Notable Cities and Towns in Nevada

Beyond the major metro areas, Nevada's landscape is dotted with small towns that capture the state's history and character better than statistics convey.

Carson City
Nevada's capital — a surprisingly low-key and pleasant small city at the foot of the Sierra Nevada in the Carson Valley. The Nevada State Museum (in the original US Mint building, 1869) is the finest history museum in the state. The Nevada State Capitol (1871) and the Governor's Mansion (1909) are significant architectural landmarks. The V&T Railway restoration (Virginia and Truckee Railroad) runs steam excursions between Carson City and Virginia City in summer.

Elko
The largest city in northeastern Nevada, Elko sits in the Ruby Valley at 5,067 feet — a ranching and gold mining center. The National Basque Festival (first weekend of July) celebrates the Basque sheepherding community that settled the region in the late 19th century; the Basque restaurants and cultural presence make Elko unique. The Western Folklife Center and the annual Cowboy Poetry Gathering (January) are nationally significant cultural institutions for Western ranch culture.

Ely
The hub of White Pine County and gateway to Great Basin National Park — a copper mining town with the Hotel Nevada, the Nevada Northern Railway Museum, and a low-key historic downtown. Ely is one of the more intact small mining towns in Nevada.

Tonopah
The midpoint on US-95 between Reno and Las Vegas — a silver boom town famous now for its dark skies. The Mizpah Hotel, the International Car Forest of the Last Church (cars buried nose-first in the desert), and the Clown Motel (reputedly one of the most haunted motels in the US, adjacent to a graveyard) give Tonopah unusual character.

Beatty and Rhyolite
The gateway to Death Valley from Nevada, with the ghost town of Rhyolite 4 miles away. The Amargosa Valley south of Tonopah has the Death Valley Junction's Amargosa Opera House — a remarkable art institution in one of the most remote locations in the US.