Travel guide to I-80 through Nevada

[nevadatear]

I recently provided this info to a forum member and though others might be interested. Be great if others could do the same about their areas!:

Since this is a heaviliy traveled route through NV, I thought I would post some hidden gems and less traveled highlights along I-80 through Nevada (those of you traveling to Burning Man from the east may be interested). Shaun and Dan, chime in too!

ELKO
On the east side of NV, Consider stopping in Elko at Lamoille. One of the most beautiful places in Nevada. Thomas Canyon Campground http://www.recreation.gov/camping/Thomas_Canyon_Nv/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=70344&topTabIndex=CampingSpot We camped there just last weekend, amazing wildflowers, have been there 4-5 times. But, has become quite popular and need reservations unless you arrive in the first part of the week or first thing in the morning. It is about 4.5 hours from Reno to Lamoille. (about 30 minutes outside of Elko). The hikes to Island Lake and Lamoille Lake are well worth the effort. You can also camp outside the campground at the "Lions Camp" along the river. Not quiet as sheltered, but free!, about a mile before the main campground on the right. It is marked. Birders: Only place in USA to find Himalayan Snowcock.

UNIONVILLE
If you want a night off of camping, and want to get off the beaten path a little, consider the Bed and Breakfast at old little boomtown, Unionville, about 30 minutes off I-80, about 40 minutes east of Lovelock, take the Mill City exit (between Lovelock and Winnemucca). This is not your traditional B & B. It is way up in the canyon, where only about 25 people live. I love this place, my husband and I go there about 2-3 times per year. Mitzi makes huge meals, and will make you a great dinner for only $12.00. The place is filled with books and antiques it is so quiet, with full kitchen to make your own lunch and dinner (if you prefer). Called Old Pioneer Garden. http://www.virtualcities.com/ons/nv/c/nvc4101.htm.

If you want to keep camping and still check out Unionville, you can camp for free at the little park there, now called Moetha's (sp) Park after a woman who lived there recently died in a ATV accident at an annual Easter egg hunt she sponsered. We know it locally as the Girl Scout Park. Has water, porta potties and grassy picnic area. Nice gentle hiking on trail at the end of the canyon road. It is about 1000 ft higher that I-80 so much more green and cooler. It is a real secret gem of Nevada. There is all so a wild animal refuge area close by called Safe Haven http://www.safehavenwildlife.com. It is a pretty cool place and they do tours. Call in advance for the best tour. (They wait to feed the big animals). There is also "Fossil Hill" where you can search for amonites.

LOVELOCK AND SURROUNDS
Rye Patch Reservoir http://www.parks.nv.gov/rp.htm has good fishing and water sports. Campsites both by at the boat launch area and along the river. I prefer along the river. There are trees there and it is a bit more secluded. The ones by the lake are exposed right at the boat launch, but are lakeside. Portapoties and water at both. Not free, but cheap. For the birder, popular gathering site for waxwing flocks in the winter.

If you are interested in off road desert natural history stuff, I would also recommend visiting Lovelock Cave (home of the oldest known duck decoys found in the world)http://www.byways.org/explore/byways/68957/index.html and Lenoard Rock Shelter with Tufa formations and petroglyphs http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=321&ResourceType=Site. The cave is on a BLM backroad byway and is a well-marked, well maintained road all the way to the cave. The cave itself is not so impressive, it is a dry cave, no stalmites/tites, but its history and the VIEW!! The rock shelter is a little off the same road and will require some hiking to get to it for a short way. It is not well marked (we do tours for a bird festival each year). The local museum is a must for cave information and decoy replicas and information. They also have directions to the rock shelter.

RENO
There is too much to say and do around Reno. But some highlights: Kayak park downdown is a huge success and worth checking out if you are a paddler. There is a Scheels, REI and a Cabelas just outside of Reno (west) for your camping gear needs.

