On the road to Reno.
Reno is about 450 miles -- roughly seven hours mostly on US 95 -- from Las Vegas to Reno/Sparks. The lengthy desert drive is lonely but, if time and desire permit, stopping at some interesting destinations along the way can offer a respite from the endless blacktop and monotonous landscape.
The Getaway Geezers are pleased to offer up some easy side trips between these two population centers for your consideration and pleasure. As you will see as you explore our discoveries, these destinations are listed, more or less, in a south-to-north geographical order from Las Vegas (Beatty/Rhyolite, Death Valley, Goldfield, Tonopah and Mina/Walker Lake/Yerington). On our return leg home from Sparks, we visited nearby Fort Churchill Historic State Park a few miles west of US 95.
Although Death Valley is in the proximity of Beatty and Rhyolite, the lowest point in the United States
Our purpose was adventure and to attend a two-day barbershop "leadership conference" in Sacramento. We spent a couple of nights enroute in Sparks visiting Dave's younger sister, Karen; his older brother, Sam, flew up from the Bay Area to join in the fun. We also encountered a snowstorm at Donner Pass (enroute to Sacramento), which required us to return to Sparks to buy snow chains!
NOTE. This edited excerpt from Wikipedia says it all: "There are few landscapes in the U.S. lonelier than that of western Nevada. Towns -- remote outposts connected by endless, thin ribbons of highway -- are named for what miners used to pull out of the ground. The mining industry in places like Mineral County has largely disappeared, and with it, the towns it gave birth to. Those that aren't ghost towns already cling precariously to life, burned-out and abandoned structures at their margins creeping inexorably toward the center like some scabrous and fatal disease. For many, it's just a matter of time; even those hamlets that still have a few hundred people living in them are sometimes left off of state road maps. There are many ghost and near-ghost towns in Mineral County -- a town boasting about 5,000 residents -- or about one per square mile. Less than 260 of those people live in Mina -- a town on US 95 named for a railroad executive's daughter 100 years ago (which in Spanish means ore). The railroad and mining operations are gone, From the looks of things, at least half the town sits abandoned. Best known for a 1921 murder scandal that resulted in the world's first execution by lethal gas, today Mina is a perfect example of a desert town on its way out."
The Getaway Geezers are pleased to offer up some easy side trips between these two population centers for your consideration and pleasure. As you will see as you explore our discoveries, these destinations are listed, more or less, in a south-to-north geographical order from Las Vegas (Beatty/Rhyolite, Death Valley, Goldfield, Tonopah and Mina/Walker Lake/Yerington). On our return leg home from Sparks, we visited nearby Fort Churchill Historic State Park a few miles west of US 95.
Although Death Valley is in the proximity of Beatty and Rhyolite, the lowest point in the United States
Our purpose was adventure and to attend a two-day barbershop "leadership conference" in Sacramento. We spent a couple of nights enroute in Sparks visiting Dave's younger sister, Karen; his older brother, Sam, flew up from the Bay Area to join in the fun. We also encountered a snowstorm at Donner Pass (enroute to Sacramento), which required us to return to Sparks to buy snow chains!
NOTE. This edited excerpt from Wikipedia says it all: "There are few landscapes in the U.S. lonelier than that of western Nevada. Towns -- remote outposts connected by endless, thin ribbons of highway -- are named for what miners used to pull out of the ground. The mining industry in places like Mineral County has largely disappeared, and with it, the towns it gave birth to. Those that aren't ghost towns already cling precariously to life, burned-out and abandoned structures at their margins creeping inexorably toward the center like some scabrous and fatal disease. For many, it's just a matter of time; even those hamlets that still have a few hundred people living in them are sometimes left off of state road maps. There are many ghost and near-ghost towns in Mineral County -- a town boasting about 5,000 residents -- or about one per square mile. Less than 260 of those people live in Mina -- a town on US 95 named for a railroad executive's daughter 100 years ago (which in Spanish means ore). The railroad and mining operations are gone, From the looks of things, at least half the town sits abandoned. Best known for a 1921 murder scandal that resulted in the world's first execution by lethal gas, today Mina is a perfect example of a desert town on its way out."
