Basques, Buckaroos & Ruby Mountain Views
Truckers and travelers have long been rocketing across I-80 Nevada from Reno to West Wendover. However, true Cowboy Corridor road trippers follow their temptations to a whole trove of just-off-the-interstate treasures in towns whose Western roots still proudly show. Institutions like the Western Folklife Center, Cowboy Arts & Gear Museum, and Buckaroo Hall of Fame offer a glimpse of Nevada’s rootin’-tootin’ past, while Basque restaurants, guest ranches, ghost town B&Bs can be found all around you. Along the way, discover other ways the Nevada’s West remains wild among the sky-scraping Ruby Mountains, breathtaking Angel Lake, hiking and biking trails galore, and beyond.
Glovebox Essentials
Prepare for Your Adventure
Get ready to come chase some horizons with this handy tool kit. Here, you’ll find all the Cowboy Corridor road trip essentials, including downloadable directions, maps, and podcasts, and tunes to complement your upcoming adventure.
Portraits of Nevada on the #CowboyCorridor
Embracing Wisdom & Tradition Along Nevada’s Cowboy Corridor | EP 1
Embracing Wisdom & Tradition Along Nevada’s Cowboy Corridor | EP 2
Embracing Wisdom & Tradition Along Nevada’s Cowboy Corridor | EP 3
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Leg 1
Tote Your Pack Down that Dusty Winnemucca Road
Start your trip like Johnny Cash started “I’ve Been Everywhere” and wind your way from Reno to Winnemucca for buckaroo history, Basque bites, and mountain bike trails.
Leg 2
History, Heritage, Art Appeal & Hearty Meals
Next up: Elko, which serves up hefty helpings of cultural history at museums, in 50 murals, and on your plate. En route, Battle Mountain offers classic eats and unusual feats.
Leg 3
Wild Herds, Migratory Birds & Land Speed Records
Watch for bighorn and mountain goats at Angel Lake, then head to West Wendover, where the Historic Wendover Airfield, the Bonneville Salt Flats, and a 63-ft neon cowboy await.
Leg 1
Reno to Winnemucca via Lovelock
165 miles
- “Lock your love” and throw away the key at Lovers Lock Plaza
- Tip your hat to local legends at the Buckaroo Hall of Fame
- Scarf lamb shanks, Basque burgers, and Picon Punches at the Martin Hotel
The first two towns Johnny Cash references in “I’ve Been Everywhere” are Winnemucca and Reno. (He also mentions Charleston and Dayton, but we won’t argue he meant the Nevada ones.) Crank it up, head from Reno to Lovelock, and help the town live up to its name by “locking your love” to a never-ending chain. Then scope out the #WeirdNevada wonder that is Thunder Mountain Monument on your way to Winnemucca, where the artifact-packed Humboldt Museum and Buckaroo Hall of Fame await, along with decadent meals at the Martin.
In Winnemucca, choose from retro-chic (and neon-glowing) motels to familiar chains. For a historic night’s sleep, the charming Old Pioneer Garden Country Inn in Unionville is a stone’s throw from Mark Twain’s old miner’s cabin.
Winnemucca Inn
Winnemucca
Scott Shady Court
Winnemucca
Quality Inn Winnemucca – Model T Casino
Winnemucca
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Western buffs and history hounds should high-tail it to the Buckaroo Hall of Fame and the expansive Humboldt Museum. But there’s plenty here (and along the way) for off-roaders, mountain bikers, animal lovers, and more.
Unionville Ghost Town
Unionville
Marzen House Museum
Lovelock
Main Street Art Park
Fernley
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Basque bites abound on the Cowboy Corridor. Get a first taste at Louis’ Basque Corner in Reno, at Winnemucca’s historic Martin Hotel, or up at the Paradise Valley Saloon. And if you’ve never tried a Picon, today’s your day.
Louis’ Basque Corner
Reno
Steve’s Homemade Ice Cream
Fernley
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Reno’s cowboy culture lives on at the century-old, weeklong, all-pro Reno Rodeo. Meanwhile, working ranches send their best hands to Winnemucca, a town that also celebrates bikers, horseshoe pitchers, and photographers.
