I have driven this from west to east. It was really great fun. My most vivid memory was pulling over in a turnout to pee. There was no cover, but there was nobody else visible on the highway. As I stood beside my door relieving myself, a car pulls up right beside me, and a guy asks if we are going to the dinosaur park. Turns out that he works there and they rarely get visitors, so he was excited to see a car pull over, and couldn't wait for us to get there. Of all the places to pee in this vast desert, I chose a spot where I got interrupted.
Per Google Maps, it's 518 miles from SLC to Reno via I-80. It's only 606 miles (and an extra couple of hours) via Provo, US-6 and US-50. As a Nevada resident that's driven both highways many times, take US-50. You'll thank Sean, Kristy and me. Pro tip: Stop for a hamburger at Middlegate Station between Fallon and Austin. And, if you like trains, the Northern Nevada Railway Museum in Ely is well worth the time. Great video... thanks!
@@LongLongHoneymoon We made a 250 mile round trip to Middlegate Station for a burger because we were going stir crazy during the pandemic. It was worth the drive. Hope to run into y’all out west one of these days! 👍
I have traveled the “loneliest highway” more times in my life than I can count! My grandparents lived in Austin, NV - population less than 300 - (and my dad and mom went to high school and got married there!) and it was a summer destination for my family! My husband and I will be planning a trip to Great Basin National Park with a stay in Sacramento Pass Campground. Loved your video and seeing so many places I am familiar with. Thank you!
Visited NV Hwy 50 in 2021 from CA to Yellowstone. We traveled 50 from Sacramento to Utah staying in Great Basin. Hwy 50 is a beautiful road that is glass smooth through NV. Kudos to NV for making this road perfect. Thank you LoLoHo for your videos on Gros Ventre, Jackson, Teton NP & Yellowstone. Made our trip just that much better. We also ran into an unexpected local car show in Fernley, NV that trips. My wife practice driving our class-a from just outside Great Basin to Hwy 6. For those who love solitude, Great Basin NP is your ticket. Just be ready to take a master-class in leveling your rig. ;)
My husband and I have taken highway 50 from north eastern CA to Denver in our 5th wheel many times. We have overnighted at the rest area you showed. There is also a BLM campground named Hickison Petroglyphs. If you aren’t the primary driver of your rig this is a good road to practice your RV towing skills. Fun fact - at 314, Nevada has the most mountain ranges in the US. 😊
We traveled Hwy 50 the first summer we had our Airstream and it was a really pleasant drive! We signed up for the passport, which was really fun - getting stamps for each town. We were in one town looking for a cafe and stumbled upon the opera house, where we were invited to take a backstage tour! It was such a beautiful theater and we enjoyed seeing all the autographs of famous people on the walls. A real treasure. At the end of our trip, we mailed in our passport and received a commemorative pin and certificate. A memorable experience!
Great video! I drove Hwy 50 when I relocated to California. It was just me and my dog. I spent the night in Ely and departed the following morning just before sunrise. I only saw 3 vehicles, going the opposite direction, all the way to Reno. To this day, one of the best drives I have ever driven. A couple of years later, I droved it again with my dog going to Colorado from California. Wouldn't hesitate to drive it again! Your video brought back all the memories.
My wife and I drove from Sacramento on Highway 50 all the way to Colorado. It was simply awesome. The solitude once you get east of Fallon, Nevada was amazing. We spent the night in Eli Nevada, and then explored the Great Basin the next day. Absolutely worth the trip. We drove to Colorado, spent a week and then onto Michigan. We took the same route back. The only horrible thing that happened on the way back was when we stopped for gas in Nevada there were thousands of Mormon crickets. It was the creepiest thing I have ever witnessed. Scared me to death.
I live in Nevada and prefer Hghwy 50 to US 80 any time I can . I recognized Sacremento Pass. Like that place. There is also another section up the hill on a dirt road. With trees and more privacy and trails to walk and stretch your legs and your pets’. I went to Great Basin NP the next day and loved it. I’m so sorry government didn’t let you film. Weird. Baker is a cute little city, very little. I’m planning to do this route again soon and be able to stop in Eureka and Austin and explore more than I have traveling through in the past. Ely, is a pretty big place and the Charcoal Ovens outside town are unique. I believe they have a railroad museum as well. Lots of gas stations. Thanks for doing this video on 50. 😊
We have drove Hwy 50 several times. If you have the time it’s much more adventurous than the interstate! I recommend you have full propane tanks,full fresh water tank and empty your black & gray tanks before heading out. We always carry ten gallons spare cans of fuel but if you don’t. That may be a good idea also!
My husband and I are watching this and just chuckling -- we spent our honeymoon (31 years ago this month) driving Hwy 50 to California and it was *packed* with RVs! Not lonely at all! We have avoided the road since then, but now we want to give it another shot. Thanks for sharing your experiences and advice!
Hey we love all your videos no matter the topic. But as a suggestion, since national parks are no longer an option, how about doing a series on state parks? We camp at those exclusively, never an RV park so would be nice to have your opinions on some of these so we can plan for future travel, north and south. Thank you.
nice stuff. One of my upcoming RV goals is to do Highway 50 from Ocean City Maryland right through to Sacramento. That should give a great look right across America. Continued safe travels....
