These 7 Towns Are Nevada's Best-Kept Secret
Nevada, the Silver State most famous for megastructures like the Hoover Dam and neon cities like Las Vegas, contains many wonderful and amazing secrets worth discovering that are just as delightful as the casinos and fanfare in Sin City. Many of Nevada’s best-kept secrets are, in fact, the many sublime and rural towns worth visiting. From towns like Austin and Ely that preserve and educate newcomers about the compelling ore-mining legacies of Nevada to communities in Eureka and Caliente that promote the dynamic and disparate environments that range from deserts to forested oases, visitors to Nevada’s best-kept secrets will discover the beauty and grandeur these towns have to offer. Discover these seven towns that are Nevada’s best-kept secrets.
Austin
On the western slopes of the Toiyabe Range, the welcoming semi-ghost town of Austin enchants newcomers with its 6,575 elevation and its historic and natural landmarks. Situated on Route 50, the Loneliest Road in America, Austin is popularly for the Stokes Castle, a historic edifice that is modeled after a villa from Italy thanks to the ingenuity of a mega-rich silver tycoon in 1897. Austin is primarily known as Nevada’s “City of Churches,” though it mainly has three 1800s-era churches: the Methodist Church, St. George’s Episcopal Church, and St. Augustine’s Catholic Church, all of which are located beside the high desert canyon walls surrounding Austin. Before the arrival of pioneers and trailblazers, the Western Shoshone Native Americans once resided in the area, and curious travelers can see petroglyphs and pictographs left by these indigenous people at places such as the Toquima Cave.
Many ought to go trekking through Austin’s vibrant and vivacious landscapes, such as the many dirt paths and routes in the Kingston Canyon and reaching some of Nevada’s highest peaks by traversing the Toiyabe Crest Trail. Outdoor lovers will also adore the woodland oases of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest that serve as vivifying contrasts to Nevada’s arid and semiarid deserts. Finally, there is Diana's Punch Bowl, a large, deep basin formed by erosion. For those of you interested in spending your vacation in this small town on the Loneliest Road in America, you can seek out accommodations from one of Austin’s laidback lodgings like the International Hotel, Café & Bar.
Ely
Ely is a wondrous and delightful small town close to the border of Utah. Established in 1868 as both a stagecoach station along the Pony Express and Central Overland Route and a gold-mining camp likely named after mining promoter John Ely, the town has become one of the most prominent and popular ghost towns in Nevada. With attractions and exhibits at both the White Pine Public Museum and the Nevada Northern Railway Museum that showcase the interconnected histories of copper-mining and railroad industries, Ely preserves many of its relics and educates both locals and visitors alike in the historic happenings that contributed to Ely’s economic growth. Furthermore, you can head over to the Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park to admire several stone beehive ovens that used to produce charcoal for smelting in the 1870s.
Ely is also a convenient stopover to some of the most beautiful and dynamic outdoor sceneries in eastern Nevada, and among these natural landscapes worth exploring is the Great Basin National Park, a 77,000-acre region renowned for the Lehman Caves and ancient bristlecone pines. There is also Cave Lake State Park where one can go hiking, fishing, and mountain climbing up arduous yet rewarding spots like Cave Mountain and South Schell Peak. More amazing attractions and surprises are in store in the small town of Ely, so you should certainly consider staying a long while in one of Ely’s humble abodes like the Rustic Inn Motel or the Hotel Nevada & Gambling Hall.
Eureka
There is much to exclaim and proclaim when exploring the town of Eureka. It was founded in 1864 by silver prospectors, WR. Tannehill, GT. Tannehill, JW. Smith and Moses Wilson from the nearby town of Austin which is about 70 miles away. The New York Canyon close to Eureka was abundant with silver ores, and although the silver prospectors who discovered this bountiful vein originally called their mining site the Horse Thief Canyon, they eventually renamed it Eureka since it was Greek for “I have found it” as a reference mainly to having found silver in the region rather than being similar to Archimedes of ancient Greece. The Eureka Mining District contains the most amount of well-preserved historic buildings in all of Nevada, with several structures and edifices like the Eureka Opera House, Sentinel Museum, and Jackson House Hotel which any newcomer can tour. In the period of May 12 - 13, both townsfolks and visitors with an aptitude for using the violin are encouraged to participate in the annual Old Time Fiddlers’ Contest. Similarly, those with an appetite for both wine and art can attend the much-beloved Art, Wine and Music Fest on the month of September. Should you wish to discover more attractions and landmarks in Eureka, you ought to first book a room in one of Eureka’s humble dwelling places such as the Sundown Lodge.
Caliente
From the Spanish word caliente meaning “hot,” the quaint and quiet town of Caliente is one of the hottest destinations—literally and figuratively—in the Silver State of Nevada. According to the City of Caliente website, this town was settled by Ike and Dow Barton, two slaves who had escaped from Arkansas. Caliente prospered thanks to the industry and economy promoted by the mission-style Caliente Railroad station, a historic train station which you can definitely hop aboard a train ride for. Several hot springs and mineral baths dominate the town’s tourist landscape and in a cave beneath the nearby mountains, as these hot and steaming features are what gave the town its Spanish name. Within the Kershaw-Ryan State Park, you can admire the arid and semiarid desert features and resilient oases that Nevada is famous for. Meanwhile, routes and trails like the Barnes Canyon Mountain Bike and Hiking Trails will take you to many scenic vantage points and other points of interest around Caliente. Then there is Mosey Mountain, with its grand and unspoiled view of Nevada’s harsh and dynamic terrain. Only about two hours south of Ely, travelers can enjoy their hot and humble vacation in Caliente, particularly when staying in one of the town’s comfortable lodgings like Patty’s Motel or Shady Motel.
