"THE RUBY MOUNTAINS" Elko by mtncorg

Elko Travel Guide: 18 reviews and 25 photos

An aspen standing in marshes of Lamoille Canyon

I could have placed these tips under the heading of the town of Lamoille, that being the small town closest to the range. But no one has probably heard of that town. Probably not that many have heard of Elko, either. Still, most people will come through Elko en route to the Rubies, which lie about 20 miles to the southeast. Elko is also a nice town to tarry. There is a nice museum where you can find out more about this area of the country: the old California Emigrant trail, the Basques, the local Indians, the mining and cattle industries. There are plenty of places to stay here in Elko, along with some good Basque restaurants and the obligatory gambling casinos - this being Nevada, afterall. For the non-camper, this is also the better spot to base out of. Lamoille has only one small lodge with 3 rooms. There used to be a super bed and breakfast, where I stayed the last time through, but I see that the old ranch house has gone back to being a ranch house.

The Ruby Mountains are a typical Great Basin range in that they are long, thin, gentler slopes on one side and an abrupt face on the other: 100 miles by 10 miles, west is gentler and east is abrupt. These mountains are way out there. It takes you some time to reach here. Salt Lake City is the nearest city and that is five hours away. While the range is typical, it is also spectacular. The range is a place of natural grandeur, rarely witnessed by the normal tourists roaring by on nearby I80 or the millions who are flying overhead - en route to California or cities in the east. If they notice the mountains at all, they probably look just like one more set of hills rising out of the monotonous sage. So, come with me to virtually tour some of the Rubies and see what they are missing.

Note: Everything in the Rubies are off-the-beaten-path, therefore, they are 'Must See' ;-]

Pros and Cons

Pros:Truly out-of-the-way beautiful mountain range only 20 miles off of one of the busier interstates
Cons:No slot machines or blackjack tables up here
In a nutshell:Great Basin at its Best

Intro Written Nov 20, 2003
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Reviews (10)

Eastside of the Rubies from lonely NV229 - Elko

EAST SIDE OF THE RUBY MOUNTAINS Things to Do (10)

On the east side of the Ruby Mountains, the country gets lonelier yet. You won't find a lot of traffic on NV229 offering... more travel advice

Lone horseman rides along the Ruby Crest trail - Elko

HORSEMEN Things to Do (10)

This part of the Wild West, so it is only appropriate, that you come across horsemen who are heading into the wilderness... more travel advice

Ruby Crest continues south from Wines Peak - Elko

RUBY CREST SOUTH FROM WINES PEAK Things to Do (10)

The Ruby Crest trail continues further south from Wines Peak, atop the Ruby range for another 36 miles. You will need... more travel advice

Back to Ruby Dome from shoulder of Wines Peak - Elko

RUBY DOME Things to Do (10)

This is the highest point in the Ruby Mountains, 11387 feet/3451 meters. There is no trail and the peak lies west of the... more travel advice

Comments (6)

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Nemorino Jul 24, 2007 at 1:45 AM

Nice virtual tour of the Rubies -- with fine photos as always. I went through that part of Nevada on the train once (the old Western Pacific) but that's about it.
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DSwede Sep 12, 2006 at 7:46 AM

Finally, someone else who has hiked some of those trials!! Wonderful pics & write ups!
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chewy3326 Jan 26, 2006 at 3:01 PM

Nice page, the Ruby Mountains look beautiful. What time of year did you visit (just curious)?
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Stephen-KarenConn Jun 25, 2004 at 4:34 AM

A very interesting look at an "empty" part of the country. We have only passed through this part of Nevada a couple of times on the train, and were glued to the window every mile of the way. The trek up Ruby Dome would be quite an adventure.
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shellybelly567 Apr 4, 2004 at 1:36 PM

I'm partial to deserts and arid lands, so it's only natural that I find this place intriguing. Definitely need to visit this part of Nevada.
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mrclay2000 Nov 23, 2003 at 6:38 PM

Nice photos. Congrats. I arrived around midnight and hated the place upon arrival, and I left early the next morning. I've always regarded Elko as Hell's Deep.