Run-A-Mucca Motorcycle and Music Festival
Reno Rodeo
Lovelock Ghost Walk
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Leg 2
Winnemucca to Elko via Battle Mountain
125 miles
- Fall in love with cowboy poetry at the Western Folklife Center
- Pore over fine leatherwork and silver tack at Cowboy Arts & Gear Museum
- Side-trip to Lamoille Canyon to enjoy some scenic Ruby Mountain splendor
Continue east from Winnemucca to Elko, stopping in Battle Mountain to scope out the ephemera-filled Battle Mountain Cookhouse Museum. Then cruise along the meandering Humboldt River to Elko, the heart of Nevada’s cowboy country, where western heritage thrives in four distinct museums, at legendary J.M. Capriola Co.’s leatherwork (and more) shop, on 70+ pieces of radiant public art, in traditional Basque restaurants, and beyond. Elko’s also the gateway to Alp-like Lamoille Canyon, where scenic drives and stunning hikes await.
Thanks to a mining boom, plenty of Elko hotels offer all you need. Stay steps from the action at old-school Stockmen’s or the clean, comfy Rodeway Inn. For a casino-resort feel, Maverick Casino Hotel Elko is your jam.
Maverick Hotel & Casino by Red Lion Hotels
Elko
Super 8 – Battle Mountain
Battle Mountain
Stockmen’s Casino and Ramada Hotel
Elko
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Peruse pioneer history at the California Trail Interpretive Center, admire Ansel Adams originals at the Northeastern Nevada Museum, and discover the rich world of cowboy poetry and music at the Western Folklife Center.
Ruby Crest National Recreation Trail
Lamoille
Mill Creek Recreation Area
Battle Mountain
Lamoille Canyon & The Ruby Mountains
Lamoille
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Battle Mountain’s on-the-way eats include Mexican classics, gluten-free pizza, and diner delights. In Elko, it’s all about Basque-ing in steak sandwiches, lamb chops, multi-course dinners, tapas, and Picon punches, to boot.
El Aguila Real
Battle Mountain
Machi’s Saloon & Grill
Elko
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Thousands of revelers turn up for wild, town-wide celebrations of ranch life through verse and song; Basque heritage with dancing and woodchopping competitions; and buckaroo skills with bull riding, bronc riding, and more.
National Basque Festival
Silver State Stampede
National Cowboy Poetry Gathering
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Leg 3
Elko to West Wendover via Wells
110 to 130 miles
- Hike, fish, and watch wildlife at aspen-studded, 8,378-ft Angel Lake
- Tour the B-29 Enola Gay Aircraft Hangar at the Historic Wendover Airfield
This ride ain’t over, and neither are its surprises. This last leg takes you to breathtaking, wildlife-abundant Angel Lake en route to West Wendover, home to military history at Historic Wendover Airfield, the famed Bonneville Salt Flats, and big-name live entertainment. The nearby Goshute Range hosts a migratory bird station, where you can help track and release wild hawks. On your way out, be sure to wave to Wendover Will, the 63-ft-tall neon cowboy, to officially wrap up your Cowboy Corridor excursion.
West Wendover does its Nevada border town duty, offering interstate travelers their very first (or last) casino-resorts, complete with 24-hour gaming, plush rooms, pools, live entertainment, and more.
Super 8 Motel – Wells
Wells
Montego Bay Casino & Resort
West Wendover
Red Garter Hotel & Casino
West Wendover
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Spot bighorn sheep, mountain goats, and pronghorn at Angel Lake. Help track migratory raptors with Hawkwatch International. Check out a bootlegger party cave. Or investigate lofty history at Historic Wendover Airfield Museum.
Bonneville Salt Flats
Wendover
Wendover Will
West Wendover
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Forget touristy tasting rooms and seen-’em-all tours. Schedule a visit to the Saffords’ working ranch—a rustic beer lover’s oasis for over 20 years—and enjoy some award-winning beers ’til the cows literally come home.
Bella’s Restaurant & Espresso
Wells
Out here, it’s all about Bonneville, baby. Get ready for rocket launches and races across the salt flats with wild cars, motorcycles, and even bicycles at numerous events, held where some speedometers top out near 1000 mph.
Bonneville World Finals
Salty Lizard 100
Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials
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