knew better. The ever-changing purple of […]

On the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe, great backcountry skiing depends on Mother Nature, but always delivers a fun adventure. STORY BY DAVE ZOOK PHOTOS BY MATT BANSAK In mid-December, approaching the summit of Mt. Rose Highway—30 minutes from Reno on State Route 431—the area buzzed with human activity. Hundreds of families played in the […]

National Cowboy Poetry Gathering: First-Timer’s Guide Tips to help you get your cowboy on, correctly. BY MEGG MUELLER For 31 years, the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering (NCPG) in Elko has drawn cowpokes and urban cowboys alike to its lyrical blend of the Wild West, the spoken word, music, and more. Evolved from the earliest storytelling […]

SLOAN CANYON Petroglyphs paint a glimpse of ancestral southern Nevadans. STORY & PHOTOS BY GREG MCFARLANE It’s hardly a secret that Las Vegas is the definitive destination for gambling and entertainment; not to mention cuisine and nightlife. But…prehistoric rock art? Sloan Canyon—a mere 13 miles south of the Las Vegas Strip—contains one of North America’s […]

Ghost towns aren’t the only spooky spaces in the Silver State.   BY ERIC CACHINERO Do you believe in ghosts? The spiritual; the spectral; the supernatural? There’s no denying that Nevada is a choice locale for those seeking paranormal pastimes, exemplified by the repeat visits of popular television shows such as “Ghost Adventures” and “Ghost […]

Explore the jewel that is Nevada’s remote northwest corner. BY MEGG MUELLER & ERIC CACHINERO “There are no services. No water. Your cell phones won’t work. You will be on your own. PROTECT. RESPECT. SURVIVE.” These somber words were our last warning as we left the pavement, released into the vast and unforgiving expanses of […]

  THROUGH THE LENS CATHEDRAL GORGE STATE PARK Geological wonder has photographers and adventurers flocking to natural beauty. BY ERIC CACHINERO The otherworldly atmosphere of Cathedral Gorge State Park may give visitors the impression that they have stepped foot on—well—another planet. Forged from violent and fiery volcanic activity and wrought by millions of years of […]

Nevada’s geothermal activity offers serene soaking experiences. BY ERIC CACHINERO There’s nothing quite like immersing yourself in a hot bath after a long day hiking or skiing in the Silver State. Though Nevada certainly has its share of luxurious spas offering soothing mineral baths, visiting one of the approximately 300 natural hot springs that essentially […]

JOURNEY TO JARBIDGE One of Nevada’s more unique mining camps holds a past as colorful as the scenery that surrounds it. BY ERIC CACHINERO | MARCH/APRIL 2014 Many Nevada towns owe their origins to a prospector, a pickaxe, and the discovery of gold. Though these elements are certainly entwined in its roots, the story of Jarbidge […]

ELDORADO CANYON Nevada’s Wild West roots are encapsulated in this living ghost town. BY ERIC CACHINERO At first glance, Eldorado Canyon visitors may not be aware they’re standing on ground that at one time epitomized the Wild West. A region deluged in riches and plagued by lawlessness, greed, and murder, the history of this Southern […]

SANDS OF TIME Former Pony Express station is well worth the short Highway 50 detour. STORY & PHOTOS BY GREG MCFARLANE No American institution that lasted a mere year and a half— not Zachary Taylor’s presidency, the Tennessee Oilers, nor the “Da Ali G Show”—is remembered as nostalgically as the Pony Express. The revolutionary service, […]

Fort Churchill State Historic Park offers a glimpse into Nevada’s pre-statehood past. BY GREG MCFARLANE Almost everything about life in mid-1800s Nevada seems difficult to fathom and even more difficult to have endured. We no longer worry about hostile natives, high infant mortality, and taking weeks to cross the desert on horse-drawn wagons, but at […]

Glorified Ghost Towns A group of off-roaders find treasures in some of southwestern Nevada’s most inconspicuous places. BY ERIC CACHINERO Ghost towns. They practically hide in plain sight in our state’s unbounded wilderness. The phrase ghost town intrigues the mind with its mysterious, timeworn essence. And, with Nevada claiming more than 600 of them, many […]

As the early morning sun paints its colors across the Carson Range, the piercing scream of a hawk slices through the serenity. We slide stealthily past rabbitbrush and sage toward the sound of mallard ducks over the next bank. Our hearts race in anticipation of the moment the hawk will make its majestic flight.

The joy of road biking comes from finding a relatively lightly traveled, but well-maintained strip of asphalt that keeps you spinning through an array of beautiful scenery. In Nevada, the best rides are found where the mountains meet the desert or gentle rangelands abut snow-capped peaks.

Few places on earth offer the kinds of perspectives afforded from the thousands of ridge tops that punctuate Nevada's more than 300 mountain ranges. From these lofty earthen turrets one can marvel at the endless expanses of the Great Basin and ponder their place in all of it.

With the rising value of gold and increasing popularity of reality TV shows such as “Gold Rush, Alaska” and “Bering Sea Gold,” it seems that everyone is getting gold fever. If you find yourself bitten by the bug, you couldn’t be in a better place than Nevada.

Nevada has many claims to fame, and you can add one more to the list: land sailing. In fact, I was interested to learn recently that the Silver State is arguably the premier land-sailing destination in the United States.