Goldfield
With a current population of nearly 300, Goldfield, 190 miles north of Las Vegas, was a boom town in the first decade of the 20th century. The discovery of gold in 1902 generated more than $86 million for the small community. Its population peaked at 20,000 in 1906, but dropped to 4,838 just four years later. In 1912, ore production dipped to $5 million and the largest mining company left town. Goldfield was destroyed in 1923 by a fire caused by a moonshine still explosion; the original school house and the Goldfield Hotel survived the blaze. The existing landmark Goldfield Hotel was built in 1908 at a cost of $300,000-400,000. Upon our arrival, we saw two guys waving at us from atop the old school. We waved back and Dave took a photo or our surprise welcome. (It's the last picture in the collection below.)
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Mina, Walker Lake & Yerington
Mina, NV and Walker Lake (to the south) are a barren 50 miles apart.
About four hours north of Las Vegas, Mina is little more than a row of homes along US 95. But like many small western towns, it has some interesting history and sights off the highway (which we did not explore). Founded as a railroad town in 1905, it was named for Ferminia Sarras, a large landowner and famed prospector known as the 'Copper Queen'.
The Nevada & California Railway, a division of the Southern Pacific Railroad, had a station in the town. The railroad is long gone, but at one time a local shuttle called the "Slim Princess" allowed Native Americans to ride for free on top of the rail cars, where passengers and crew would shoot wild game such as jack rabbits, ducks and sage hens from the open windows. The train moved slow enough that hunters had time to retrieve their game and hop back on board.
The lone tree has been bedecked with shoes for some unknown reason...other than to make an eye-catching snapshot.
About four hours north of Las Vegas, Mina is little more than a row of homes along US 95. But like many small western towns, it has some interesting history and sights off the highway (which we did not explore). Founded as a railroad town in 1905, it was named for Ferminia Sarras, a large landowner and famed prospector known as the 'Copper Queen'.
The Nevada & California Railway, a division of the Southern Pacific Railroad, had a station in the town. The railroad is long gone, but at one time a local shuttle called the "Slim Princess" allowed Native Americans to ride for free on top of the rail cars, where passengers and crew would shoot wild game such as jack rabbits, ducks and sage hens from the open windows. The train moved slow enough that hunters had time to retrieve their game and hop back on board.
The lone tree has been bedecked with shoes for some unknown reason...other than to make an eye-catching snapshot.
CLICK PICTURE TO ENLARGE
Fort Churchill State Historic Park
Fort Churchill, once an active U.S. Army fort, was built in 1861 to protect early settlers from possible feared Indian attacks and atrocities. It was abandoned nine years later. During that period it also served as a way station on Pony Express and Central Overland Routes dating back to that era.
Ghostly adobe buildings, erected in the form of a square facing a central parade ground remain as "skeletons" still standing on stone foundations in a state of "arrested decay." Hundreds of soldiers were once based here between expeditions against the Indians. Today a visitors' center displays information and historic artifacts.
Trails wind past Fort remnants, graves and other age-worn sites. Other options include hiking, historic and environmental education, camping, picnicking, photography and canoeing on the Carson River. It's located eight miles south of Silver Springs on US 95 and one mile west on Fort Churchill Road.
Ghostly adobe buildings, erected in the form of a square facing a central parade ground remain as "skeletons" still standing on stone foundations in a state of "arrested decay." Hundreds of soldiers were once based here between expeditions against the Indians. Today a visitors' center displays information and historic artifacts.
Trails wind past Fort remnants, graves and other age-worn sites. Other options include hiking, historic and environmental education, camping, picnicking, photography and canoeing on the Carson River. It's located eight miles south of Silver Springs on US 95 and one mile west on Fort Churchill Road.
CLICK PICTURE TO ENLARGE
