Don’t believe the foreboding Shoshone legends. The most remote, isolated spot in Nevada isn’t haunted by a “weird beastly creature.” And even if it were, Jarbidge Wilderness is so positively breathtaking, you might be willing to take your chances.

Jarbidge Wilderness and the remote, isolated town of Jarbidge are located in the northeast corner of Nevada; so northeast that they’re practically in Idaho. This truly isolated area is so remote it requires at least three hours of driving over gravel roads to get there. You’ll drive 102 miles north from Elko (only 55 of them on paved roads).

Tucked away in northern Elko County, Jarbidge Wilderness covers 113,000 acres of high mountains and deep canyons.
Flickr / Intermountain Region USFS
Jarbidge Wilderness was established as the first ever protected wilderness area in Nevada in 1964. It is comprised of a combination of timbered areas, open desert ranges, rock formation and volcanic cut valleys. If you're visiting Jarbidge Wilderness, it's important you bring all the supplies you'll need for staying out in the wild. This is untouched wilderness. You can't just pop into Wal-Mart if you realize you forgot something.
Jarbidge Lake (below), Emerald Lake, Jarbidge River and Salmon Falls Creek are all within the footprint of the Jarbidge WIlderness.
Wikimedia / Famartin
Fishing and hunting are popular activities in this gorgeous wilderness region. Fishing in the Jarbidge or Little Salmon rivers may land you a bull trout while hunters will discover a record number of deer and elk. Bird hunters will find plenty of game too.
More than 60 varieties of wildflowers grow in the wilderness area.
Wikimedia
The area boasts more than 100 miles of hiking trails with trailheads located at Snowslide Gulch, Slide Creek and Three Day Creek. Along the way, you might also come across wildlife like deer, elk, mountain lions and eagles, and tree carvings left by Basque sheepherders.
At the north end of the Jarbidge Mountains sits the picturesque town of Jarbidge.
Wikimedia / Mark Hufstetlr
Nevada's most remote and isolated town is home to fewer than 50 residents. The town includes a store, a gas pump, two bars, a post office and a motel.

You may have learned about Jarbidge because it was the site of one of the Old West’s last gold rushes. It's also where the last stagecoach robbery took place. In 1916, a two-horse driven mail wagon carrying $4,000 in bills and gold coins was ambushed and the driver was killed. The stolen money is believed to still be buried somewhere in Jarbidge Canyon.

See, now you have ANOTHER reason to visit this remote, isolated spot!

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