We like US50. Have traveled it with Airstream from both West and East. Later with traveled from the East with the MoHo and plan to do the opposite soon. We did East to West and traveled through to Sacramento. That is best route if you want to stay North. We hate going down I80 into the Bay Area. The chain groves on I80 are terrible to manage. Going East up I80 is not nearly so bad. Love the KOA in Ely. Nice to use the Loves truck stop in Ely as well. Very nice subject to share.
I've driven the 50 from Fernley, NV to Salida, CO. My worst experience was going up Monarch Pass. Lots of slow traffic, me included. A real challenge for my pickup/camper. My favorite experience is taking the shortcut from I-70 at Salina, UT. to Scipio, UT at I-15. From there I can continue West on 50 to Great Basin NP, or go north toward home. Once I drove this stretch in the evening and met only 2 other cars on this stretch.
I was in Utah a few years ago and found 50, I didn't have a full tank on my camper, I said, No problem, we will get gass at the next gas station! Well, after driving for hours I almost had a panic attack. I made it to (I think williams?) A most stressful drive, so my advice, keep water and fill up before you go!....
Very good advice. I've traveled Hwy 50 twice in my pickup truck and slide-in camper. There's no substitute for preparing properly. Help could be a long time coming. The desert is beautifully desolate any time of year. You'll enjoy this drive.
I first drove Hwy 50 in 1974 from Sacramento to Gunnison, Co. I loved it enough to drive it two more times on trips out west over the years. In 1974 I stopped at a gas station/general store, probably in Austin, and there was a layer of dust covering all of the items in the general store that made it look uninhabited for the past 50 years. I recommend the series of books, "Roadside Geology". Each book covers a different state. The geology is described mile marker by mile marker on all the major roads in each state. It makes long drives interesting.
My wife gave me that exact look! Didn't go over that well. Lol. It's been about 8 years ago, but I loved traveling that road. We were east to west exploring Nevada. As always, good video. Stay safe.
I traveled that highway in a rented motorhome long long time ago before cell phones. I was told while traveling that road that if you saw three cars in the day that was considered a traffic jam. What got me was those little itty-bitty towns where you’re going 65 70 75 down the road and all of a sudden you have to reduce your speed to 35. I did not see many of the places you’ve shown when I did it. But it wasn’t experience, you didn’t mention all the farms out there that were constantly watering. Now I was told and I could be wrong, but almost the whole state of Nevada is sitting on top of one big lake, put your well down and you get all the water you need. Love your videos.
We traveled from Ely to Fallon on Highway 50. It was an interesting ride. My wife counted 29 vehicles both directions. We did stop and dump 5 gallons of diesel (I carry 10 Gallons extra on long trips) because I did not think we could make our destination of Fallon without that. It was a pleasant drive and we had fun perusing the small towns and other attractions along the way. I would do it again.
About 14 years ago my wife, our 2 dogs and I traveled from Castle Rock, CO to Arcata, CA via US 50 from Ely to Fallon. We saw a few wild horses along the way. We saw very few other cars and/or trucks. I remember being amazed at the pictures of bulls/steers on the road signs signifying open ranges. We drove 80 mph the entire way as we were not towing at the time. We enjoyed it and would do it again if we get a chance. Thanks for the video!!!
Drove this road (US 50) ... we usually stay away from the Interstates, so US 50 was, for us, only a little less traveled by, but still there was plenty of others enjoying this great drive. The road was in good shape (we you noted) and there are some fun campground options. This little part of the Great Basin, in the national park, is great ... the cave there is a lot of fun !!
Several years ago we jumped on 50 at Delta Utah and traveled appx 160 miles with no intersecting roads or houses until we reached Ely Navada. Saw lots of interesting things but the most was the "Devils Backbone" wich are jagged rocks erupting from the flat arid terrain going north and south. Enjoy your program.
I love this extended look at Hwy 50! When you talked about it on your trip to Berkeley (?) for a football game I was intrigued. I had seen a show on PBS about a guy traveling Hwy 50 just days earlier. I want to drive it so bad, I wonder how it is in March? Did you stop at Middlegate Station and did you try their Monster Burger? That's one reason I want to do it, plus it looks like an old stop on the Pony Express route; a place to swap your horse!
Thank You, you brought back some great memories. My wife, a 2 year old and I traveled the US50 from California to Colorado back in Arpil,1984. We got snow in Reno and everyday got ahead of it only to stop for the night and wake up to fresh snow in the morning. We got stopped in Colorado Springs because of a blizzard shutting down I70. I loved the video, thank you.
Thank you, Smitty! Appreciate your kind comments. I have a feeling the next time we have a chance to hop on Highway 50 we will do so. I am eager to get back. 👍
Your video was timed perfectly for us as we will be making this drive in five weeks from Colorado to California. Back in the eighties I lived in Reno and from time to time would hear horror stories of people being stopped and robbed on this hwy and have always been apprehensive about driving it but we decided to give it a shot this trip. Your video has helped us have a better comfort level about our decision.
I agree with all that you said and my biggest impression of the drive was all those mountain passes we drove through. I would drive this route again without any hesitation, but heading to the great Basin NP again is off my to do list. LOL
lol we hope to visit Great Basin someday. It made me sad to just drive past it, but last year the NPS was not too friendly to us video creator types. 😂 Maybe next time!
