The original Lincoln Highway entered Nevada just west of Ibapah, Utah. This route was never paved and no services are available. For a modern tour going west, from Wendover on I-80, take Alt US 93 south to Ely. (Great Basin National Park is 63 miles southeast of here.)

From Ely, the historic Lincoln Highway followed U.S. 50 west. Be careful if you drive during inclement weather: the drive to Reno is 317 miles and crosses several mountain passes over 7,500 feet. Along the way, you will cross much open country, punctuated by the historic mining towns of Eureka and Austin. Nevada has signed this as “The Loneliest Road in America.”

West of Fallon there are two routes you can take:

• The northern (Donner) route, now marked as Alt U.S. 50, rejoined what is now I-80 into Reno, leaving the state at Verdi.
• The southern (Pioneer) route followed U.S. 50 southwest to Carson City, then to Zephyr Cove and around the beautiful south shore of Lake Tahoe.

For More Information

Web Sites

• Nevada chapter
• Just Passin’ Through: The Lincoln and Victory Highways in Nevada
  Special Collections, University of Nevada, Reno

Books

• Lincoln Highway: Nevada
  by Gregory M. Franzwa and Jesse G. Petersen
  Published by Patrice Press, 2004.

Highlights

Photos by C.N. Plummer