There’s a lot to explore in Nevada. After all, it’s the seventh largest state in the entire country. Sure, you could take a road trip and see the entire state within 12 hours or so but maybe you’re the type of person who likes a little adventure. In that case, why not hike across the state? Luckily for us, there’s a hiking trail that spans the entire state from east to west. It’s part of the massive American Discovery Trail that spans the country in its entirety. This is probably the most epic hiking trail in all of Nevada, and you’ll want to check it out.
The American Discovery Trail (ADT) is a massive long-distance hiking trail that spans from Delaware to California. All in all, it passes through 15 entire states—Nevada is one of them. The section that spans Nevada is a whopping 450 miles long, and makes for one epic adventure.
The journey starts in the small town of Baker. The community is home to Great Basin National Park which in itself provides an abundance of hiking opportunities. The ADT follows the northern part of the park out of Baker.
The trail leads you through Cooper Canyon and into Cave Lake State Park. The 32-acre lake is famous for hosting the iconic Great Bathtub Races that used to occur here annually. Ely is located 15 miles north of here and is a common pitstop for ADT travelers.
As you continue westward, you'll pass by the utterly fascinating Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Site. These massive kilns were built back in 1876 and were used to convert wood into charcoal. From here you'll follow the trail to the small town of Preston.
From Preston you'll make your way through the White River Valley and The Duckwater Shoshone Reservation (which is private property but the trail has permission to cross through). The next historic site you'll come across is Moores Station which used to be a stagecoach stop.
As you continue on, the scenery begins to change. The next notable stop is located within the Alta Toquima Wilderness where the trail reaches its highest point near the south summit of Mount Jefferson.
Next, you'll come across a few desolate but fascinating ghost towns. You'll pass the little-known ghost town of Grantsville before ending up at the Berlin Historic District which was abandoned in 1911. Here you'll also find the Berlin–Ichthyosaur State Park which preserves undisturbed ichthyosaur fossils.
You'll stop at many tiny towns along the trail, but perhaps the most desolate is Middlegate. Located along America's Loneliest Road, this community of 17 people contains just a single restaurant and store. It definitely is the quirkiest stop on this trail.
The ADT continues down Highway 50 away from Middlegate before cutting across the desert at Sand Springs. This is where you'll hike a large portion of playa that should only be traversed when dry. You'll then end up at Fort Churchill which preserves the adobe remains of an old military fort.
From here, the ADT begins to follow the Carson River before taking you to Virginia City. From Virginia City, the trail crosses through Washoe Lake State Park and then connects to the Tahoe Rim Trail. Continue on to California or end this epic hike right here at Lake Tahoe. The choice is yours!
This would make quite the journey. Do you think you could accomplish it? For more detailed information about the ADT, click here.
Did you know the American Discovery Trail spanned the entire state? This would make for an unforgettable adventure! You might need to work up to the difficulty of this hike. Check out these 8 Easy Backpacking Trips In Nevada that are perfect for beginner backpackers.
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