# Great Basin Highway: canyons, ghost towns and charcoal ovens

> 3-day road trip of about 459 km (285 mi) with 8 stops, from Las Vegas to Ely. About 5 h 06 min of driving in total.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b17-great-basin-hwy/

**At a glance:** 3-day road trip of about 459 km (285 mi) with 8 stops, from Las Vegas to Ely. About 5 h 06 min of driving in total. North from Las Vegas on US-93 past a wildlife refuge, clay slot canyons and a silver-boom town to beehive ovens and a working railroad in Ely.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 459 km (285 mi) |
| Driving | 5 h 06 min |
| Suggested days | 3 |
| Stops | 8 |
| Route | Las Vegas → Ely |
| States | NV |
| Updated | May 24, 2026 |

## Route description

From Las Vegas, take I-15 north and US-93 north into the empty country of Lincoln County. Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge, about 90 minutes away, has lakes full of birds in spring and autumn and a free campground on its shore. At the junction with SR-375, US-93 turns east over the mountains toward Caliente. Fill up with fuel in Alamo.

Caliente, a railroad town with a Mission-style depot, sits in a narrow valley. Kershaw-Ryan State Park, just south of town, is a green canyon with a spring-fed pond and a small campground. North of Panaca, Cathedral Gorge State Park has clay spires and slot canyons called the Moon Caves. Its campground has electric hook-ups, and Miller Point overlook is on US-93.

Pioche is a silver-boom town from the 1870s spread over a hillside, with the "Million Dollar Courthouse", whose debts took decades to pay off, a Boot Hill cemetery and an aerial tramway above the town. The streets are steep and narrow, so park motorhomes at the bottom. From there, US-93 runs north for about 100 miles through valleys with almost no services.

South of Ely, a gravel road leads to Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park, six stone beehive ovens from 1876 that made charcoal for the silver smelters. In Ely, the Nevada Northern Railway Museum keeps a whole railroad yard in working order, with excursion trains in the warmer months. Great Basin National Park is about an hour further east.

## Stop-by-stop itinerary

1. **Las Vegas** (NV)
2. **Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge** (Alamo, NV): Spring-fed lakes and cottonwoods in the middle of the desert along US-93, busy with waterbirds. A good picnic stop before the empty miles ahead.
3. **Kershaw-Ryan State Park** (Caliente, NV): A green canyon oasis just south of Caliente, with a spring-fed pond, picnic lawns and short trails up the volcanic walls. It has a small campground; day-use fee.
4. **Cathedral Gorge State Park** (Panaca, NV): Eroded bentonite clay formed into spires and slot canyons you can squeeze through. Moon Caves are a short walk from the car park and Miller Point overlook is on US-93; there is a campground with electric hook-ups.
5. **Pioche** (NV)
6. **Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park** (Ely, NV): Six beehive-shaped stone ovens from 1876, used to make charcoal for silver smelters. They are reached by a good gravel road off US-93 south of Ely; there is a campground nearby.
7. **Nevada Northern Railway Museum** (Ely, NV): A complete railroad yard from the early 1900s in East Ely, with shops, engines and depot still in working order. Excursion trains pulled by steam or diesel run on a schedule in the warmer months.
8. **Ely** (NV)

## FAQs

**How long is Great Basin Highway: canyons, ghost towns and charcoal ovens?**
3-day road trip of about 459 km (285 mi) with 8 stops, from Las Vegas to Ely. About 5 h 06 min of driving in total.

**How many days do you need for Great Basin Highway: canyons, ghost towns and charcoal ovens?**
We suggest 3 days: about 5 h 06 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.

**Where does Great Basin Highway: canyons, ghost towns and charcoal ovens start and end?**
It starts in Las Vegas and ends in Ely.

**Which states does Great Basin Highway: canyons, ghost towns and charcoal ovens pass through?**
Nevada.