This Cross-Country Highway Is Known As America’s ‘Loneliest Road’

Abstract

• U.S. Route 50 is among the unique coast-to-coast highways in the USA, stretching over 3,000 miles and passing by way of 12 states.
• The portion of Route 50 that runs by way of Nevada is named the “Loneliest Street in America” and presents beautiful desert landscapes and points of interest like ghost cities, scorching springs, and nationwide parks.
• Regardless of being overshadowed by interstates, Route 50 in Nevada stays a scenic and underrated highway journey vacation spot with loads to see and discover alongside the way in which.

U.S. Route 50 is among the nice transcontinental highways in the USA. However whereas a lot of the transcontinental highways are giant interstates with four-lane-divided highways, elements of this route are fairly lonely. Together with different traditional routes like Route 66, Route 50 is among the greatest road trips to take in the United States.

U.S. Route 50 explores lots of Nevada’s most beautiful (and unexplored) landscapes and ghost cities. Discover this cross-country freeway, the loneliest highway within the US, in your subsequent highway journey.

U.S. Route 50 Is One Of America’s Most Rural & Forgotten Transcontinental Roads

Route 50 is among the unique nice transcontinental highways of the USA

U.S. Route 50 runs from Maryland to California and was a part of the unique US Freeway System created 100 years in the past. Stretching over 3,000 miles, it is among the longest roads in America (the longest road in the USA is Route 20, which is round 350 miles longer).

U.S. Route 50:

• Created: 1926 (a part of the unique US Freeway System)
• Size: 3,019 miles or 4,859 kilometers
• Terminuses: West Sacramento, California & Ocean Metropolis, Maryland
• States Handed By means of: 12: California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland (Plus DC)

Whereas a lot of Route 50 is picturesque and beautiful, probably the most notable half is the portion that runs by way of Nevada.

U.S. Route 50 In Nevada: The “Loneliest Street In America”

The Loneliest Street travels throughout the desert

One of many loneliest stretches of U.S. Route 50 is the stretch that runs by way of Nevada. The 2 main routes reducing throughout Nevada are I-80 within the north (operating from Salt Lake Metropolis to Reno) and I-15 within the south (operating by way of Las Vegas).

U.S. Route 50 takes a center route by way of Nevada proper by way of a few of its most unpopulated heartland. Route 50 enters Nevada from Salt Lake Metropolis at Baker, Nevada, and runs by way of Ely, Eureka, Austin, Fallon, and Reno earlier than crossing into California at Lake Tahoe (the place you may find the largest alpine lake in the United States).

This stretch of highway is arguably one of many loneliest freeway drives in the USA and one of the vital beautiful desert roads. Plainly many of us assume the one factor price seeing in Nevada is Las Vegas or that Nevada is a state to be pushed by way of as shortly as attainable on I-80.

A drive on Route 50 presents a few of Nevada’s most beautiful points of interest. It was as soon as a extra necessary highway than it’s now, however in 1970, it was outmoded by the Interstates.

Route 50 In Nevada Is One Of The State’s Most Scenic Routes

From distant stations to nationwide parks to scorching springs, there is no such thing as a scarcity of points of interest alongside Route 50

I’ve pushed a lot of Route 50 in Nevada, particularly the stretch that is named the “The Loneliest Street in America.” It’s a beautiful drive by way of deserts, salt pans, and previous mountains. The highway visits some distant cities and stations with few vacationers and vacationers bothering to journey this manner.

Instance Points of interest On Route 50 In Nevada:

• Middlegate Station
• 47 Pony Categorical Stations
• Spencer Sizzling Springs
• Nice Basin Nationwide Park
• Quite a few Ghost Cities & Deserted Mines
• Lehman Caves
• Some Of America’s Darkest Skies
• Sand Mountain

Some of the charming roadside points of interest alongside Route 50 is Middlegate Station, nearly two hours or 110 miles out of Reno. Middlegate Station is nice both for a burger or as an in a single day cease (they provide rustic lodging and tenting).

Middlegate Station is positioned off the grid and is powered by turbines positioned on the positioning. I visited Middlegate Station on the Fourth of July in 2020 and had a blast. To at the present time, it stays a spot excessive on my bucket listing of locations to return to.

The inside of the bar and restaurant is richly embellished with cash from around the globe and rather more. It’s a dusty station, however one that basically matches the vibe of America’s loneliest highway.

Alongside the way in which, drive over nearly 20 mountain passes between Ely and Reno. These mountain ranges are topped with forests whereas the interspersed valleys are deserts. These mountains present wonderful climbing and tenting alternatives and there may be nearly nobody on the paths. One can really feel like they’ve your entire mountain to themselves.

Near the border with Utah is the Great Basin National Park, Nevada’s only national park and one of many loneliest nationwide parks within the Contiguous United States.

Spence Sizzling Springs:

• Opening Hours: 24/7
• Admission Payment: Free

Spencer Hot Springs is a well-liked method to soothe aches and pains and is among the greatest stops alongside the highway. It’s a cluster of pure springs positioned on unimproved public land managed by the BLM.

The biggest of the washing holes has water at round 140 levels flowing right into a concrete tub. There are not any facilities (no contemporary water, no restrooms) however guests are welcome to camp.

Wherever you cease alongside freeway 50, you possibly can probably sense why it is nicknamed the loneliest highway, however there may be nonetheless loads to see and discover alongside the way in which.