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Major city · United States

ElyEly, Nevada

Give Ely one full day and one night: the Nevada Northern Railway train ride plus Ward Charcoal Ovens. Two nights if you want Cave Lake and Garnet Hill too.

Not yet checkedSourcesWhat these labels mean

Ely is a small high-desert crossroads town in White Pine County, eastern Nevada, where US 50, 93 and 6 meet. It is a car stop, not a city break: the draw is a working heritage railway, a state park of beehive-shaped charcoal kilns, a lake, and the empty basin-and-range country around it. Most travellers pass through on the Loneliest Road in America or between Las Vegas and Salt Lake City; one night covers the core, two nights if you add the lake and rockhounding.

basic guide: no trip line yet
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
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More ways in
Print / PDF guide
Local time, weather, currency, airports
Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
May–Jun, Sep–Oct
avoid Jul–Aug (high heat), Dec–Feb (cold, snow on mountain passes)
Airports
ELY · LAS · SLC
Nights
1–2
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.

Entry rules depend on your passport. Full visa guide

Checking your follows…
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾

Not in this guide yet

  • Walking areas with bag rules
  • Day plans checked against opening hours
  • Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
  • Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Ely911 ▾
  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.

EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Ely, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Show all 12 answers

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee$3–6
  • Street or quick mealDiner breakfast$10–18
  • BeerDraught beer in a bar$5–8
  • Museum or sight ticketMuseum or state-park entry$2–10
  • Budget bedCampground pitch (tent or RV), a night, per roomUS$15
  • Mid-range bedMotel or historic-hotel double room, a night, per roomUS$120
  • High-end bedMotel or historic-hotel double room, a night, per roomUS$200

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$70 · Mid US$130 · High US$220

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Nevada Northern Railway Museum and its heritage train ridesWard Charcoal Ovens State Historic ParkCave Lake State ParkUS 50, the Loneliest Road in AmericaHotel Nevada and its neon prospector sign
Airports
ELY Ely Airport (Yelland Field) (General aviation only; no scheduled commercial flights. Check before planning around it.) · LAS Harry Reid International, Las Vegas (About 4 h by car on US 93 south, or shorter via NV-318; no services on much of the route.) · SLC Salt Lake City International (The other large gateway; US 93 north to I-80, then east. Check current drive time.)

Best months at a glance

From the guide's best and avoid lists

  1. Jan

    Avoid

    4°C (39°F)

  2. Feb

    Avoid

    7°C (45°F)

  3. Mar

    not flagged

    12°C (54°F)

  4. Apr

    not flagged

    16°C (61°F)

  5. May

    Best

    21°C (70°F)

  6. Jun

    Best

    27°C (81°F)

  7. Jul

    Avoid

    32°C (90°F)

  8. Aug

    Avoid

    31°C (88°F)

  9. Sep

    Best

    26°C (79°F)

  10. Oct

    Best

    18°C (64°F)

  11. Nov

    not flagged

    10°C (50°F)

  12. Dec

    Avoid

    4°C (39°F)

Best: May–Jun, Sep–Oct. Avoid: Jul–Aug, Dec–Feb. Month by month →

Warmest Jul (32°C (90°F)), coolest Dec (−10°C (14°F) low), wettest Mar (7 rain days), driest Jun (4). Averages, not a forecast.

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Ely: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

4°C (39°F)

−9°C (16°F)

6 rd

Feb

7°C (45°F)

−7°C (19°F)

6 rd

Mar

12°C (54°F)

−4°C (25°F)

7 rd

Apr

16°C (61°F)

−1°C (30°F)

6 rd

May

21°C (70°F)

3°C (37°F)

6 rd

Jun

27°C (81°F)

7°C (45°F)

4 rd

Jul

32°C (90°F)

11°C (52°F)

4 rd

Aug

31°C (88°F)

10°C (50°F)

5 rd

Sep

26°C (79°F)

5°C (41°F)

4 rd

Oct

18°C (64°F)

−1°C (30°F)

4 rd

Nov

10°C (50°F)

−6°C (21°F)

5 rd

Dec

4°C (39°F)

−10°C (14°F)

6 rd

High / low, both scales · rd = rain days

Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

You need a car. There is no local train service and no useful public transit; the sights and the state parks are spread out well beyond walking distance. Fill the tank in Ely before heading west on US 50 or south on US 93 — services are sparse for 50+ miles. Downtown is small enough to walk between the hotel strip and the murals.

See & doDay-trips, door to door

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park

go

Door to door: About 30–40 min each way (check)

Drive south of Ely on US 93, then the signed park road

Beehive-shaped kilns in a canyon; open 24 h, day-use fee per vehicle. Go early or late for shade and light.

Cave Lake State Park

go

Door to door: About 20–30 min each way (check)

Drive south-east of Ely on the signed access road

Fishing, boating and short trails; day-use and boat-launch fees apply. Check current fees and conditions.

