In July 1986, Life magazine described Nevada’s Highway 50 from Ely to Fernley as the “Loneliest Road in America.” Life said there were no attractions or points of interest along the 287-mile stretch of road and recommended that drivers have “survival skills” to travel the route.
But Nevadans knew better. They knew that Highway 50 was wide and open — but also one of the state’s most scenic and historic corridors. They knew it retraced the route of the Pony Express and Overland Stagecoach trails and passed through some of the best-preserved 19th century mining towns in the state. They also knew it was filled with recreational opportunities ranging from riding off-road vehicles on the slopes of Sand Mountain to mountain biking on trails around Austin. And they knew it really wasn’t so lonely.
