Nevada

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A Cool Trip to Take in August When Temperatures Soar in the Southwest

By Nancy S. Tardy*

Of course, I didn’t have to drive on a dirt road for 70 miles, but it was the most direct route to my next stop. My goal was to spend a summertime week within Nevada’s borders experiencing temperatures no higher than 80 degrees.

Strolling through Belmont, located about 250 miles NE of Las Vegas, on Sunday morning, I savored the crisp mountain air. I spent the night in a renovated miner’s cabin a short hike up a hill behind the Belmont Inn. With no electricity and running water, the twin-bedded cabin evoked memories of another time; long days of hard physical labor and few comforts. The Inn rooms are charmingly diverse, and all guests made an easy accommodation to sharing the single spacious bathroom, complete with claw-foot tub. Since Belmont has no restaurants (one of the two local bars does serve light fare), groceries or gas stations, those staying should plan ahead. The Inn does serve dinner for all guests who pre-book; and, of course, a bountiful breakfast is provided.

Belmont Courthouse The former mining boom town and county seat of Nye County, Belmont offers plenty of sightseeing opportunities. Among these is a stroll through the local cemetery, complete with fancy iron fences and unique grave markers; a peek at the soon to be restored 125 year-old Italianate courthouse, a state historical site; a tour of a gold mine located at Round Mountain, the next valley west; and interesting drives to nearby towns and geological sites. New owners, Henry and Bertie Berg, hope to make available a monthly stagecoach run from Belmont to Manhattan (about 13 miles).

The most direct route to my next stop, Eureka, was a 70-mile drive on dirt roads. However, alternate Highways 376 and 50 will provide the same result in about 3 hours of driving. The old mining town of Eureka sits astride U.S. Highway 50, called the “loneliest road in America”. The local museum is housed in the former newspaper office, The Sentinel, and it provides a glimpse of life in this once-thriving town at its peak in the late 1800s. Don’t miss the self-guided walking tour of buildings and houses in the six-block downtown area. A small number of motels and restaurants are located in Eureka, including a Best Western, but I chose to stay at the old hotel, the Jackson House. Some say it is haunted-sounds of running children echo up and down the halls. Newly-remodeled spacious rooms with private baths occupy the second floor. A balcony leads from the common area and provides a bird’s-eye view of the setting sun over the highway, which doubles as a playground for children on roller-blades and scooters dodging the occasional vehicle.

After a leisurely breakfast head for Ely and the nearby Great Basin National Park. This little-known park has minimal traffic and no entrance fee; plus the temperature cools off rapidly as you drive (or hike) up Wheeler Peak to its summit at over 13,000’. Also, the only glacier in Nevada, albeit very small, is located there. Don’t miss a tour of Lehman Caves; consider pre-booking your cave tour if you plan to visit on weekends or holidays as lines grow long. Four developed campgrounds are located in the Park, but only a few can accommodate long trailers or RVs. Come early to find your campsite, as only a few advance reservations are available. Additional lodging may be found in small motels in nearby Baker, or 70 miles west in Ely.

Sunrise at Great Basin National Park

Elko, sitting astride Interstate 80, offers numerous amenities and many scenic drives. Lamoille Canyon National Scenic Byway is located about 18 miles south of Elko on Hwy. 227. Just before you enter the village of Lamoille (lunch at The Grill is a must), turn right on Canyon Drive and enjoy a 12-mile drive through a lush, green U-shaped valley carved by glaciers thousands of years ago. Miles of hiking trails and a self-guided auto tour offer a more in-depth exploration. Another option is the Ruby Mountain National Wildlife Refuge located south of Elko on Hwy. 228. The gravel road winds its way over the Harrison pass (7247’ elevation) down to the Refuge Headquarters. If you continue south, you will enjoy the Ruby Marshes, home to hundreds of species of birds. Heading back toward Elko, you can stop at Ruby Lake Resort for a snack if you’re hungry. And, if you have time, the Jarbidge Wilderness Area is located about 100 miles north of Elko, near the Idaho border. Hiking, biking, horseback riding and other outdoor options abound in this largely unspoiled wilderness.

