From ghost towns and state parks to hot springs and Sagebrush Saloons, the Loneliest Road is alive with passions to chase. Along the way, you’re bound to enjoy Highway 50’s endless vistas, friendly communities, and historic towns filled with stories and characters who can spin a yarn that’ll keep you mesmerized and yearning to explore more.

Although there are areas that lack lots of rainfall and there is a lack of vegetation and big towns, this area makes up for that in the number of amazing astronomy sites!

Length	215 miles
States	1 Nevada
Astronomy Sites	6

Astronomy

Great Basin National Park

In 2016, Great Basin has been designated an International Dark Sky Park, with the IDA recognizing that Great Basin provides distinguished and significant opportunities to experience dark nights. There are a plethora of amazing stargazing opportunities and programs that can be found on their website.

Toiyabe National Forest

Part of the Humboldt–Toiyabe National Forest, this is the principal U.S. National Forest in the U.S. state of Nevada, and is part of the largest US National Forest outside of Alaska. This national forest has a plethora of options for viewing the stars and Milky Way through the clearings, viewpoints, and mountain tops.

Humboldt National Forest

Part of the Humboldt–Toiyabe National Forest, this is the principal U.S. National Forest in the U.S. state of Nevada, and is part of the largest US National Forest outside of Alaska. This national forest has a plethora of options for viewing the stars and Milky Way through the clearings, viewpoints, and mountain tops.

Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park

Berlin–Ichthyosaur State Park is a public recreation area and historic preserve that protects undisturbed ichthyosaur fossils and the ghost town of Berlin in far northwestern Nye County, Nevada. The state park covers more than 1,100 acres at an elevation of 7,000 feet on the western slope of central Nevada’s Shoshone mountain range, 23 miles east of Gabbs. The park has Bortle scale class 1 skies which makes the state park a great place for astronomy as it is far away from light pollution.

Hickison Petroglyph Recreation Area

Right off of Nevada’s infamous Highway 50 lies Hickison Summit Recreation Area. The site, which sits about 6,500 feet above sea level, is positioned on the edge of Monitor Valley in Nevada’s Great Basin, at the end of the Toquima Mountain Range. Named after ranch owner John Hickerson, the petroglyphs in this region are scrawled across three large slabs and are evidence of prehistoric hunting and dwelling sites dating all the way back to 10,000 B.C. With its hiking trails and outdoor activities, there are a plethora of opportunities for viewing the nights sky including the Milky Way.

Fort Churchill State Historic Park

Making up part of an older US Army fort, a waystation on the Pony Express, and Central Overland Routes dating back to the 1860s, the site is a National Historic Landmark. There are campsites and activities such as an interpretive center and hiking trails. Due to the open expanse and near desert like conditions, this park is a wonderful place for viewing the Milky Way and the stars in the sky.

Camping/Lodging

These are just some of the plethora of camping and lodging opportunities along the way.

Hickison Petroglyph Recreation Area

The Hickison Petroglyph Recreation Area Campground is a free campground managed by the Bureau of Land Management near Nevada’s Monitor Valley. The campground itself contains 16 sites along a short dirt loop road. Each site has a picnic table, some of which are sheltered from sun and wind, a firepit grill, and room for a vehicle.

Great Basin National Park

Four of the park’s six campgrounds are reservable via www.recreation.gov during peak season, roughly from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. More information can be found on the NPS site for specifics.

Toiyabe National Forest/Humboldt National Forest

There are a plethora of camping, RV, group, and dispersed camping are all available. Information can be found at the US Forest Service website.

Berling-Ichthyosaur State Park

The park contains 14 well-spaced units (open year-round), some suitable for RVs up to 25 feet, with fire rings, BBQ grills, covered tables, drinking water (typically available from mid-April through the end of October) and restrooms nearby. An RV dump station is also available. Camping is limited to 14 days in a 30-day period.

Fort Churchill State Historic Park

The main campground has 20 sites suitable for travel trailers, motorhomes or tents. Campsites include a table and fire ring, and all are shaded by large cottonwood trees. Sites cannot be reserved and there are no hook-ups, but an RV dump station is nearby. A camping limit of 7 days in a 30-day period is enforced.

Make sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and make sure to view our other unique astronomy roadtrips such as this one for more places to view astronomy when on a roadtrip.