Winnemucca
Winnemucca is praised for being an “oasis in the desert” of Nevada, where one can escape the scorching heat and arid wilderness of the Silver State. Originally known as French Ford in honor of the town’s the first settler, a Frenchman named Joseph Ginacca who operated a ferry across the Humboldt River, the town was renamed into Winnemucca in 1868 after a famous leader of the neighboring Paiute Native Americans. Since then, Winnemucca has served as a major supply center for the Central Pacific Railroad, transporting many commercial and mining goods between communities in Nevada. Places like the Humboldt Museum offer exhibits on North Central Nevada history and the economic developments that transformed Winnemucca over the years. To the far west of Winnemucca, you can go gallivanting through the vast regions of the Black Rock Desert - High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area, where one can traverse historic wagon trails and possibly attend the Burning Man festivals that are often held there. If you wish to spend your cool and comfy nights in Winnemucca, then consider booking a room in fine establishments such as the Scott Shady Court Motel.
Virginia City
Approximately 35 miles southeast of the big city of Reno, the smaller community of Virginia City boasts some of the most significant historic landmarks in Nevada. Legend has it that James Fennimore, nicknamed "Old Virginny Finney" christened the town when he stumbled and broke a whiskey bottle in the doorway of a saloon. Henry T. “Pancake” Comstock discovered a giant lode of gold and silver and other rich ores on the site of Virginia City in the 1800s. The Comstock Lode, as it was called, was specifically located in Mount Davidson, and several landmarked attractions such as the Chollar Mine Tour, the Gold Hill Historical Marker, and the Comstock Gold Mill are some of the many destinations where you can see the remnants of Virginia City’s old mines. Both The Way It Was Museum and the Historic Fourth Ward School Museum expound more upon the discovery of the Comstock Lode as well as the fact that Virginia City’s silver contributed to financing the US government during the American Civil War, the development of San Francisco in California, and the wealth of millionaires like telecommunications giant John MacKay.
The Bonanza Barons or Kings, among them George Hearst and John MacKay, were also prominent millionaires who benefitted from Virginia City’s silver and gold. The many Victorian-style mansions and public buildings, such as the Mackay Mansion Museum, which you can tour in the town were a result of the Bonanza Barons’ monetary influences. However, some of these buildings, like Washoe Club and stately Piper’s Opera House, are rumored to be haunted locations which you ought to be mindful of. During Virginia City’s boom period, the town’s local newspaper network, The Territorial Enterprise, once employed a reporter named Samuel Clemens, whom all might recognize by his nom de plume, Mark Twain. Although less than 800 people now reside in Virginia City when once it accommodated over 30,000 in its heyday, this historic small town is nevertheless a perseverant and well-preserved landmark in Nevada’s silver-bearing history which you can immerse yourselves more deeply into once you have booked a room at one of Virginia City’s amicable abodes, among them the Silverland Inn, the Virginia City Inn, or the “B” Street House Bed & Breakfast.
Genoa
On the eastern base of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, travelers will be smitten by the generous and gregarious small town of Genoa. Only about 12 miles from Carson City, Genoa was originally called Mormon Station since it was a provisioning station and trading post on the Emigrant Trail, mostly serving Mormons. Eventually, it was renamed in 1855 after Christopher Columbus’ birthplace, the city of Genoa in Italy. The town was also the first settlement in what became the Nevada Territory in its founding in the year 1851 and has preserved a number of historic structures and landmarks which you can find in the Mormon Station State Historic Park.
Because Genoa is situated beside the Carson River Valley, you can expect to find numerous trails and treks worth traversing in the untamed wilderness of Nevada. Undoubtedly the best destination to go gallivanting around Genoa is Lake Tahoe, the largest alpine lake in North America which shares its expansive and second-deepest waters with the state of California. You ought to also ascend to the summit of Genoa Peak, which affords you panoramic views and vistas of two disparate states. Finally, on September 27 and 28, you can participate in the annual Genoa Candy Dance that has been around since 1919, when Genoa’s streets are thriving and thronging with arts and crafts and candy vendors for you to try out.
These seven towns that are Nevada’s best-kept secrets shine just as brightly as the neon beauty of Las Vegas. In Virginia City, for example, you can immerse yourself in the Gold Rush era with the town’s preserved 19th-century buildings and Old West atmosphere. Some of the oldest towns in Nevada, like Genoa and Austin, also provide newcomers a fascinating glimpse into Nevada’s past which contributed much to modern millionaires and their fortunes. Meanwhile, for those with a love for the outdoors, places like Ely and Genoa give you access to some of Nevada’s magnificent wilderness sceneries and destinations worth discovering. There are many more secrets to uncover and expose in the Silver State, so give yourself this opportunity to experience these amazing towns that are also Nevada’s best-kept secrets worth unlocking.