Head west on I-80 and check out the Winnemucca restaurants; some offer Basque cooking at its best. A handful of Basque sheepherders from the Pyrenees Mountains in Spain and France settled in Humboldt County more than 100 years ago, and the area has retained its ethnic heritage with festivals and unique restaurants. Think garlic!

No more than 2 hours west of Winnemucca, you can stay at a unique bed and breakfast in the “ghost town” of Unionville. Just take the Mill City exit (St. Route 400) south from I-80 for about 15 miles and drive west for 3 miles up the road to the Old Pioneer Garden Country Inn. This charming bed and breakfast has 3 different housing options. I recommend the Field House, comfortable and quiet and just a short walk up the road; especially helpful after one of the huge breakfasts or dinners provided by Mitzi Jones. Rock hounds will enjoy looking for ammonites; hikers and birders can explore the canyon and creek area; and the porch, library or gazebo are comfortable places to curl up with a book from Lew and Mitzi’s library. Dinner is served around a large table; and amid much conversation and good food, strangers become friends.

A natural ending place for this trek around Nevada would be to spend as much time as possible in the scenic and fun Lake Tahoe area. Enjoy and stay cool!

IF YOU GO

The Belmont Inn Belmont, NV (775 ) 482-2000 for information and reservations .Balcony rooms with breakfast $110; miner’s cabin with breakfast $125. Dinner is provided for $20 additional.

The Jackson House 11 S. Main St. Eureka, NV (Late April-November only)

Reservations, check-in and complimentary continental breakfast are located at the

Best Western Eureka Inn located at 251 N. Main St. (775) 237-5247

Room rates range from $69 to $119.

Great Basin National Park Hwy. 488 Baker, NV (775) 234-7331 www.nps.gov/grba

The Old Pioneer Garden Country Inn, 2805 Unionville Rd. in Unionville, NV

(775) 538-7585

Room rates with breakfast range from $75-$95. Dinner is provided for approximately $10 additional. Cash or personal checks accepted.

*Nancy Tardy is a healthcare professional who resides in Las Vegas and is passionate about traveling and writing.

