I clinched US-50, the Loneliest Road in America

[Buffaboy]

If you had told me a year ago I would drive on US-50 in Nevada and Utah, let alone clinch the desolate stretch in those states, I would have asked what you're smoking. I was recently able to clinch it from I-80 near Fernley, NV, and rode to I-15 in Utah, lodging about halfway in a one-horse casino town. No cars for miles on the open road, tumbleweeds and cattle abound, and clear, blue open skies and salt flats below.

What an amazing experience this has been. I hope I am able to do it again in the future.

[Max Rockatansky]

It's nowhere as bad as people say it is and is actually a fairly efficient route.  US 6 between Ely and Tonopah I would argue is even more desolate.  NV 375 is no slouch for quietness either. 

[Rothman]

It is fun to fulfill a dream and that must have been a great drive.

It is true that US 6 and other roads are lonelier (I stopped my car in the middle of US 6 for quite a while and didn't see a soul) -- once you make a claim to lonliest, people start driving it -- but good for you for getting out there in any matter.

[nexus73]

It was so lonely that no one witnessed the feat...LOL!  Even the aliens and sasquatches avoid the Loneliest Road I guess!

Glad you had a great drive...

Rick

[ozarkman417]

This is probably the only place on the internet that won't see you as crazy for doing this.

[Max Rockatansky]

Impressive. Did you set your odometer to record the distance of this trip? This is probably the only place on the internet that won't see you as crazy for doing this.

This is a US Route we're talking about, it's not like it was the ancient Lincoln Highway. 

[ozarkman417]

Impressive. Did you set your odometer to record the distance of this trip? This is probably the only place on the internet that won't see you as crazy for doing this.

This is a US Route we're talking about, it's not like it was the ancient Lincoln Highway.

Right.. I somehow managed to forget about the whole "Nevada & Utah only" part when writing that

[amroad17]

Congratulations!  This is an incredible feat--all 3073 miles! 

[ozarkman417]

Congratulations!  This is an incredible feat--all 3073 miles! 

He only did the part of the highway in Utah & Nevada. I thought the same thing at first.

[thspfc]

Congratulations!  This is an incredible feat--all 3073 miles! 

I believe he only did the part of the highway in Utah & Nevada. I thought the same thing at first.

big woooooooooosh

[roadfro]

If you had told me a year ago I would drive on US-50 in Nevada and Utah, let alone clinch the desolate stretch in those states, I would have asked what you're smoking. I was recently able to clinch it from I-80 near Fernley, NV, and rode to I-15 in Utah, lodging about halfway in a one-horse casino town. No cars for miles on the open road, tumbleweeds and cattle abound, and clear, blue open skies and salt flats below.

What an amazing experience this has been. I hope I am able to do it again in the future.

You should have posted your accomplishment in the Pacific Southwest board...especially since the part of US 50 known as "The Loneliest Road in America" is wholly in Nevada (specifically between Fallon and Ely) and most of your journey was in Nevada.

But congratulations on your accomplishment! I have yet to do this myself, and it is on my bucket list.

It's nowhere as bad as people say it is and is actually a fairly efficient route.  US 6 between Ely and Tonopah I would argue is even more desolate.  NV 375 is no slouch for quietness either. 

I did SR 375 once and maybe saw no more than ten other cars going in either direction. Between Rachel and US 6, I had to stop for about three minutes to wait for some cows to move off the road (almost the entire route is in open range).

I would argue that there are several Nevada state routes that could be in contention for "Loneliest Road" status.

[Buffaboy]

^^ I wouldn't mind if a mod moved this!

Yeah it was quite the journey. As the song "A Horse with No Name" states, there were plants and birds and rocks and things, there was sand and hills and rings.

[rte66man]

^^ I wouldn't mind if a mod moved this!

Yeah it was quite the journey. As the song "A Horse with No Name" states, there were plants and birds and rocks and things, there was sand and hills and rings.

Only because Dewey Bunnell had just finished Songwriting 101 and was struggling for rhymes.

