Nevada’s Highway 50 – The Loneliest EV Road Trip in America
A Nevada EV Road Trip Adventure
Preparing for the Journey
Embarking on an electric vehicle (EV) road trip across Nevada’s Highway 50, famously known as the Loneliest Road in America, is both a scenic adventure and a result of planning.
Our one-day, 255-mile EV journey began in Fernley, Nevada, and ended just outside Great Basin National Park, highlighting the rugged beauty of the Nevada high desert and the growing accessibility of EV travel in remote areas.
Before leaving Missouri, we contacted the Nevada Tourism Department to request a Loneliest Road Guide and Passport booklet, which includes travel tips and ink stamp spaces to record each town we visited.
To avoid running out of juice, we used the PlugShare app to research available EV charging stations along the route. Two EV Connect listings mentioned issues with limited cellular service, so we ordered an EV Connect RFID card and tested it before departing home—ensuring smooth charging both times.
We checked our 31 essentials, packed picnic food and drinks for lunch and supper and left late in the morning—our biggest mistake, as we didn’t reach Ely, Nevada, before dark.
Turning this mistake into lemonade we stargazed through the sunroof during the one-hour(ish) drive from Ely to Baker, a truly unforgettable experience under the Nevada night sky.
Adventure called, and we answered—read along to follow our EV sojourn across Nevada’s legendary Loneliest Road.
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The High Desert Beauty Begins
Fernley to Fallon
Thursday dawned bright and clear—a good omen for our EV road trip to Baker, Nevada. With our official Nevada Highway 50 Survival Guide booklet in hand, we turned off I-80 at Fernley, Nevada—destination: the Electrify America charger in the Walmart parking lot.
After a quick top-off to 100% state of charge (SOC) and an early lunch at the Ranch House Restaurant, we headed to the Fernley Chamber of Commerce for our first stamp in the Survival Guide.
Our goal? Complete the drive to Baker, Nevada, collect five stamps in the Survival Guide booklet, and prove to our parents that yes—we were raised right, we do know what we’re doing, and we survived The Loneliest Road in America.
Heading east toward Fallon, we quickly climbed Sand Springs Pass before entering the city limits—home to Naval Air Station Fallon, the training ground for Top Gun aviators.
At the Fallon Visitors Bureau, we grabbed our second Survival Guide stamp then snapped a few town photos. Not yet needing a charge, we continued east into the high desert expanse.
Cold Springs Pony Express EV Charging Station
EV Connect(ion) to Great Service
Our first EV charging stop was at the EV Connect station located at the Cold Springs Station Resort—a clean, welcoming roadhouse providing excellent BBQ and ice-cold drinks.
We enjoyed chatting with the bartender—possibly the owner—while sipping on a couple of Coors Edge non-alcoholic beers (we had a full day of driving ahead, after all).
Once our EV achieved 90% SOC, we buckled up and headed toward the 6,648-foot New Pass Summit.
The summit offers sweeping views of western Nevada’s high desert, giving us a preview of the dramatic landscapes to come.
Descending into the Reese River Valley, we crossed the historic Pony Express Trail, a reminder of the region’s rich frontier history.
The rolling hills created a dynamic driving experience—one that might thrill a young passenger enough to launch lunch across the seat backs. Luckily that was not our experience.
Soon, we began the ascent to Austin, Nevada, a small mountain town with deep mining roots and a place that feels like stepping back in time.
Amp’d Advice: EV Connect is the only charging option until Ely, Nevada. My AT&T service had a few bars, do not rely on this to begin charging from the App, request an RFID card to ensure easy charging.
A Castle and a Quick Charge
Spectacular Views in Sight
Austin, Neveda embraces the highway as you climb the appropriately named Austin Pass. Once a booming mining camp and Old West town, today Austin boasts eleven buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places—including the unique Stokes Castle.
A short drive up a well-maintained gravel road leads to the 1897 stone tower, built to convince Mrs. Stokes to settle in rural Nevada. (Unclear if it worked - my wife would be skeptical).
Take a moment to soak in the western views and enjoy a late lunch at the nearby picnic tables.