We went to Ely to visit the Nevada Northern Railway Museum, which is definitely a must see. Then we drove west on Route 50 to see Garnet Hill, a BLM site where rockhounders can search for garnets. About across Route 50 from the entrance to Garnet Hill is a marker for Copper Country. Nearby is Ruth, NV, the location of the Robinson copper mine, an 8000 foot deep open pit mine. You can see edges of the pits from the Copper Country marker. They’re huge and look like mountains.
Ahhh, such memories.. been across the Loneliest Road shortly after it was a thing. Great Basin National Park was just opened…visited center, no campgrounds. We crossed it in ‘88 and ‘90. On the first trip had to take a break . Con place to pull over so we just stayed in our lane, put on the flashers, made a quick lunch and short nap! No cars either way. Lots of very interesting shops and wonderful landscapes going from one basin to another. Keep up the great videos and insights of our beautiful country we live in.
This landscape is what as known as basin and range (mountain range), with vast stretches of flat basin interrupted by smaller mountain ranges. It is astounding how large and sparsely populated it is.
We drove east to west as well and had many of the same conclusions that you had.Stayed at a nice KOA in ELY Nevada and then finished the trip the next day reaching RENO, NV. Yes it is hillier tha we thought it would be but not terrible. Great Basin NP is a hidden gem with a superb visitor center. All said and done we wouldn't hesitate to make the drive again on our next trip to CA. Unique, quiet and beautiful!
I love the backroads over the interstates. Definitely make sure you have enough fuel, water, food, and other supplies. 4:25 mark: Thank you for that information. I was also under the impression that it was a long straight flat road. I'm glad to know there are different elevations and scenery.
Thanks for the video guys - we’ll be traveling US 50 across Nevada in a couple of weeks - on our way back to Colorado from the PNW. Thanks for the tip about the web sire and the audio tour of the towns and sites along the ways.
We have driven the Loneliest Road twice, once towing a TT and once with a Class C and toad. We love the drive and will drive it again with our Class A. I also find most of it a low stress drive and the towns are great!
You nailed it. It is our favorite highway. When we lived in Reno we took it to go to Salt Lake City. Now, we travel from Salt Lake to Reno. Our biggest high lite is when we get buzzed by a jet from the Fallon Naval air station. You guys ever come through the Salt Lake area I would love a visit and treat you to lunch or dinner. Long time fan.
We drove it years ago and also enjoyed the trip. There is a good state park about midway, Icthysaur (SP?) State Park. As you might expect it was about a dinosaur quarry. IIRC we camped there. The mountains are the Basin and Range geological province with hundreds of small mountain rages running north west and this area stretches from the Mexican border in Cali to the Tetons. It is caused by the stretching of the country from west to east. We ended up at Great Basin but that was when we had a tiny RV. The campgrounds are very limited for size (25 ft?) which makes a return trip difficult for us. The Utah section of 50 isn't much more inhabited in Utah until you hit I15.
There is a little National Forest Campground just above Austin Nevada called Bob Scott Campground that we have stayed at before while heading towards Las Vegas NV. The roads are dirt/gravel at the campground and it has one toilet. Still it is very quiet and pleasant to stay at.....
Travelled part of it, had a school friend who grew up in Fallon and visited him. The part between Reno and Fallon didn't seem all that lonely. Would love to stop by and watch Navy pilots at the Naval Air Station out in the desert.
Great video. I've never been on that highway. Since I used to live in Nevada, the pronounciation is Nevada like a newspaper ad or advertisement. Not Nevada like Prada.
FromMI, yes, have traveled Hwy. 50 on two occasions and yes Kristy, the hubs got a very similar nasty look when we passed by said establishment 🤣. It’s a pretty cool ride.
We drove the road the last week of May and really enjoyed the scenery and solitude. We happened to drive through during the Mormon Cricket invasion and what a mess that was. Sea of red crickets on the road, creating slick red tracks on the road. When we got to the KOA in Ely, the front of my fifth wheel and the leveling jacks were covered in a red, sticky mess. Luckily we had some intense rainfall and hail a couple of days later in Wyoming that washed everything off 😊
We took US-50 A FEW YEARS AGO and loved it. I like BLM LAND CAMPING and State campgrounds. Thanks for showing this video and reminding me. We watch your videos all the time, I am a Subscriber of you, " LoLoHo".
Sorry we missed you! We should probably announce it in advance, but that would require planning…and if you have been around for a long while, you know we are not planners! 😂
I want to drive US 50, in Nevada, it starts in Ocean City, MD Other lonely roads... CA 190 West of Death Valley then South to California City, this one about killed my truck, 5-9% grade for 20 miles from below sea level to 5,000 feet in 100 degree heat, 5 people towing a 9,000 lb camper. US 62 from El Paso to Carlsbad, NM, this one actually suprised me, no warning of no fuel stops for 150 miles but there is a border checkpoint.
There's just something about driving across Nevada that's so wonderful. I hope to get out there again. Are you guys planning a trip to the Adirondacks any time soon? Lake Placid area is a must. You guys would love it.
