A brief afternoon scouting adventure, looking for nearby overnight camping opportunities.
James Langan, December 2020
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Hickison Petroglyph Recreation Area, Nevada
Now for a little something on the actual “Loneliest Road in America”.
Heading home from the Overland Expo West event several years ago, after an unseasonably warm April in Amado, Arizona, I camped at Hickson Petroglyphs Recreation Area/Campground, in one of Nevada’s numerous mountain ranges. At 6,500 feet, there is always the possibility of snow, including during spring.
The Hickison Petroglyph Recreation Area, managed my the Bureau of Land management, lies at the north end of the Toquima Range, along U.S Route 50, about 24 miles east of Austin, Nevada. Several Native American petroglyphs can be viewed on a self-guided, half-mile walking tour.
There is so much history here. Get away from the big cities and see what the rest of Nevada has to offer.
Copyright James Langan/RoadTraveler. All Rights Reserved.
Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hickison_Petroglyph_Recreation_Area
The Loneliest Road in America?
The section of U.S. Route 50 through the center of Nevada was called the “The Loneliest Road in America” by Life magazine in 1986. It was not meant as a compliment, but it became a popular slogan for the highway. The road does cross the sparsely populated center of the state, but is likely not our loneliest paved byway. One challenger is Nevada Highway 722.
State Route 722, just 41 miles long, is part of the original US 50, and the previous Lincoln Highway. It crosses Carroll Summit, with a twisty approach from both sides, Carroll is 1,100-feet higher than New Pass Summit on the replacement roadway. There are no towns. While I was out there for a few hours exploring unpaved spurs and taking photographs, I did not see another vehicle, not one. The only other person encountered was atop Carroll Summit. He was on skis. We waved.
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