7 Most Eccentric Towns In Nevada
Few places are as eccentric and enigmatic as the state of Nevada. In a place where UFO sightings are abundant, where the Burning Man Festival blazes, and where Area 51 is supposedly located, you are bound to find a number of the most eccentric towns in Nevada. Among these ecstatic destinations in the Silver State are previous silver and gold mining towns such as Ely, Virginia City, and Tonopah. Then, there are locations near amazing ecological features such as Genoa and Lovelock. Most importantly, many of the most eccentric towns in Nevada are a humble and blessed far cry from the neon splendors of Las Vegas. Even though Sin City is certainly a city many ought to be curious about visiting, the most eccentric towns in Nevada should definitely not be missed nor dismissed.
Genoa
Genoa, founded in 1851 to be the first settlement of the Nevada Territory, has remained one of the most neighborly small towns in modern-day Nevada. Only about 42 miles away from the city of Reno, Genoa is glimmers with a generous and glamorous community in the Carson River Valley and tangent to the eastern base of the Sierra Nevada Range. You will undoubtedly find innumerable points of interest around Genoa, whether you are traversing the Eagle Ridge Trailhead that leads towards Genoa Peak or kayaking across Lake Tahoe. The first permanent trading post made by and for the Mormons from Salt Lake City can be admired at the Mormon Station State Historic Park. Meanwhile, the annual Genoa Candy Dance entertains locals and newcomers with dances, dinner, arts, and crafts from September 28 to 29. For those of you enthusiastic to spend your vacation in Genoa, you can do so by first booking a room in lodgings like the White House, the Holiday Inn Club Vacations, or David Walley's Resort.
Lovelock
Lovelock, lauded by many for being the “Banana Belt” because of its mild high desert climate and over 230 days per year of sunshine, is a sunny small town in the Cowboy Corridor. This route, more modernly known as Interstate 80, was once a major avenue through the Nevada desert in the days of the Wild West and westward expansion. Even the Northern Paiute people walked through the Cowboy Corridor and whose thousands of artifacts—dating well back in the period of 2000 B.C. - 1000 A.D.—can be found in the Lovelock Cave. Among these artifacts accidentally discovered by guano miners are 11 well-preserved Tule Duck Decoys, the oldest of their kind, which you can peruse at the Marzen House Museum which also happens to be a good place to learn all about the significance of the train industry in Lovelock. No need to worry about accommodations, not when you are staying in excellent lodgings like the Cadillac Inn or the Royal Inn.
Incline Village
You should not decline a splendid and eccentric vacation in the exquisite town of Incline Village. With its proximity to Lake Tahoe and the remarkable Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival on the Sand Habor, Incline Village does not disappoint. Take the Flume Trail or any other free dirt trails towards the many small mountains ringing Incline Village. Pay homage to Ullr, the Norse God of Snow, to rid Incline Village of the oppressive Nevada heat during the Ullr Fest in February. More importantly, feel the snow in the middle of Nevada when experiencing skiing and snowboarding at both the Diamond Peak Ski Area and Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe. So, to those who are ecstatic to immerse themselves in Incline Village’s exhilarating neighborhoods, you can always book a room at either the Incline Lodge or Northlakes Lodges & Villas.
Virginia City
Virginia City, located in the Virginia Range and on the slopes of Mount Davidson, has made men into millionaires due to its significance as a gold mining town in the past. Only around 28 miles from Genoa, miners have mined over miles of gold and silver ores in the Comstock Lode alone, and tycoon magnates like John Mackay have prospered due to the “Big Bonanza” of 1873. Virginia City’s historic buildings such as Washoe Club and Piper’s Opera House have retained much of their original image, and old quarry artifacts and mining maps of the Big Bonanza can be admired in museums like the Way It Was Museum. Meanwhile, the Chollar and Ponderosa mines, the Comstock Gold Mill, and Marshall Mint are destinations worth visiting if you want a direct immersion into the ore-mining days of Virginia City. Interestingly enough is the Fourth Ward School Museum, which showcases what a classroom might have looked like back in 1876. Should you wish to spend a longer time in Virginia City, you can look to the Virginia City Inn, Comstock Lodge, or Gold Hill Hotel for accommodations.
Tonopah
Tonopah, known locally as the “Queen of the Silver Camps,” was the site of a major mining operation specifically for silver ores and deposits. Particularly at the Mining Park, in an area surrounded by harsh desert landscapes, you can find the old and abandoned mining quarries which tourists can traverse. By day, you can journey to the unusual and quirky Goldfield, home to the “International Car Forest”, which is composed of wrecked and vandalized vehicles standing upright in the desert. By night, you can gaze up at the clear and unpolluted night skies of Tonopah and get a grand view of the Milky Way Galaxy. And in the period of May 19 - 17 each year, you can attend the annual Jim Butler Days for Tonopah’s excellent festivities. If you ever need a place to sleep and rest for the next day, you can settle down in accommodating establishments like the Mizpah Hotel, Belvada Hotel, or Clown Motel.
Ely
Ely was a mining town, a stagecoach terminus, and a trading post originally known as Murray Station when it was established in the 1870s. But over the years, Ely became one of the loneliest towns on Highway 50, the “Loneliest Road in America.” Still, if you do find Ely, you can certainly enjoy both the eccentricity of the place as well as scenic explorations at the Great Basin National Park and the Lehman Cave. Travelers can ascend to the second tallest mountain peak in Nevada, the Wheeler Peak, or marvel at the murals and sculptures depicting Ely’s original stagecoach and mining status. Hop aboard a vintage diesel-engine locomotive that goes through the Egan Range, and feel safe and contented when sleeping at either the Copper Queen Ramada Inn or the Prospector Hotel Casino.
Austin
About two and a half hours away from Ely on the Loneliest Road in America, the not-so-lonesome town of Austin gives newcomers access to the impeccable attractions around the Toiyabe Mountain Range. Between memorable moments when going through the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest to braving the slopes of Mount Prometheus, there is no shortage of opportunities and activities to acquire in Austin. Head over to the Kingston Canyon and Big Smoky Valley to take in the pristine wilderness of Nevada. Gawk at 10,000-year-old rock carvings at the Hickison Petroglyph Recreation Area and Toquima Cave. Venture into Stokes Castle, which gives people a great vantage over Reese River Valley. Finally, get cozy and comfortable in homely abodes such as Cozy Mountain Motel, among others.
Even though the likelihood of entering Area 51 or spotting an Unidentified Flying Object in Nevada’s skies are next to nil, visitors to the Silver State can still fulfil their silver dreams by exploring the most eccentric towns in Nevada. With ancient Native American artifacts to be seen in Austin and Lovelock, and exciting historic and natural landmarks to head towards in Tonopah and Incline Village, Regardless of how quaint and ordinary these towns might seem compared to the wild eccentricity of the big cities like Las Vegas, each small town in Nevada has their own history to tell, and attractions to promote that should definitely not be ignored.