I liked this video it was very good! You might need to keep your eyes on the road a little more. Some things can get you in trouble!! I saw that look Kristy gave you. If I were to guess it isn’t the first time you’ve seen that look! Y’all be safe!
You said you were looking for ideas... How about a greatest hits video of all of Sean's silly double entendres and Kristy's reaction to them (like the "Hot Girls" comment in this video). It could be fun to see all of Kristy's eye rolling over the years at Sean's risque comments. Great content, as always. Been watching you guys for about 8 years! We've been to the Tetons and Gros Ventre MANY times, thanks to you both!
At the time of filming, the national park system required that we apply for commercial filming permits 6-8 weeks in advance of visiting, pay for the permits ($150-225 dollars), and provide proof of commercial insurance. We are a two person operation and that is a lot of extra work and expense for us. Also, they don’t guarantee that you will be granted a permit and if they don’t give you a permit, you don’t get your money back. Supposedly this rule is going to be repealed for small creators like us, but we haven’t gotten confirmation yet.
Had to stop for about an hour on this highway. The Army was blowing up expired ordinance, and traffic was not allowed to proceed until they were finished.
Love US-50 and every time I find myself about to use I-80 to get across, I dip to US-50 instead... been doing it since the 1990s. It's gotten more popular since then. Another thing to remember, is that it is an open range. If you're driving at night, be careful, they'll leave a mark if you hit one. I crossed in early September and Ely was 65 at night and 90 during the day.... one week later when I was crossing south through Vegas, Ely was below-freezing at night. And the nighttime sky along 50 is some of the darkest in the US. Bring a good camera to take some awesome pics. Also interesting is the "rock graffiti" that people do near the western half..... pull over, find rocks in the desert and use them at the side of the road.
As I camp here in Gunnison at TT Blue Mesa Rv on US 50 your latest video seems very timely. I drove from Pueblo here on the latest leg of my trip from Georgia going to Oregon. So far it has been very much as you show, even in Colorado. The grade over the mountains said 6%. Are there any similar grades that you drove as you were following US50? How did SEEMORE fair? Oil temps? Exhaust temps? Tranny Temps? I took the last 3 miles at about 25mph up the grade. My truck is similar to SEEMORE, a 2004 f250 6.0 (named UGA) pulling about 6k travel trailer. Thank you for all of your videos!
Back in 2015 I drove back to Tenn along Highway 50. Was tired of 10 and 80. Spent several nights at Great Basin NP. Did you stop at the Shoe Tree near Fallon?
Hwy 50 is great. I live in Eureka NV. Most of area on 50 is all BLM so you can pull off and camp most any where. There are a few state parks near Ely and the Petroglyphs about 40 miles west of Eureka. There are a few more in the area that off of Hwy 50 that are great also
If heading E to W, Ely is the last place with a decent grocery store. Eureka has a real small one downtown and the only groceries in Austin where a few staples at the gas station from what I remember.
I have driven this from west to east. It was really great fun. My most vivid memory was pulling over in a turnout to pee. There was no cover, but there was nobody else visible on the highway. As I stood beside my door relieving myself, a car pulls up right beside me, and a guy asks if we are going to the dinosaur park. Turns out that he works there and they rarely get visitors, so he was excited to see a car pull over, and couldn't wait for us to get there. Of all the places to pee in this vast desert, I chose a spot where I got interrupted.
Ha! This would totally happen to me! 🤣
Shirley and I thought it was an awesome Hwy to travel ! Like so many a real one of a kind ! ❤❤
Per Google Maps, it's 518 miles from SLC to Reno via I-80. It's only 606 miles (and an extra couple of hours) via Provo, US-6 and US-50. As a Nevada resident that's driven both highways many times, take US-50. You'll thank Sean, Kristy and me. Pro tip: Stop for a hamburger at Middlegate Station between Fallon and Austin. And, if you like trains, the Northern Nevada Railway Museum in Ely is well worth the time. Great video... thanks!
Excellent tips! Thanks for sharing, and for being a YT member! 💕🤙🏼
The Train museum in Eli is an excellent place to visit. We travel US 93 north-south - another very interesting Nevada route.
Thanks for your comment! We will look for Middlegate Station next time we are traveling that road. We loved the drive and I'm sure we'll be back!
@@LongLongHoneymoon We made a 250 mile round trip to Middlegate Station for a burger because we were going stir crazy during the pandemic. It was worth the drive. Hope to run into y’all out west one of these days! 👍
I dare you! Great line. Something my wife would say, and fully expected!😁
I wisely declined to accept the dare 😂
I have traveled the “loneliest highway” more times in my life than I can count! My grandparents lived in Austin, NV - population less than 300 - (and my dad and mom went to high school and got married there!) and it was a summer destination for my family! My husband and I will be planning a trip to Great Basin National Park with a stay in Sacramento Pass Campground. Loved your video and seeing so many places I am familiar with. Thank you!
Highway 50 has a serenity that is hard to match. Beautiful. Thanks for the highlights.
Visited NV Hwy 50 in 2021 from CA to Yellowstone. We traveled 50 from Sacramento to Utah staying in Great Basin. Hwy 50 is a beautiful road that is glass smooth through NV. Kudos to NV for making this road perfect. Thank you LoLoHo for your videos on Gros Ventre, Jackson, Teton NP & Yellowstone. Made our trip just that much better. We also ran into an unexpected local car show in Fernley, NV that trips. My wife practice driving our class-a from just outside Great Basin to Hwy 6.
