Lonesome Highway — Centennial Road to Ely via the White Pine Range and Butte Valley Desert Floor
Great Basin back roads with almost no one on them.
Nevada’s Great Basin is full of roads that don’t show up on most maps and go somewhere worth going — this corridor through the White Pine Range is one of them. Starting from the mountain town of Ely on US-50 and working outward into Butte Valley via the Cherry Creek and Egan Range forest roads, you pick up a high-desert route that crosses several named mountain ranges without ever hitting pavement for long. The White Pine Range tops out around 10,000 feet with pinyon-juniper transitioning to aspen and white fir in the upper basins, then the road drops back into the open valley floor where wild horses are a common sight and the Nevada DOT is not. Cherry Creek ghost town is a worthwhile stop at the midpoint — old stone foundations, a quiet cemetery, and the kind of silence that makes you check if your radio still works.
This is a moderate overland route on good dirt and gravel with occasional soft spots in the valley bottoms after rain. High-clearance two-wheel drive can manage dry conditions, but 4WD is wise given the remoteness — a stuck rig out here means a very long wait. Best months are May through October; early and late season bring mud and snow above 7,000 feet. Ely has full services including diesel. No permits required, dispersed camping throughout the Humboldt-Toiyabe NF sections. Cell service: essentially zero once you leave US-50.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Moderate |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | Backcountry, High Clearance, Overland Route |
| Surface | Dirt, Gravel, Mixed |
| Features | Camping, Historic, Remote, Scenic, Wildlife |
| Length (miles) | 82 mi / 132 km |
| Duration | 2 days |
| Max elevation (ft) | 9800 ft |
| Best season | May-October |
| Minimum vehicle | High-clearance 4WD recommended |
| Nearest town | Ely, NV |
| Land manager | Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest — Ely Ranger District |
| Permit required | No |
| Cell service | None |
| Water crossings | No |
| Dispersed camping | Yes |
| Official sources | Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
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Location
Trail Conditions
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Frequently asked questions
Can a stock Tacoma or 4Runner handle Lonesome Highway without modifications?
Yes, a stock high-clearance 4WD like a Tacoma or 4Runner is the minimum you want here. The trail is rated moderate, but washboards, loose gravel, and some rocky two-track sections through the White Pine Range mean low-clearance SUVs and stock crossovers will have a bad time.
When does the trail typically open after winter and is it passable in early spring?
May through October is the reliable window. The higher elevations in the White Pine Range can hold snow into late April, and spring mud can make the desert floor sections soft and rutted. Don't push it before mid-May without checking current conditions with the Ely Ranger District.
Do you need a permit to run this route or camp along it?
No permit required. The route crosses Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest land managed by the Ely Ranger District, and dispersed camping is allowed under standard 14-day rules — pack it in, pack it out, stay 200 feet from water sources and roads where possible.
What's the hardest section and what should I actually expect?
The climb through the White Pine Range is where the trail earns its high-clearance requirement — expect rocky two-track, possible washouts, and narrow shelf sections near the higher elevations around 9,800 feet. Nothing technically extreme, but it's remote enough that a broken axle or flat without a spare becomes a real problem.
How much fuel do I need and where's the last gas before the route gets serious?
Fill up in Ely before heading out — it's the last reliable fuel stop. The full route runs 82 miles of backcountry with zero services, so carry enough fuel for at least 150 miles to account for low-speed, high-RPM terrain driving, and plan for zero cell service the entire route.
Trail track
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