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U.S. Route 50 in Nevada

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U.S. Route 50 marker
U.S. Route 50
The Loneliest Road in America
Lincoln Highway
Route information
Maintained by NDOT
Length408.82 mi[1][2] (657.93 km)
Existed1926–present
Major junctions
Major intersections US 395 in Carson City

US 50 ALT/US 95 ALT in Silver Springs

US 50 ALT near Fallon
US 95 in Fallon
US 6/US 93 in Ely
Location
CountryUnited States
StateNevada
Highway system
  • Nevada State Highway System
← SR 28→ Error: Invalid type: Interstate
File:Loniestroad.jpg
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.[3] 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 Nevada 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 overlaps 3 other U.S. Highways in Nevada

U.S. 50 Alternate overlaps U.S. Route 95 Alternate between Fernley and Silver Springs.

Route History

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. Even though highways like, US 40 and US 91 have since been taken over by the Interstate Highway System, US 50 still roughly follows it's original 1926 route.

Route changes east of Ely

Between Ely and Green River, Utah US 50 passed through Salt Lake until the 1950's. From Ely it followed the route of modern US 93 and Alt US 93 to Wendover. From there the highway was co-routed with US 40 across the Bonneville Salt Flats to Salt Lake, then south concurrent with US 89 to Thistle, Utah. From there the highway followed what is now US- 6 to return to its current path in Green River. The route was changed in the 1950's when the more direct route between these cities (via Delta, Utah) was paved.

Prior to paving the portion of what is now US 50 between Ely and the Utah state line was previously designated as State Route 7 from Ely to the junction with U.S. Route 93. The stretch of road between the junction and the Utah border, it was designated as Nevada State Route 14. The paved route did not follow exactly the route of the old dirt roads. The paved route bypassed the ghost town of Osceola and entered Utah approximately 14 miles to the south of the dirt road. The border crossing in Utah was moved to avoid paving a route through Marjum Canyon in Utah.[4]

Lincoln Highway

The original Lincoln Highway route has also changed between Ely and Salt Lake. The original Lincoln highway followed what is now U.S. 93 to Schellbourne, from there it followed an dirt road to Utah. This route was abandoned after the formation of the Dugway Proving Grounds closed access to the public. The Lincoln Highway was re-routed to Salt Lake via U.S. Route 93 and Interstate 80 in Utah.

Other Route Changes

Between Austin and Fallon U.S. 50 and Lincoln Highway was changed to bypass steep grades and sharp curves over Carroll Summit; the original route is now State Route 722.

The original Nevada designation for US 50 west of Ely was 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 Stateline and Carson City was originally designated State Route 3.

Points of Interest

Towns Along the Loneliest Road

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 major 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.

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.

See also

Spurs of State Route 2:

References

  1. ^ Nevada Department of Transportation, Nevada's State Maintained Highways: Descriptions, Index and Maps, January 2006
  2. ^ Federal Highway Administration, National Highway Planning Network GIS data version 2005.08
  3. ^ Nevada Commission on Tourism - Will you survive the Loneliest Road in America?
  4. ^ Benchmark Maps, Utah Road and Recreation atlas, 2003 ed. using the name of the canyon along the route of "old US 6&50"


U.S. Route 50
Previous state:
California 		Nevada Next state:
Utah
Preceded by Lincoln Highway
Nevada 		Succeeded by
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