[The Ghostbuster]

If one really wanted to clinch US 50, they should follow its entire route from Ocean City, Maryland all the way to San Francisco, California (yes I know its western end is now in Sacramento, but to truly clinch the route, I think one should also continue down the decommissioned portion beyond Sacramento).

[Max Rockatansky]

If one really wanted to clinch US 50, they should follow its entire route from Ocean City, Maryland all the way to San Francisco, California (yes I know its western end is now in Sacramento, but to truly clinch the route, I think one should also continue down the decommissioned portion beyond Sacramento).

The older variants of 50 followed the South Lincoln Highway in California and are infinitely more interesting than a lot of the freeway/expressway grade starting from Placerville westward anyways.   

[swhuck]

I actually have clinched the whole thing, although it took several years to complete. The stretch through Nevada and Utah isn't anywhere near as challenging IMO as West Virginia, which was pretty, but a real pain to drive. Nevada/Utah is lonely, but relaxing. And once you get into Central Utah, the scenery is spectacular.

[Max Rockatansky]

I actually have clinched the whole thing, although it took several years to complete. The stretch through Nevada and Utah isn't anywhere near as challenging IMO as West Virginia, which was pretty, but a real pain to drive. Nevada/Utah is lonely, but relaxing. And once you get into Central Utah, the scenery is spectacular.

The problem with clinching the X0 is that at some point you'll run into the urban wall of the East Coast.  At that point pretty much any US Route isn't viable for much beyond localized travel.  Out west some of the longer US Routes like US 26 and US 95 (just examples) are quite doable since for the most part they don't stay in urbanized areas very long.  I couldn't fathom the amount of time and dedication to putting in a realistic effort to do US 50.  Really my preference would be to do selected portions that interest me, even if they aren't current parts of the highway. 

[Rothman]

I still like the idea of a US 202 trip, which would blend rural and urban areas nicely.

[oscar]

The problem with clinching the X0 is that at some point you'll run into the urban wall of the East Coast.  At that point pretty much any US Route isn't viable for much beyond localized travel.  Out west some of the longer US Routes like US 26 and US 95 (just examples) are quite doable since for the most part they don't stay in urbanized areas very long.  I couldn't fathom the amount of time and dedication to putting in a realistic effort to do US 50.  Really my preference would be to do selected portions that interest me, even if they aren't current parts of the highway. 

I have clinched all the x0 U.S. routes from 10 to 90, though none on one trip. Some of them included painful crawls through urban areas. Another obstacle is occasional de-clinches due to new bypasses or other reroutes, such as US 50 in Loose Creek MO, and an impending de-clinch of part of US 30 in eastern Iowa, unless you go back and re-clinch the new segments.

[Max Rockatansky]

For me if I was going to try to do an actual US Route clinch it probably would be US 191.  There are several National Monuments, access to five National Parks and some incredibly scenic corridors like the Coronado Trail which would make it a worthwhile excursion.  US 395 and US 101 would probably be high on the list for similar reasons.  The longest US Route I've clinched in a single sitting was US 550 at 305 miles. 

[Max Rockatansky]

The problem with clinching the X0 is that at some point you'll run into the urban wall of the East Coast.  At that point pretty much any US Route isn't viable for much beyond localized travel.  Out west some of the longer US Routes like US 26 and US 95 (just examples) are quite doable since for the most part they don't stay in urbanized areas very long.  I couldn't fathom the amount of time and dedication to putting in a realistic effort to do US 50.  Really my preference would be to do selected portions that interest me, even if they aren't current parts of the highway. 

I have clinched all the x0 U.S. routes from 10 to 90, though none on one trip. Some of them included painful crawls through urban areas. Another obstacle is occasional de-clinches due to new bypasses or other reroutes, such as US 50 in Loose Creek MO, and an impending de-clinch of part of US 30 in eastern Iowa, unless you go back and re-clinch the new segments.