For those who love solitude, Great Basin NP is your ticket. Just be ready to take a master-class in leveling your rig. ;)
My husband and I have taken highway 50 from north eastern CA to Denver in our 5th wheel many times. We have overnighted at the rest area you showed. There is also a BLM campground named Hickison Petroglyphs. If you aren’t the primary driver of your rig this is a good road to practice your RV towing skills. Fun fact - at 314, Nevada has the most mountain ranges in the US. 😊
We traveled Hwy 50 the first summer we had our Airstream and it was a really pleasant drive! We signed up for the passport, which was really fun - getting stamps for each town. We were in one town looking for a cafe and stumbled upon the opera house, where we were invited to take a backstage tour! It was such a beautiful theater and we enjoyed seeing all the autographs of famous people on the walls. A real treasure. At the end of our trip, we mailed in our passport and received a commemorative pin and certificate. A memorable experience!
Good episode
Driven it on motorcycle, motor home, pickup truck and sports car. Love that route.
Great video! I drove Hwy 50 when I relocated to California. It was just me and my dog. I spent the night in Ely and departed the following morning just before sunrise. I only saw 3 vehicles, going the opposite direction, all the way to Reno. To this day, one of the best drives I have ever driven. A couple of years later, I droved it again with my dog going to Colorado from California. Wouldn't hesitate to drive it again! Your video brought back all the memories.
My wife and I drove from Sacramento on Highway 50 all the way to Colorado. It was simply awesome. The solitude once you get east of Fallon, Nevada was amazing. We spent the night in Eli Nevada, and then explored the Great Basin the next day. Absolutely worth the trip. We drove to Colorado, spent a week and then onto Michigan. We took the same route back. The only horrible thing that happened on the way back was when we stopped for gas in Nevada there were thousands of Mormon crickets. It was the creepiest thing I have ever witnessed. Scared me to death.
Sean “Lunch, hot buffet, ladies with lap dance.”
Your wife cracks me up
“I date you”
You two have an amazing marriage
I live in Nevada and prefer Hghwy 50 to US 80 any time I can . I recognized Sacremento Pass. Like that place. There is also another section up the hill on a dirt road. With trees and more privacy and trails to walk and stretch your legs and your pets’. I went to Great Basin NP the next day and loved it. I’m so sorry government didn’t let you film. Weird. Baker is a cute little city, very little. I’m planning to do this route again soon and be able to stop in Eureka and Austin and explore more than I have traveling through in the past. Ely, is a pretty big place and the Charcoal Ovens outside town are unique. I believe they have a railroad museum as well. Lots of gas stations.
Thanks for doing this video on 50. 😊
Ely also has Garnet Hill for rockhounding garnets.
Interesting highway. In New Mexico there are many 'lonely roads' too!
We have drove Hwy 50 several times. If you have the time it’s much more adventurous than the interstate! I recommend you have full propane tanks,full fresh water tank and empty your black & gray tanks before heading out. We always carry ten gallons spare cans of fuel but if you don’t. That may be a good idea also!
My husband and I are watching this and just chuckling -- we spent our honeymoon (31 years ago this month) driving Hwy 50 to California and it was *packed* with RVs! Not lonely at all! We have avoided the road since then, but now we want to give it another shot. Thanks for sharing your experiences and advice!
It makes us so happy when you guys post a new video. 🥰
That makes us so happy to hear! Thanks for joining us!
Hey we love all your videos no matter the topic. But as a suggestion, since national parks are no longer an option, how about doing a series on state parks? We camp at those exclusively, never an RV park so would be nice to have your opinions on some of these so we can plan for future travel, north and south. Thank you.
nice stuff. One of my upcoming RV goals is to do Highway 50 from Ocean City Maryland right through to Sacramento. That should give a great look right across America. Continued safe travels....
We like US50. Have traveled it with Airstream from both West and East. Later with traveled from the East with the MoHo and plan to do the opposite soon. We did East to West and traveled through to Sacramento. That is best route if you want to stay North. We hate going down I80 into the Bay Area. The chain groves on I80 are terrible to manage. Going East up I80 is not nearly so bad. Love the KOA in Ely. Nice to use the Loves truck stop in Ely as well. Very nice subject to share.
I've driven the 50 from Fernley, NV to Salida, CO. My worst experience was going up Monarch Pass. Lots of slow traffic, me included. A real challenge for my pickup/camper. My favorite experience is taking the shortcut from I-70 at Salina, UT. to Scipio, UT at I-15. From there I can continue West on 50 to Great Basin NP, or go north toward home. Once I drove this stretch in the evening and met only 2 other cars on this stretch.
I was in Utah a few years ago and found 50, I didn't have a full tank on my camper, I said, No problem, we will get gass at the next gas station! Well, after driving for hours I almost had a panic attack. I made it to (I think williams?) A most stressful drive, so my advice, keep water and fill up before you go!....
Good timing for this video, driving it in 3.5 weeks.
Very good advice. I've traveled Hwy 50 twice in my pickup truck and slide-in camper. There's no substitute for preparing properly. Help could be a long time coming. The desert is beautifully desolate any time of year. You'll enjoy this drive.
