"Silver Trails Highway"

Stretching close to 700 miles down the length of the state, the longest road in Nevada is good ol' US 95, the very spine of the Silver State. US 95 is a vital backbone for Nevada, connecting the state's two metropolitan areas together. Nicknamed the "Silver Trails Highway," the mostly two-lane 95 crosses into Nevada from Oregon and seemingly hightails it to the very southern "point" of Nevada, crossing into California 72 miles south of Las Vegas. This long highway is a common route for commuters going to and from Reno and Las Vegas, as well as trucks who pass through Nevada coming from the northwest. For such a one-dimensional travel corridor, it's no wonder few people have discovered its secrets. Although most people enter Nevada heading northbound on US 95, I've reversed this road trip to head southbound because I feel the drive is more representative of the Silver State. Western Nevada is best represented by this "Silver Trail," a route connected the many dotted towns and hardy communities born out of necessity or newly-founded wealth deposits. Two of the largest communities in state history are within twenty minutes of each other on 95, whereas other smaller, but equally important communes construct a solid foundation for which Nevada was built upon. Ih many ways, it's US 95 that catalogs the Silver State at its very best. Most people, however, never see it that way.

Will the real Nevada please stand up?
Unlike "America's Loneliest Road," or even US 6, US 95 is an all-desert drive, never once retreating into the great ranges of Nevada. And, I'll be honest. Compared to many other routes in the state, US 95 might come on as a bit of chore. The hours and hours spent driving down the length of the state might appear a bit mundane to the first-time commuter and thus, it's not surprising that most people who "drive the 95," write off the drive as mostly monotonous terrain, with nothing to see in between Reno and Vegas. In most cases, few people bother to explore the hundreds of fascinating sights along the way. US 95 has become something of a stereotype similar to I-80, in that what you see on 95 IS Nevada. While this might be true, the highway certainly represents the REAL Nevada in many ways. A good number of people contest that Nevada is ONLY Reno and Vegas, separated by the hundreds of miles of vastness on 80 and 95. Still, an equal number of people believe that the real Nevada is all that same beautiful openness in between Reno and Vegas. If you're reading this page, I presume that you believe the latter.

Whereever your loyalties lie, north or south, I've guaranteed that you'll have many things to see along the way, along with a good number of historical markers to conquer for your travel bag! Although you can conquer the entire state in one long day, it's best to allow at least 3-4 days. Because of its lengthy mileage, US 95 pledges allegiance to both northern and southern Nevada, two dramatically different regions that deserve equal exploration! Allowing three to four days will provide plenty of time to explore both regions of the state, including the city of Las Vegas and the outback of northern Nevada. While there are no detours in northern Nevada, my Interstate 80 Roadtrip and US 50 Roadtrip have plenty to go around! I've provided two detours in southern Nevada: Death Valley National Park and western Clark County, including Red Rock Canyon and the Spring Mountains. Please know that this roadtrip covers only the western half of Clark County. Don't worry. My US 93 Roadtrip explores the colorful eastern half of Clark with one very extensive detour through Valley of Fire and Lake Mead.

The Markers
One final word of note: After the city of Searchlight, US 95 continues its final leg south, passing through the Cal-Nev-Ari casino outpost and entering California some four miles later at a lonely border crossing. Before this border crossing, US 95 passes State Route 163, a vital crossroads to Laughlin, Nevada and Bullhead City. I like to think of this as a "last chance" junction before leaving the Silver State. At this point for the sake of continuity, our roadtrip will follow the path of State Route 163 to Bullhead City to the glitzy casinos at Laughlin along the Colorado River. I felt that this is important for two reasons: there is nothing of interest on this last four mile segment of highway, and unless unless you're headed to points southward in California, there is no reason to continue on US 93 past Cal-Nev-Ari. Can't wait to get on the road? You're not alone. You know the drill ...

Let's Hit The Road