U.S. Route 50 in Nevada

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U.S. Route 50
The Loneliest Road in America
Lincoln Highway
Length: 404.074 mi (650.294 km)
Formed: 1926
West end: US 50 at S. Lake Tahoe, CA
Major
junctions:		 US 395 in Carson City
US 95 in Fallon
US 6/US 93 in Ely
East end: US 50 in western Utah
Nevada highways
< SR 49 SR 50 >
< SR 1 SR 2 SR 3 >
US 50- The Loneliest Road in America
US 50- The Loneliest Road in America

U.S. Route 50 in Nevada crosses the center of Nevada and is known as the Loneliest Road in America. In July 1986 Life magazine published an article giving the road this name.[1] The name was intended to be a pejorative, but instead, officials in Nevada chose to market the highway as such. It is now officially designated The Loneliest Road in America by the state legislature. Nevada uses custom highway 50 markers along the route. Many stores along the route sell Loneliest Road in America passports, "survival kits", guides and related items.

A common misconception about the loneliest road is that it only crosses desert. While the highway does pass through several large desert valleys and basins, U.S. 50 crosses 17 named mountain summits and passes in Nevada. Some of these summits are over 7000 feet (2100 meters) high, located in pine forests and feature 8% grades and switchbacks.

Between Fallon and Silver Springs U.S. 50 splits to U.S. 50 and U.S. 50 Alternate. Locals call both routes U.S. 50 interchangeably; the alternate branch is not always signed with an "alternate" designator. Both branches are sometimes called the loneliest road.

U.S. 50 is multiplexed with 3 other U.S. Highways in Nevada

U.S. 50 Alternate is multiplexed with U.S. Route 95 Alternate between Fernley and Silver Springs.

Contents

[edit] Route History

US 50 stretching across the Nevada desert
US 50 stretching across the Nevada desert

In Nevada, US 50 closely follows the route of the Pony Express as well as the Lincoln Highway. There have been at several changes to the route through the years.

Between Austin and Fallon U.S. 50 / Lincoln Highway was changed to bypass steep grades and sharp curves over Carroll Summit, the original route is now State Route 722. Between Ely and the Utah State Line the route has changed many times.

The original Lincoln Highway followed what is now U.S. 93 to Schellbourne, from there the old Lincoln Highway followed an unnumbered dirt road to Utah. Later the route east of Ely was relocated closer to its current route except for passing through the ghost town of Osceola and turning north just before Baker and reaching the Utah State Line, around 14 miles to the north of the current crossing. These deviations from the current route were never paved. Again the route was changed to bypass hills and curves including Marjum Canyon in Utah.

The original route of U.S 50/Lincoln Highway over Carroll Summit and through Schellbourne was designated State Route 2 except for Route 2 terminated at Fernley along what is now U.S. 50 Alternate. What is now the main line of U.S. 50 in this area was designated State Route 2A. Essentially the main and the alternate branches switched places.

What is now U.S. 50 between South Lake Tahoe and Carson city was originally designated State Route 3.

East of Ely the current route of U.S 50 was once numbered State Route 7 from Ely to the split with U.S. Route 93, and Nevada State Route 14 from that split east to Utah.

[edit] Points of Interest

[edit] Towns Along the Loneliest Road

The eastern junction of Route 50 and Route 93 at Major's Place, Nevada
The eastern junction of Route 50 and Route 93 at Major's Place, Nevada

It also passes through or near several ghost towns. While Route 50 may or may not be the "Loneliest Road", its reputation for loneliness is merited. In the stretch of highway between Fallon and Delta, Utah, a span of 409 miles, there are only three towns: Austin, Eureka and Ely. There are a few gas stations, and the Border Inn motel on the state line, but travelers should take care not to let their gas tanks get too low.

[edit] U.S. 50 through Nevada in literature

  • In Stephen King's novel Desperation, U.S. 50 is referenced as "The Loneliest Road in America" and the city of Desperation, Nevada is located somewhere near Fallon.

[edit] See also

Spurs of State Route 2:

[edit] References

  1. ^ Nevada Commission on Tourism - Will you survive the Loneliest Road in America?

[edit] External links

Preceded by
California		 U.S. Route 50
Nevada		 Succeeded by
Utah
Preceded by
California		 Lincoln Highway
Nevada		 Succeeded by
Utah
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