To that end I might be interested if I more time on my hands but it's hard to get a ton of Route continuity with only being able to be off only two weeks at a time.  I've gotten close with some longer routes like; 101, 97, 395, 26, 95, 93, 89, 87, 191 and 287 out west from segments done during work and/or leisure travel.  I think that 101 probably would be the most realistic for me to finish at this point given it has the most practical connections which wouldn't require all that massive of a side trip to get to the parts I haven't driven.  Out east the biggest routes I've finished are US 98 and US 129.  But both those routes are fairly rural and tend to wander through areas I would go through on leisure. 

[nexus73]

For me if I was going to try to do an actual US Route clinch it probably would be US 191.  There are several National Monuments, access to five National Parks and some incredibly scenic corridors like the Coronado Trail which would make it a worthwhile excursion.  US 395 and US 101 would probably be high on the list for similar reasons.  The longest US Route I’ve clinched in a single sitting was US 550 at 305 miles. 

US 395 would be a route I would love to clinch!  So many kinds of highway, so much rural landscape and then you do get a few cities along the way. 

Hope you do the 101 thing.  This has got to be the most scenic long route in the USA.  Everything from metroplexes to redwoods to beaches to temperate rain forests to natural canals able to hold the entire world's fleet of ships and a lot of old road to boot! 

Rick

[US 89]

the part of US 50 known as "The Loneliest Road in America" is wholly in Nevada (specifically between Fallon and Ely)

Those of us in Utah take offense to that. US 50 in central Nevada appears to have traffic counts somewhere in the vicinity of 1000, but 6/50 west of Delta is less than 400. If anything, from my quick scan of NDOT traffic counts it looks like traffic increases on US 50 west of Ely.

Also, it's worth noting that this sign appears right at the state line heading west:

[roadfro]

the part of US 50 known as "The Loneliest Road in America" is wholly in Nevada (specifically between Fallon and Ely)

Those of us in Utah take offense to that. US 50 in central Nevada appears to have traffic counts somewhere in the vicinity of 1000, but 6/50 west of Delta is less than 400. If anything, from my quick scan of NDOT traffic counts it looks like traffic increases on US 50 west of Ely.

Also, it's worth noting that this sign appears right at the state line heading west:

The original late-1980s Life Magazine article referred specifically US 50 in rural Nevada, and the moniker was officially adopted by NDOT and Nevada Commission on Tourism. Those organizations, through various maps and the latter's "Official Highway 50 Survival Guide" recognize the designation existing between Fallon and Ely. (Although NDOT had, *many* years ago, also posted some "loneliest road" trailblazers between Fernley and Fallon–the widening of that stretch to four lanes in the last decade certainly made the signs obsolete for that segment.) So I was just going by what has been traditionally recognized.

It's also entirely plausible that, due in part to these tourism efforts over the last 30 years, that traffic counts have increased along the recognized Loneliest Road segment.

[Max Rockatansky]

the part of US 50 known as "The Loneliest Road in America" is wholly in Nevada (specifically between Fallon and Ely)

Those of us in Utah take offense to that. US 50 in central Nevada appears to have traffic counts somewhere in the vicinity of 1000, but 6/50 west of Delta is less than 400. If anything, from my quick scan of NDOT traffic counts it looks like traffic increases on US 50 west of Ely.

Also, it's worth noting that this sign appears right at the state line heading west:

The original late-1980s Life Magazine article referred specifically US 50 in rural Nevada, and the moniker was officially adopted by NDOT and Nevada Commission on Tourism. Those organizations, through various maps and the latter's "Official Highway 50 Survival Guide" recognize the designation existing between Fallon and Ely. (Although NDOT had, *many* years ago, also posted some "loneliest road" trailblazers between Fernley and Fallon–the widening of that stretch to four lanes in the last decade certainly made the signs obsolete for that segment.) So I was just going by what has been traditionally recognized.

It's also entirely plausible that, due in part to these tourism efforts over the last 30 years, that traffic counts have increased along the recognized Loneliest Road segment.

I have one of the Survivor Guides in a lock box that I picked up when I made the journey across US 50 from Ely about a decade back.  They had some pretty handy information about stopping points, ghost towns and general information about the existing communities.