11-30-25: Elko, NV, in the northeastern outpost of Nevada is a thriving small town whose economy…read morethrives on mining. Elko has the world's largest gold mining operations encompassing the so-called Carlin Trend. Boom!

I'm out here in Elko, Nevada for work for a few days and just happens I'm here for the Annular…read moreEclipse event. They had maximum coverage here I I just happen to be here! I kinda knew it was gonna happen so I had a pair of eclipse viewing glasses I got a long time ago, but still work fine. Wow, that was some eclipse, not as spectacular as a total eclipse, but it sure did get dark! Elko is a nice town, big enough to have all the food and services you might need. Sorry, no Costco or Trader Joe's, but hey, the Walmart has most everything. Hotel are fine too. I didn't have a real camera that could photograph the eclipse, but I did take a pic of the online pics posted.

July 10, 2026 - Elko, NV…read more This is a wonderful stop along I-80 and well worth taking the time to visit. The California Trail Interpretive Center tells the story of the pioneers who traveled the California Trail in the mid-1800s through engaging exhibits, life-size dioramas, and interactive displays. I'm so glad we stopped. The life-size dioramas are beautifully done, and there's far more to see than I expected. Unfortunately, I had a limited amount of time and only scratched the surface. I could easily have spent another hour or more exploring the exhibits. The California Trail Interpretive Center is open Wednesday through Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. During our visit, it was operating on this five-day schedule because a federal hiring freeze had left the center without enough staff to open seven days a week as originally planned. If you're driving I-80 near Elko, don't just drive by--this is one of the best roadside stops in the area. Actually, you should really make it a planned visit to allow yourself enough time to take it all in.

This is a great center to visit when driving on I-80…read more Parking is free and the lot is a nice size with many stalls open. There are clean bathrooms inside and a water bottle refill station. When we walked in we were greeted by the friendly staff. They explained where everything was and helped us feel welcome. The whole thing is free. Donations box are near the entrance and are greatly appreciated to help maintain the museum and keep the trails pristine. I enjoyed the museum and small student art exhibit. The museum was very interactive and had beautiful murals. I also found the wagons outside enjoyable to walk around and look inside. The trails are great! There are two main lookout spots and they ate not hard trails to follow. With this said, the trails are gravel so I recommend closed toe shoes for the trails.

This is where you should start if you need to decide what to do in Elko. The exhibits are primarily…read moreoutside in separate buildings from 100 years ago such as a school, a creamery, and blacksmith shop. The main building was a 2-story home where many kids were raised. The person behind the desk was very friendly - Katie - providing personalized recommendations for what to do and see in and around Elko.