Take This Road Trip Through Nevada’s Most Picturesque Small Towns For A Charming Experience
Nevada is a place where small towns reign and its easy to find towns with even as few as 100 residents regularly visited for their history and scenic options. Here’s a road trip through nine of Nevada’s small towns that takes a little under 15 hours and a total of 892 miles. Add in some extra time for photo and snack stops and you this could make a three day weekend trip through small town Nevada.
Eureka has a population of 610 people according to the last census count in 2010. This small town has some interesting historical sites. The Eureka Opera House (pictured above) is one of the most well known. First built in 1800, the building was fully renovated in 1993 and it now serves as a meeting and convention center for the town. Another popular attractions is the Eureka Sentinel Museum which has exhibits on the early mining history of the town.
Indian Hills has a population of 5,627 people as of the 2010 census. It's located near the Southern end of the state capital, Carson City. This small town has some lovely parks, such as the James Lee Memorial Park. The park has all sorts of sports facilities, picnic grounds, hiking and biking trails, and more.
Another small town, Kingsbury's population clocked in at 2,152 in 2010. Kingsbury is primarily a place for travelers to Lake Tahoe to visit and there are numerous hotels and cabins. It's the home base for several Tahoe area tour companies, such as Wanna Ride Tahoe Bike Shuttle & Tours and the Borges Sleigh and Carriage Rides.
Minden is the home of the Douglas campus of Western Nevada College. The town's population was 3,001 people as of 2010. Minden is well known for being a top location for gliding enthusiasts because of the favorable wind conditions created by its position to the Sierra Nevada mountains. It's also a spot for several historic buildings, with 8 places that are listed with the National Register of Historic Places.
Yerington is the county seat for Lyon County, which originally was Dayton until their court house burned down in 1909. This small town had a population of 3,048 people as of 2010. Yerington is also the home of the headquarters for the Yerington Paiute Tribe of the Yerington Colony and Campbell Ranch. Attractions incluyde the Lyon County Museum, Lyon County Fair Grounds and the Pioneer Crossing Casino.
Tonppah has a population of 2,478 people (as of 2010). Tonopah has a large history with mining and you can see many remnants of the mining boom in the town today. It's also the the spot for some unusual attractions, such as the Clown Motel and the Tonopah Cemetary. The Mizpah Hotel, built in 1908, is part of the Historic Hotels of America program through the National Trust for Historic Preservation. At one point in time it was the tallest building in the entire state. It's also reportedly haunted by the ghost of a former prostitute. If you enjoy stargazing, Tonopah is also known for some incredible night skies and was deemed one of the top stargazing cities in the nation by USA Today.
Beatty has about 1000 residents and it's a town primarily focused on tourism. It's the "gateway to Death Valley" and a major stop for tourists heading into the park, as well as scoping out local ghost towns like Rhyolite, and the Goldwell Open Air Museum. It's also a fantastic spot for desert wildflower viewing in the spring, particularly if the rain in winter has been good. The town has many lodging options, casinos, shopping and art galleries.
Another small town is Caliente, with a 2010 population of 1,130. A popular spot to visit is the Caliente Railroad Depot, which now serves as a government building. It's distinctive mission-style architecture makes for some great photographs. There are also natural hot springs in the town, and its located near some lovely outdoor areas such as the Kershaw-Ryan State Park, Beaver Dam State Park, and Cathedral Gorge.
Panaca is our last stop on the journey and this small town has a population of 963 people (as of 2010). Panaca originally came to be as a Mormon settlement and it's the only town in Nevada where alcohol is prohibited, as well as gambling. There are four Nevada Historical Markers in the town including the Mercantile Store and the Ward Chapel. Condor Canyon, a mining ghost town, is also a nearby attraction which has a nice 4-mile hiking trail and is also near the Panaca Hot Springs. Panaca is very close to Cathedral Gorge State Park, which is a stunningly beautiful park that is less visited than some of Nevada's other better known parks.
Would you take a road trip through these towns? What are some of your favorite Nevada small towns? Share in the comments!
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