Garnet Hill

go

Door to door: About 15 min each way (check)

Drive about 10 km (6.2 mi) west of Ely on US 50, look for the BLM sign and access road

Free BLM rockhounding area for garnets; bring a hammer, eye protection and water. Collecting rules: check with BLM.

Great Basin National Park

caution

Door to door: About 1.5 h each way (check)

Drive east on US 50/6 toward Baker, then the park road

A long return day once you add the cave tour and Wheeler Peak; check tour times and road conditions before committing.

Eureka

caution

Door to door: About 1.5 h each way (check)

Drive west on US 50

A preserved mining main street; fine as a Loneliest Road stop, thin as a dedicated day trip.

Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Aultman Street (downtown)

The main strip: Hotel Nevada and Gambling Hall, Magnuson Park Vue, Racks Bar & Grill, Shooter's. Walkable to the murals and the Central Theatre.

East Aultman Street

Prospector Hotel & Gambling Hall and Hometown Pizza sit out this way; a car makes it easy. Area guidance: check.

Great Basin Boulevard

Ramada Ely (Copper Queen Casino) near the US 93 junction; easiest for a quick highway exit. Area guidance: check.

East Ely (11th Street and Avenue A)

Nevada Northern Railway Museum is here; quiet, best if the train is your reason for stopping. Area guidance: check.

South US 93 (Ely KOA)

Campground south of town; car needed for everything.

PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$70–110 excl. bed
Mid
$110–180 excl. bed
High
$180+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Motel or historic-hotel double room1 × 1 night × US$120US$120
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$130US$260
Nevada Northern Railway Museum train ride, per person2 × US$23 · 2026 estimate, to checkUS$46
Nevada Northern Railway Museum admission, per person2 × US$4 · 2026 estimate, to checkUS$8
Ward Charcoal Ovens day-use, per vehicle1 × US$5 · 2026 estimate, to checkUS$5
Cave Lake day-use, per vehicle1 × US$5 · 2026 estimate, to checkUS$5
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$25 · 2026 estimate, to checkUS$50
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$49
Trip total≈ US$272 per person per day, bed includedUS$543

2026 estimate, to check

2026 estimate in US dollars, to check; long-distance fuel and flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee$3–6
Diner breakfast$10–18
Pizza or burger with a drink$15–28
Draught beer in a bar$5–8
Fuel, per US gallonNevada prices vary by season$3.50–5.00
Museum or state-park entry$2–10
Motel double room, midweek$70–200

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Ely itself is a quiet, low-crime small town; the real risks are the drive — heat, snow, no fuel and no cell signal on US 50 and US 93. Carry water, keep the tank above half and tell someone your route.
  • No commercial air service at Ely Airport (ELY); the nearest big airports are Las Vegas and Salt Lake City.
  • US 50 and US 93 cross long empty stretches with no fuel, food or reliable cell coverage. Carry water, a spare and a full tank.
  • Summer highs can pass 38 °C (100 °F) and winter lows drop well below 0 °C (32 °F); mountain passes can close with snow.
  • The NV-318 shortcut toward Las Vegas is shorter but extremely remote — no services beyond Lund and almost no phone signal.
  • Non-US visitors who win at slots or tables may have tax withheld; keep the paperwork the casino gives you.
  • Legal brothels operate at the east end of town; they are a legal, regulated local business, not a tourist attraction to wander into unannounced.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

ElyEly, Nevada

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • Nevada Northern Railway Museum+1 775-289-2085
  • Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park+1 775-289-1693

Embassy

No consulates in Ely. The nearest are in Las Vegas and Salt Lake City; embassies are in Washington, DC. Check your country's list before travelling.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Nevada Northern Railway Museum train ride: about $23 adult, $15 child; museum admission $4 adult, $2 child
  • Ward Charcoal Ovens day-use: about $5 per vehicle; camping about $15 per night
  • Cave Lake day-use: about $5 per vehicle; boat launch about $10; camping from about $15 per night

Say or show

  • Where's the nearest gas? — Where is the gas station? (gas station)
  • Fill it up, please — Fill it up, please (fill it up)
  • Any signal up the road? — Is there cell service ahead? (cell service)
  • How far to the next town? — How far to the next town? (next town)
  • Do you take card? — Can I pay by card? (card)
  • Where's the restroom? — Where is the restroom? (restroom)

Print this card. Cell coverage is patchy outside town — save the numbers and your route offline.

Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Ely. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Jun, Sep–Oct · avoid Jul–Aug (high heat), Dec–Feb (cold, snow on mountain passes) · month by month →
  2. 3 airports and 5 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 6 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for ELY and the Las Vegas / Salt Lake City fallbacks: last sensible arrival, fuel and food cutoffs, overnight rung.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: Aultman Street downtown, East Ely and the railway museum, the US 93 motel strip, the south KOA.
  3. Place pages with verified hours and fees (Nevada Northern Railway Museum, Ward Charcoal Ovens, Cave Lake, White Pine Public Museum) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Loneliest Road and hostile-arrival fixtures (heat, snow, no signal, empty tank) so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources

Ask about Ely

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