I first drove Hwy 50 in 1974 from Sacramento to Gunnison, Co. I loved it enough to drive it two more times on trips out west over the years. In 1974 I stopped at a gas station/general store, probably in Austin, and there was a layer of dust covering all of the items in the general store that made it look uninhabited for the past 50 years. I recommend the series of books, "Roadside Geology". Each book covers a different state. The geology is described mile marker by mile marker on all the major roads in each state. It makes long drives interesting.
My wife gave me that exact look! Didn't go over that well. Lol. It's been about 8 years ago, but I loved traveling that road. We were east to west exploring Nevada. As always, good video. Stay safe.
I traveled that highway in a rented motorhome long long time ago before cell phones. I was told while traveling that road that if you saw three cars in the day that was considered a traffic jam. What got me was those little itty-bitty towns where you’re going 65 70 75 down the road and all of a sudden you have to reduce your speed to 35. I did not see many of the places you’ve shown when I did it. But it wasn’t experience, you didn’t mention all the farms out there that were constantly watering. Now I was told and I could be wrong, but almost the whole state of Nevada is sitting on top of one big lake, put your well down and you get all the water you need. Love your videos.
This is right up my alley... what a cool road to travel. Thanks for the heads up on this gem!
We traveled from Ely to Fallon on Highway 50. It was an interesting ride. My wife counted 29 vehicles both directions. We did stop and dump 5 gallons of diesel (I carry 10 Gallons extra on long trips) because I did not think we could make our destination of Fallon without that. It was a pleasant drive and we had fun perusing the small towns and other attractions along the way. I would do it again.
About 14 years ago my wife, our 2 dogs and I traveled from Castle Rock, CO to Arcata, CA via US 50 from Ely to Fallon. We saw a few wild horses along the way. We saw very few other cars and/or trucks. I remember being amazed at the pictures of bulls/steers on the road signs signifying open ranges. We drove 80 mph the entire way as we were not towing at the time. We enjoyed it and would do it again if we get a chance. Thanks for the video!!!
Drove this road (US 50) ... we usually stay away from the Interstates, so US 50 was, for us, only a little less traveled by, but still there was plenty of others enjoying this great drive. The road was in good shape (we you noted) and there are some fun campground options. This little part of the Great Basin, in the national park, is great ... the cave there is a lot of fun !!
Several years ago we jumped on 50 at Delta Utah and traveled appx 160 miles with no intersecting roads or houses until we reached Ely Navada. Saw lots of interesting things but the most was the "Devils Backbone" wich are jagged rocks erupting from the flat arid terrain going north and south. Enjoy your program.
That's going on the list of things we need to do! Thanks for the video!
I love this extended look at Hwy 50! When you talked about it on your trip to Berkeley (?) for a football game I was intrigued. I had seen a show on PBS about a guy traveling Hwy 50 just days earlier. I want to drive it so bad, I wonder how it is in March? Did you stop at Middlegate Station and did you try their Monster Burger? That's one reason I want to do it, plus it looks like an old stop on the Pony Express route; a place to swap your horse!
Great video, we just assumed the road wouldn’t be great, great tips!
We've only been on 15 from CA to Vegas, so we'd love to do this trip sometime! Thanks for sharing!
We traveled The Loneliest Road in America four years ago from West to East. It was a great experience, beautiful open road and lonely!! 😅
Thank You, you brought back some great memories. My wife, a 2 year old and I traveled the US50 from California to Colorado back in Arpil,1984. We got snow in Reno and everyday got ahead of it only to stop for the night and wake up to fresh snow in the morning. We got stopped in Colorado Springs because of a blizzard shutting down I70. I loved the video, thank you.
Thank you, Smitty! Appreciate your kind comments. I have a feeling the next time we have a chance to hop on Highway 50 we will do so. I am eager to get back. 👍
Your video was timed perfectly for us as we will be making this drive in five weeks from Colorado to California. Back in the eighties I lived in Reno and from time to time would hear horror stories of people being stopped and robbed on this hwy and have always been apprehensive about driving it but we decided to give it a shot this trip. Your video has helped us have a better comfort level about our decision.
Robbery? Yikes! That’s scary. Hopefully you will have as smooth a trip as we did! 🤞🏼
I agree with all that you said and my biggest impression of the drive was all those mountain passes we drove through. I would drive this route again without any hesitation, but heading to the great Basin NP again is off my to do list. LOL
lol we hope to visit Great Basin someday. It made me sad to just drive past it, but last year the NPS was not too friendly to us video creator types. 😂 Maybe next time!
We went to Ely to visit the Nevada Northern Railway Museum, which is definitely a must see. Then we drove west on Route 50 to see Garnet Hill, a BLM site where rockhounders can search for garnets. About across Route 50 from the entrance to Garnet Hill is a marker for Copper Country. Nearby is Ruth, NV, the location of the Robinson copper mine, an 8000 foot deep open pit mine. You can see edges of the pits from the Copper Country marker. They’re huge and look like mountains.
Thanks for doing this vid. It reminded me of one of my favorite Tv movies, Duel filmed in 1971.
Ahhh, such memories.. been across the Loneliest Road shortly after it was a thing. Great Basin National Park was just opened…visited center, no campgrounds. We crossed it in ‘88 and ‘90. On the first trip had to take a break .
