Day Trips from Ely: Caves, Rails and Desert Scenery

Ely works as a base for Great Basin cave tours, heritage rail rides and some of the emptiest highway country in Nevada.

Great Basin National Park: Lehman Caves and the Wheeler Peak Road

Great Basin National Park begins about 60 miles east of Ely along US-50 and US-488, roughly a 70-minute drive to the visitor centre near Baker. Lehman Caves can only be seen on a ranger-led tour, and the two-hour Grand Palace route usually books out first, so reserve well ahead for spring through early autumn. Cave temperatures hover in the low 50s Fahrenheit year-round, so pack a jacket even in July. Above ground, the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive climbs past 10,000 feet and is normally open roughly June to October; the Bristlecone Trail is the standout short hike.

Night skies are the second reason to give Great Basin a full day rather than an afternoon. The park runs astronomy programmes in summer, and even a casual stop after dark at a pullout near Baker shows a depth of stars hard to find elsewhere in the state. Bring food and water: services between Ely and Baker are thin, and the cafe options near the park are limited and seasonal. If you only have one day out of Ely, I would book this one and start early, because the drive back after a cave tour and a mountain loop feels long.

Nevada Northern Railway: Ely's Own Heritage Rail Story

The Nevada Northern Railway Museum sits on East 11th Street on Ely's east side, a short drive from the US-50/US-93 junction downtown. This is a working heritage railroad, not a static display: excursion trains run on selected days from spring through December, with steam often scheduled in summer and autumn and diesel power filling the rest of the calendar. Check the operating calendar before you plan a trip around it, since days vary by season. The East Ely yard itself is free to wander in part, and the machine shop and roundhouse give a sense of how self-contained a railroad town once was.

Allow two to three hours for a train ride plus the yard. The Railway Museum pairs naturally with the Nevada Northern's neighbour, the East Ely Railroad Depot Museum, which covers the copper-mining era that built the town. Both are indoor-friendly, which makes them the sensible choice on a windy or stormy day when the park and the desert are unappealing. For families with young children the shorter excursion is the better buy; the longer rides eat a whole morning. Book tickets online in advance for holiday weekends, when the yard draws crowds from Las Vegas and Salt Lake City.

Ward Charcoal Ovens and the Schell Creek Range

South of Ely, the Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park is reached via US-93 and a graded gravel road, about 20 miles and 40 minutes from town. The six beehive-shaped kilns were built in the 1870s to supply charcoal to the smelters, and the short loop around them is easy walking. The surrounding campground sits among pinyon and juniper, and the picnic tables make it a decent lunch stop. Passenger cars manage the gravel fine in dry weather; check conditions after rain or snow, because the last stretch can get slick and the road is not maintained like a highway.

Combine the ovens with a drive up into the Schell Creek Range, where Cave Lake State Park sits about 15 miles southeast of Ely off US-93. Cave Lake is a small reservoir with a fishing pier and trails, and the drive up gives quick access to cooler air in summer. Spring runoff and autumn colours are the best times to photograph either spot. Skip the ovens if you are short on time and the weather is marginal; the railroad and the national park both reward a half-day more consistently than a gravel-road detour.

Making Ely Your Base: Practicalities and Where to Stay

Ely sits at the crossroads of US-50, the so-called Loneliest Road in America, and US-93, which makes it the natural overnight stop for this corner of Nevada. The town runs on motels and small hotels rather than large resorts, so book ahead in summer and during hunting season, when rooms tighten. Downtown Ely around Aultman Street has the walkable cluster of restaurants and the historic Hotel Nevada, while the US-93 strip toward the south edge offers easier parking for drivers towing trailers or carrying outdoor gear. Distances are short either way; nothing in town is more than a ten-minute drive.

Best months for the full circuit are May, June, September and October, when the Wheeler Peak road is usually open and daytime temperatures sit comfortably for walking. July and August are hot in the valley but fine for caves and the railroad, and winter brings snow that can close the mountain road and make the Ward ovens road tricky. Plan two nights minimum: one for Great Basin, one for the railroad and the state parks. I would book a downtown property for walkability on a first visit, then move to a highway-side motel on a return trip with more gear.

Questions, answered

How far is Great Basin National Park from Ely?

Expect roughly 60 miles and a 70-minute drive from Ely to the park visitor centre near Baker via US-50 and US-488. Fuel up in Ely before leaving, since services east of town are sparse and some are seasonal.

Do I need to reserve Lehman Caves tours in advance?

Yes. Cave entry is by ranger-led tour only, and the longer Grand Palace route sells out first in summer. Reserve through the park's official system as soon as your dates are fixed, especially for weekends and school holidays.

When does the Nevada Northern Railway run trains?

Excursion trains operate on selected days from spring into December, with steam often scheduled in summer and autumn. Days change by season, so check the railway's current calendar before building a trip around it.

← Nevada's page