Of course, not far off I-80 is the most beautiful lake in the US, Tahoe, and everyone must visit at least once. Many, many campground surrounding the Lake area. Both with reservations and all the amentities to can't find unless you are driving by. I will let Shaun expound more here.

TRUCKEE
Just over the CA line
Donner Lake Memorial Camp ground is also one of my favorites, in Truckee. Less expensive, less hauty version of Tahoe that is only a few miles away. We used to spent a week there every year when my kids were growing up. You can bike from the campground all around the lake. Many of the ski resorts convert their lifts to bike lifts for mountain bike trails during the summer. Donner takes reservations, and it is a big campground and easy to get into the end of the year. They have showers! Campground closes Sept 15. Truckee is often the coldest place in the nation in the winter. They also have a nice museum for the Donner Party open year round. It is a CA state park, so on their reservation system. There is also Boca, Prosser, and Frenchmans close to Verdi/Reno which are on small reservoirs.

Hope you enjoy I-80! There is lots more out there, including many old deserted boom and bust towns, geocaching sites and bird watching areas. And almost all of the land is BLM so if you like boondocking, you can pretty much camp anywhere. PM if you have any questions.

Debbie

[S. Heisley]

Hi, Debbie:

Eventually, when my trailer is done, I hope to make a trip through Nevada. Your detailed report will be most helpful. I have both printed it and bookmarked it for the future.

Thanks!

[CAJUN LADY]

Deb, don't forget Winnemucca! I lived there in 1987-90 and just loved it. Used to play softball in Elko and hunt in the Lovelock area. I would move back there in a minute! You are lucky to live in those parts.

[nevadatear]

Nope, I haven't forgot about Winnemucca. It's just I don't know the hidden gems around there as well since I live in Lovelock and run birding tours out of Lovelock! (except for Unionville and Rye patch) I hope Dan of Winnemucca will chime in with special sights in his neck of the woods. Also Battle Mountian, or the big BM as we tend to call it around here. (long standing HS sports team rivalry!) When were you in the area? We have been here for 30 years and my husband played softball oh those many years ago.

[CAJUN LADY]

Nope, I haven't forgot about Winnemucca. It's just I don't know the hidden gems around there as well since I live in Lovelock and run birding tours out of Lovelock! (except for Unionville and Rye patch) I hope Dan of Winnemucca will chime in with special sights in his neck of the woods. Also Battle Mountian, or the big BM as we tend to call it around here. (long standing HS sports team rivalry!) When were you in the area? We have been here for 30 years and my husband played softball oh those many years ago.

Debbie, did he ever play in the 24 hour tournaments in Winnemucca, which later became the 48 hour tournaments? I was there in January of 1987 till Dec. 1990 and played softball for Winners Casino. We also had a co-ed team and we played every year in the Elko tournament. We were always the rival team - we either took 1st or 2nd. It was a good time and we looked forward to going to Elko. Very nice people. I still have great friends in Winnemucca. My husband worked for Davy McKee Construction at the Gold Fields mines (he's an Engineer) and he worked in Battle Mountain and another mine (can't remember the name).

I loved everything about Nevada. Winnemucca was a small town and the people were so friendly. I hope I get to visit it again.

[nevadatear]

I didn't, but my husband did and is ex-wife, and later my step-daugher, but that would be after you left. You probably played against one of them during that time! If there was a really nice guy with a beard that looks like my avatar, that is my husband. But if you remember a really annoying, loud, and rude woman from Lovelock, that would be his ex-wife! Definititly not teardropper person. I am a Nevada native so this is home to me. Lovelock is about 1/3 the size of Winnemucca. The other big mine might have been Barrick.

[CAJUN LADY]

If there was a really nice guy with a beard that looks like my avatar, that is my husband. But if you remember a really annoying, loud, and rude woman from Lovelock, that would be his ex-wife!

I probably played against her! There was always one in the bunch!! I remember playing in a tournament in July and it began to snow! Snow in July!! We went from sleeveless team shirts and shorts to sweats and jackets in one day. That was some good times.