Con place to pull over so we just stayed in our lane, put on the flashers, made a quick lunch and short nap! No cars either way. Lots of very interesting shops and wonderful landscapes going from one basin to another. Keep up the great videos and insights of our beautiful country we live in.
Thanks for another great video and Kristy i loved your comment about theclub stopped in front of. That is so beautiful country thank you for sharing.
Love this video it was very informative. Looking forward to seeing more of your videos. Be safe and God Bless you both. 🙏🏼❤️
LMAO at the end! You guys are a hoot. I love you so much. 🤗
Aw, thank you for the love and support! 💕 🤙🏼
This landscape is what as known as basin and range (mountain range), with vast stretches of flat basin interrupted by smaller mountain ranges. It is astounding how large and sparsely populated it is.
We drove east to west as well and had many of the same conclusions that you had.Stayed at a nice KOA in ELY Nevada and then finished the trip the next day reaching RENO, NV. Yes it is hillier tha we thought it would be but not terrible. Great Basin NP is a hidden gem with a superb visitor center. All said and done we wouldn't hesitate to make the drive again on our next trip to CA. Unique, quiet and beautiful!
I needed a laugh tonight. Thanks. That is beautiful country.
I was planning on taking the Interstate, but this looks far more interesting. I will be driving it in a few weeks. Thank you for this timely video.
There are some stretches the road is so straight you can see it until it disappears over the horizon.
I love the backroads over the interstates. Definitely make sure you have enough fuel, water, food, and other supplies.
4:25 mark: Thank you for that information. I was also under the impression that it was a long straight flat road. I'm glad to know there are different elevations and scenery.
Been o that road multiple times and love it. Also, I’ve overnighted along it without any problems.
Thanks for the video guys - we’ll be traveling US 50 across Nevada in a couple of weeks - on our way back to Colorado from the PNW. Thanks for the tip about the web sire and the audio tour of the towns and sites along the ways.
We have driven the Loneliest Road twice, once towing a TT and once with a Class C and toad. We love the drive and will drive it again with our Class A. I also find most of it a low stress drive and the towns are great!
A great highway. Stayed at the KOA in Ely , Nevada. Drove to Great Basin National Park. Then drove Highway 50 to Tonnapah, Nv.
Kristy, your complexion is gorgeous! Whatever skin care you do fits you well. 🙂
Aw, thanks! Although the lighting in our studio probably makes it look much better than it really is. 😄
You nailed it. It is our favorite highway. When we lived in Reno we took it to go to Salt Lake City. Now, we travel from Salt Lake to Reno. Our biggest high lite is when we get buzzed by a jet from the Fallon Naval air station. You guys ever come through the Salt Lake area I would love a visit and treat you to lunch or dinner.
Long time fan.
Thanks, Everett! 🤙🏼
We drove it years ago and also enjoyed the trip. There is a good state park about midway, Icthysaur (SP?) State Park. As you might expect it was about a dinosaur quarry. IIRC we camped there.
The mountains are the Basin and Range geological province with hundreds of small mountain rages running north west and this area stretches from the Mexican border in Cali to the Tetons. It is caused by the stretching of the country from west to east.
We ended up at Great Basin but that was when we had a tiny RV. The campgrounds are very limited for size (25 ft?) which makes a return trip difficult for us. The Utah section of 50 isn't much more inhabited in Utah until you hit I15.
This road is on my bucket list. Thank you for a wonderful video.
There is a little National Forest Campground just above Austin Nevada called Bob Scott Campground that we have stayed at before while heading towards Las Vegas NV. The roads are dirt/gravel at the campground and it has one toilet. Still it is very quiet and pleasant to stay at.....
Travelled part of it, had a school friend who grew up in Fallon and visited him. The part between Reno and Fallon didn't seem all that lonely. Would love to stop by and watch Navy pilots at the Naval Air Station out in the desert.
Great video. I've never been on that highway. Since I used to live in Nevada, the pronounciation is Nevada like a newspaper ad or advertisement. Not Nevada like Prada.
FromMI, yes, have traveled Hwy. 50 on two occasions and yes Kristy, the hubs got a very similar nasty look when we passed by said establishment 🤣. It’s a pretty cool ride.
😂
Can’t wait to see videos of your latest travels.
Another GREAT story time 🍻
We drove the road the last week of May and really enjoyed the scenery and solitude. We happened to drive through during the Mormon Cricket invasion and what a mess that was. Sea of red crickets on the road, creating slick red tracks on the road. When we got to the KOA in Ely, the front of my fifth wheel and the leveling jacks were covered in a red, sticky mess. Luckily we had some intense rainfall and hail a couple of days later in Wyoming that washed everything off 😊
We took US-50 A FEW YEARS AGO and loved it. I like BLM LAND CAMPING and State campgrounds. Thanks for showing this video and reminding me. We watch your videos all the time, I am a Subscriber of you, " LoLoHo".
Great video. I loved the final look you got at the end from Kristy!
Love your channel!!
I dare you!
Love it…. Made me chuckle through the rest of the video.
Thank you for that.
First time we’ve been close to seeing a livestream actually live! Sorry we missed you!
