MILES
559
STOPS
4
ORIGIN
Eagle, CO
DESTINATION
Ely, NV
DRIVE TIME
8.5 hrs
TOTAL TIME
13 hrs
Today’s goal was hiking Hanging Lake and then working our way across Colorado to route 50, the loneliest road in America., and into Ely, NV. Beyond completing the hike and getting to our final destination at a reasonable hour, I really wanted to stop by in Fruita, CO to have lunch at the Hot Tomato and then to visit Over the Edge Sports to pick up a few things for Ari’s bike.
🛑 Stop 1: We had a quick breakfast at Yeti’s Grind in Eagle before heading to Hanging Lake just outside Glenwood Springs. I had to purchase tickets in advance and figured a 10 am hike start would be good idea, it would give us a little time to sleep in and grab breakfast before the hour drive to the trailhead from Eagle. We had checked out a little earlier than I had anticipated, and despite taking our time at Yeti’s Grind, we arrived at the Trail a little after 9. They let us in and gave us a three hour window to complete the outing. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect but had heard the trek up to the lake was arduous. No worries, Ari and I had tackled Salkantay, so we were confident in our abilities.
The hike up to the lake was indeed demanding, but every step up was 100% worth the effort. The views from the top as we neared the lake were spectacular, and once we entered the secluded spot, we were treated to a beautiful and serene landscape with clear waters and gentle waterfalls. We spent about half an hour at the top before descending to the car and continuing our drive west.
🛑 Stop 3: After the hike at Hanging Lake we had a relatively short drive (1.5 hours) to Fruita. This would mark my third visit to this Colorado destination, albeit, the first two times here I spent multiple days riding the trails around town. This time around our plans included a stop at two local landmarks, the Hot Tomato, and Over the Edge Sports. Since I had a designated driver i accompanied my pizza with a couple of local brews. After lunch we headed to Over the Edge Sports to pick up some essentials for Ari’s bike, including a set of flat pedals, a cable lock and a few other key items.
It just felt wrong to be in Fruita without my mountain bike.
🛑 Final Stop: Ari drove the rest of the way along I-70 until we veered off to U.S. Route 50 into Salina, UT. After gassing up I took the wheel along 50 through Delta, UT and onto our final destination, the Prospector Hotel and Casino in Ely, NV.
We debated whether to drive all the way to Ely today. We left Fruita shortly after 2 pm and the 6.5 hour drive to Ely would have us on 50 until shortly before 9pm. The prospect of driving at night on the “loneliest Road in America” was not something I was looking forward to. But we found that the accommodations between Salina and Ely were sparse, so we pushed through. I’m glad we did.
I would have, however, opted for a different hotel. The Prospector Hotel is also a casino and was smokey and reeked of cigarette, thankfully, the rooms did not
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U.S. Route 50: The Loneliest Road in America
That nickname was coined by Life Magazine back in 1986, when they warned readers that there were “no points of interest” and “no attractions worth seeing” along the route. Ironically, locals loved the label — and turned it into a badge of honor.
Today, you can even pick up a “Loneliest Road Passport” in towns like Ely, Eureka, and Fallon, and get it stamped at each stop to earn a certificate proving you “survived the Loneliest Road.”
I wish I had known about the Passport before we ventured out on the trip, I would have definitely had it stamped along the way.