Though we’d only driven 50 miles since our last charge, we decided to top off at the EV Connect station hosted by Champ’s Chevron, bringing the SOC back to 90%.
The next reliable charging stop is in Ely - 154 miles of exciting hills away.
The friendly attendants at Champ’s were a delight and happily provided our third Survival Guide stamp.
Leaving town, we climbed the remainder of Austin Pass before descending into the Toiyabe National Forest—a patchwork of stunted trees adding color to the high desert browns.
Helpful Resources for Planning:
PlugShare – Great for checking real-time charger availability and user reviews.
A Better Route Planner (ABRP) – Ideal for mapping out your entire EV route with charging stops.
SightSee EV - Use our road trip planning method to identify usable charging stations.
EV Sight See Eureka
Historic Mining Era Architecture
The 74-mile drive through the valley offered sweeping views of distant mountains etched with dramatic light splashed across the peaks—reminding us why we chose this remote route.
Rolling into Eureka, we stopped at another Champ’s Chevron for snacks and our fourth Survival Guide stamp.
A short walk along Highway 50 brought us to the restored Eureka Opera House and the Eureka County Courthouse.
Unfortunately, we arrived too late to explore the Eureka Sentinel Museum.
Switch backs led us out of town; we tackled three steep passes and enjoyed the always-thrilling descents into the valleys beyond.
Ely awaits in the late afternoon sun.
Amp’d Advice: The best way to experience the Loneliest EV Road Trip in America is to slow down and take a few days. Eureka offers a compelling stopover with its charming hotels, walkable historic district, and well-preserved mining-era architecture—making it the perfect place to immerse yourself in the state’s rich frontier history.
Refuel in Ely to the Baker Wrap Up
Closing out the Survival Guide
The vibrant lights of Ely embrace Highway 50, where casinos and restaurants line the road, hosting flashing lights that allude to endless entertainment.
Luckily, we chose the fabulous Mr. Gino’s Italian Restaurant before heading over to the Nevada Northern Railway Museum.
The museum showcases the history of Nevada’s railroads and offers train rides to appreciate the surrounding landscape. Although closed when we arrived, we still enjoyed viewing the engines and rail cars.
Heading toward the southeastern part of town, we obtained our fifth Survival Guide stamp from the Wyndham Hotel of Ely and a reliable charge at the nearby Tesla Supercharger (new to Tesla charging? Read more here) before continuing on to Baker, Nevada.
Soak in the drive to Baker, Nevada—the hills were fun, and the stars were incredible. We kept the sunroof open to enjoy the show and stopped a few times to stretch our legs and necks.
In just over an hour, we reached Baker’s Whispering Elms Motel & RV Park, offering six motel rooms with Room 6 being the closest to the Rivian charging station.
Using the fast Wi-Fi didn’t take long to download the Rivian app and set up an account to start charging.
The flat $35.00 rate provided idle fee worry free sleep and a strong morning shower prepared us to explore Great Basin National Park, located less than six miles away.
Amp’d Advice: The Whispering Elms Motel & RV Park in Baker, Nevada is a comfortable place to stay and offers Rivian Level 2 chargers for a flat rate of $35.00. To maximize your dollars, charge just enough to make the 65 hilly miles from Ely to Baker, then top off overnight.
Birds Eye Review: Not Necessarily the Loneliest EV Road Trip in America
Go West or East
Rivian Charging Station at Whispering Elms Motel & RV Park, Baker, Nevada
In the end, it is not the Loneliest EV Highway in America, but the best EV Drive in Nevada.
Our EV journey from Fernley to Baker was a memorable adventure across Nevada’s historic landscape.
Follow Walt Whitman’s advice and “Go West” or in our case go east to keep the setting sun out of your eyes.
After winding through high desert landscapes, enjoying the rolling hills and descents, realizing the incredible Neveda mining history while meeting people as we stopped along the way, there is no doubt that we would make this trip again.
A treasure of the American West, expand your horizons and prepare to burn some electrons.
Prepare yourself by researching the charging stations to minimize refuel worry.
Sustain yourself on a feast of cooler lunches and endless beauty.
Reward yourself with an EV Road Trip of a lifetime.