Sorry we missed you! We should probably announce it in advance, but that would require planning…and if you have been around for a long while, you know we are not planners! 😂
We boondocked wehere 89 and 50 meet. Was amazing!
My wife and I went that way coming back from reno it was nice but that was 25 years old I would like to go back with the rv
You guys are so lovely, thank you. We take short trips here in Montana, no long trips.
I want to drive US 50, in Nevada, it starts in Ocean City, MD
Other lonely roads... CA 190 West of Death Valley then South to California City, this one about killed my truck, 5-9% grade for 20 miles from below sea level to 5,000 feet in 100 degree heat, 5 people towing a 9,000 lb camper.
US 62 from El Paso to Carlsbad, NM, this one actually suprised me, no warning of no fuel stops for 150 miles but there is a border checkpoint.
We have driven CA 190, and it’s definitely a doozy! We drove it west to east, so I think that was less difficult than traveling west.
There's just something about driving across Nevada that's so wonderful. I hope to get out there again. Are you guys planning a trip to the Adirondacks any time soon? Lake Placid area is a must. You guys would love it.
Enjoyed the video!
I love 50.pretty twisty turny as you go from california to nevada,but then it gets better.
I’ve only been on Hwy 50 in the Sierras when I lived in South Lake Tahoe. Nothing very lonely on that stretch.
I liked this video it was very good! You might need to keep your eyes on the road a little more. Some things can get you in trouble!! I saw that look Kristy gave you. If I were to guess it isn’t the first time you’ve seen that look! Y’all be safe!
😂
Thank you for this video.
You said you were looking for ideas...
How about a greatest hits video of all of Sean's silly double entendres and Kristy's reaction to them (like the "Hot Girls" comment in this video). It could be fun to see all of Kristy's eye rolling over the years at Sean's risque comments.
Great content, as always. Been watching you guys for about 8 years! We've been to the Tetons and Gros Ventre MANY times, thanks to you both!
I know that look in the outro! Sleep lightly Sean
😂
great video' ive following yous a couple years, never disappointed, you are doing what i want to do, thanks for taking me along,
Thanks for joining us! 🤙🏼
Got to hear the Great Basin story. Lots of other videos their
At the time of filming, the national park system required that we apply for commercial filming permits 6-8 weeks in advance of visiting, pay for the permits ($150-225 dollars), and provide proof of commercial insurance. We are a two person operation and that is a lot of extra work and expense for us. Also, they don’t guarantee that you will be granted a permit and if they don’t give you a permit, you don’t get your money back. Supposedly this rule is going to be repealed for small creators like us, but we haven’t gotten confirmation yet.
Had to stop for about an hour on this highway. The Army was blowing up expired ordinance, and traffic was not allowed to proceed until they were finished.
Love US-50 and every time I find myself about to use I-80 to get across, I dip to US-50 instead... been doing it since the 1990s. It's gotten more popular since then.
Another thing to remember, is that it is an open range. If you're driving at night, be careful, they'll leave a mark if you hit one.
I crossed in early September and Ely was 65 at night and 90 during the day.... one week later when I was crossing south through Vegas, Ely was below-freezing at night.
And the nighttime sky along 50 is some of the darkest in the US. Bring a good camera to take some awesome pics.
Also interesting is the "rock graffiti" that people do near the western half..... pull over, find rocks in the desert and use them at the side of the road.
Hickison petroglyphs blm campground outside of Austin NV is nice too
15:23 I knew you were a man of culture Sean!
Oh, Lordy! 🤣🤦🏼♀️
As I camp here in Gunnison at TT Blue Mesa Rv on US 50 your latest video seems very timely. I drove from Pueblo here on the latest leg of my trip from Georgia going to Oregon. So far it has been very much as you show, even in Colorado. The grade over the mountains said 6%. Are there any similar grades that you drove as you were following US50? How did SEEMORE fair? Oil temps? Exhaust temps? Tranny Temps? I took the last 3 miles at about 25mph up the grade. My truck is similar to SEEMORE, a 2004 f250 6.0 (named UGA) pulling about 6k travel trailer. Thank you for all of your videos!
Nevada is the state that has the most mountain ranges in the US : 46
We have a house in Stagecoach (about 13 miles east of Dayton), yet haven’t driven past Fernley. 😂 Thanks for the education.
I wanna try that route!
It was beautiful!
Back in 2015 I drove back to Tenn along Highway 50. Was tired of 10 and 80. Spent several nights at Great Basin NP. Did you stop at the Shoe Tree near Fallon?
Hwy 50 is great. I live in Eureka NV. Most of area on 50 is all BLM so you can pull off and camp most any where. There are a few state parks near Ely and the Petroglyphs about 40 miles west of Eureka. There are a few more in the area that off of Hwy 50 that are great also
Great video
Anytime I can take even part of the old "cross country" highways I do. Just different scenery thN the interstates.
If heading E to W, Ely is the last place with a decent grocery store. Eureka has a real small one downtown and the only groceries in Austin where a few staples at the gas station from what I remember.
Eureka now has a larger grocery store and hardware store. They even have an EV charging station.
We traveled Hwy 50 in 1980 when I was 15, and the speed limit was 55 mph. "Magnificent Desolation" to quote Buzz Aldrin.
Excellent description!