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	Real Travel Adventures International Magazine Send this Page to a Friend A Cool Trip to Take in August When Temperatures Soar in the Southwest By Nancy S. Tardy* Of course, I didn’t have to drive on a dirt road for 70 miles, but it was the most direct route to my next stop. My goal was to spend a summertime week within Nevada’s borders experiencing temperatures no higher than 80 degrees. Strolling through Belmont, located about 250 miles NE of Las Vegas, on Sunday morning, I savored the crisp mountain air. I spent the night in a renovated miner’s cabin a short hike up a hill behind the Belmont Inn. With no electricity and running water, the twin-bedded cabin evoked memories of another time; long days of hard physical labor and few comforts. The Inn rooms are charmingly diverse, and all guests made an easy accommodation to sharing the single spacious bathroom, complete with claw-foot tub. Since Belmont has no restaurants (one of the two local bars does serve light fare), groceries or gas stations, those staying should plan ahead. The Inn does serve dinner for all guests who pre-book; and, of course, a bountiful breakfast is provided. Belmont Courthouse The former mining boom town and county seat of Nye County, Belmont offers plenty of sightseeing opportunities. Among these is a stroll through the local cemetery, complete with fancy iron fences and unique grave markers; a peek at the soon to be restored 125 year-old Italianate courthouse, a state historical site; a tour of a gold mine located at Round Mountain, the next valley west; and interesting drives to nearby towns and geological sites. New owners, Henry and Bertie Berg, hope to make available a monthly stagecoach run from Belmont to Manhattan (about 13 miles). The most direct route to my next stop, Eureka, was a 70-mile drive on dirt roads. However, alternate Highways 376 and 50 will provide the same result in about 3 hours of driving. The old mining town of Eureka sits astride U.S. Highway 50, called the “loneliest road in America”. The local museum is housed in the former newspaper office, The Sentinel, and it provides a glimpse of life in this once-thriving town at its peak in the late 1800s. Don’t miss the self-guided walking tour of buildings and houses in the six-block downtown area. A small number of motels and restaurants are located in Eureka, including a Best Western, but I chose to stay at the old hotel, the Jackson House. Some say it is haunted-sounds of running children echo up and down the halls. Newly-remodeled spacious rooms with private baths occupy the second floor. A balcony leads from the common area and provides a bird’s-eye view of the setting sun over the highway, which doubles as a playground for children on roller-blades and scooters dodging the occasional vehicle. After a leisurely breakfast head for Ely and the nearby Great Basin National Park. This little-known park has minimal traffic and no entrance fee; plus the temperature cools off rapidly as you drive (or hike) up Wheeler Peak to its summit at over 13,000’. Also, the only glacier in Nevada, albeit very small, is located there. Don’t miss a tour of Lehman Caves; consider pre-booking your cave tour if you plan to visit on weekends or holidays as lines grow long. Four developed campgrounds are located in the Park, but only a few can accommodate long trailers or RVs. Come early to find your campsite, as only a few advance reservations are available. Additional lodging may be found in small motels in nearby Baker, or 70 miles west in Ely. Sunrise at Great Basin National Park Elko, sitting astride Interstate 80, offers numerous amenities and many scenic drives. Lamoille Canyon National Scenic Byway is located about 18 miles south of Elko on Hwy. 227. Just before you enter the village of Lamoille (lunch at The Grill is a must), turn right on Canyon Drive and enjoy a 12-mile drive through a lush, green U-shaped valley carved by glaciers thousands of years ago. Miles of hiking trails and a self-guided auto tour offer a more in-depth exploration. Another option is the Ruby Mountain National Wildlife Refuge located south of Elko on Hwy. 228. The gravel road winds its way over the Harrison pass (7247’ elevation) down to the Refuge Headquarters. If you continue south, you will enjoy the Ruby Marshes, home to hundreds of species of birds. Heading back toward Elko, you can stop at Ruby Lake Resort for a snack if you’re hungry. And, if you have time, the Jarbidge Wilderness Area is located about 100 miles north of Elko, near the Idaho border. Hiking, biking, horseback riding and other outdoor options abound in this largely unspoiled wilderness. Head west on I-80 and check out the Winnemucca restaurants; some offer Basque cooking at its best. A handful of Basque sheepherders from the Pyrenees Mountains in Spain and France settled in Humboldt County more than 100 years ago, and the area has retained its ethnic heritage with festivals and unique restaurants. Think garlic! No more than 2 hours west of Winnemucca, you can stay at a unique bed and breakfast in the “ghost town” of Unionville. Just take the Mill City exit (St. Route 400) south from I-80 for about 15 miles and drive west for 3 miles up the road to the Old Pioneer Garden Country Inn. This charming bed and breakfast has 3 different housing options. I recommend the Field House, comfortable and quiet and just a short walk up the road; especially helpful after one of the huge breakfasts or dinners provided by Mitzi Jones. Rock hounds will enjoy looking for ammonites; hikers and birders can explore the canyon and creek area; and the porch, library or gazebo are comfortable places to curl up with a book from Lew and Mitzi’s library. Dinner is served around a large table; and amid much conversation and good food, strangers become friends. A natural ending place for this trek around Nevada would be to spend as much time as possible in the scenic and fun Lake Tahoe area. Enjoy and stay cool! IF YOU GO The Belmont Inn Belmont, NV (775 ) 482-2000 for information and reservations .Balcony rooms with breakfast $110; miner’s cabin with breakfast $125. Dinner is provided for $20 additional. The Jackson House 11 S. Main St. Eureka, NV (Late April-November only) Reservations, check-in and complimentary continental breakfast are located at the Best Western Eureka Inn located at 251 N. Main St. (775) 237-5247 Room rates range from $69 to $119. Great Basin National Park Hwy. 488 Baker, NV (775) 234-7331 www.nps.gov/grba The Old Pioneer Garden Country Inn, 2805 Unionville Rd. in Unionville, NV (775) 538-7585 Room rates with breakfast range from $75-$95. Dinner is provided for approximately $10 additional. Cash or personal checks accepted. Nancy Tardy* is a healthcare professional who resides in Las Vegas and is passionate about traveling and writing. Real Travel Adventures Web Magazine Thanks for visiting us! Add to Bookmarks ___________________________ Home Previous Page Next Page __________________________ © 2004 Bonita Productions Inc. If any links don't work PLEASE NOTIFY US.