A Unique Wild West Nevada Town Is The Best Gateway To The Lesser-Visited Great Basin National Park

Nevada might be best known for Sin City, but there's much more to the Silver State than just casinos and shopping. In fact, you'll find a state park with fiery vistas just beyond Las Vegas, but if you really want to experience the slower side of Nevada, consider driving four hours north to the charming town of Ely.

Home to 4,000 residents, Ely is a wonderful retreat from the glitz of Las Vegas. Instead of throngs of tourists and flashing lights, it offers a historic downtown with deep ties to the mining and railroad industries. Just outside of town is Great Basin National Park, which is an underrated gem that's overflowing with adventures for outdoor enthusiasts.

Ely sits along the Loneliest Road in America, and, as you'd expect, it's a quiet retreat from the hustle of modern life. The entirety of White Pine County gets just 200,000 tourists a year, so if you're seeking solitude and need to spend some time unwinding in nature, Ely deserves a closer look. Combined with its unique history of American expansion, it's a one-of-a-kind destination that has plenty to offer despite its tiny size.

Ely's historic roots are on full display as you meander through its small downtown, and nowhere is this more evident than the Nevada Northern Railway Museum. At this National Historic Landmark, you'll find a wealth of restored artifacts pertaining to Ely's role in the railway expansion, including not just the locomotives themselves but also handwritten ledgers, a machine shop, 70 buildings, and over 30 miles of track.

Best of all, the Nevada Northern Railway Museum shares a location with the East Ely Railroad Depot Museum — so you can check out two iconic attractions with one stop. This museum is a restored version of the historic building from 1907, meaning you can stroll through the same rooms and offices that played a crucial role in the rail industry over 100 years ago. Permanent galleries include a tour of the superintendent's office, finance office, and payroll office, among others.

Much like another under-the-radar Nevada town, Ely has deep ties to America's industrial past — it was also heavily involved in mining. Today, you can explore this side of history by visiting the Ward Charcoal Ovens. These bizarre, beehive-like structures are a 30-minute drive from downtown, and they're arguably one of the most unique attractions in the entire region. Built to process silver ore from 1876 to 1879, they were later used as a shelter for travelers moving through the Nevada desert. Today, they're a popular tourist spot along the Loneliest Road in America.

Great Basin National Park can be found in a funky town on the border of Nevada and Utah. But because that town offers limited amenities, Ely is a better gateway option if you need a place with more restaurants, hotels, and other creature comforts. It's just an hour from the park entrance — and because you'll drive in on the magnificent Great Basin Highway, you'll have striking views for most of the trip.

Outdoor enthusiasts will find a bit of everything at Great Basin, including otherworldy tours of the Lehman Caves to the panoramic Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive. Keep in mind that the scenic drive is susceptible to seasonal closures, while Lehman Caves are only accessible if you have tickets for a tour. Both are highly recommended, as they'll give you a unique perspective on the beautiful and underrated Nevada landscape.

Prefer to venture out on an epic hike? Take the 11-mile Baker Lake Trail through sagebrush fields until you reach a pristine lake surrounded by aspen groves. The water backs up to towering cliffs, which make for dramatic photos. A less demanding hike can be had with Baker Creek Loop, as you'll explore 4 miles of forest as you wind along Baker Creek and climb 900 feet.