Day 6 — Wednesday, September 10, 2025 | Ely to Reno
High above the landscape on the overlook trail at Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park
MILES
359
STOPS
3
ORIGIN
Ely, NV
DESTINATION
Reno, NV
DRIVE TIME
~6 hrs
TOTAL TIME
~10 hrs
Today would be one of our shorter driving days, so we allowed ourselves a slower morning. We had a leisurely breakfast at Beans & Brews in Ely before heading out to our first stop—and hike—of the day at Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park.
🛑 Stop 1: Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park, Nevada
We wanted to squeeze in a short hike before really hitting the road, and the park offered the perfect opportunity to stretch our legs while taking in the landscape around the historic charcoal ovens.
Despite less-than-ideal trail signage, we managed to follow the Overlook Loop using Trailforks. The loop led us up to a high overlook with expansive views across the basin surrounding Ely. It turned out to be a surprisingly rewarding hike and a great way to start the day.
After about an hour on the trail, we got back in the car and set off for our next stop, eager to take advantage of the lighter schedule.
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Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park
The charcoal ovens as seen from our way up to the Overlook.
🛑 Stop 2: Sand Mountain Recreation Area, Nevada
From the ovens, we continued west to the Sand Mountain Recreation Area. Our plan was simple: pull over, take a quick look at the massive sand dune, stretch our legs for a few minutes, and move on.
That plan unraveled quickly.
I ventured off the pavement just long enough to realize the ground was far softer than expected. As I turned around to head back out, the car sank into the sand and promptly got stuck. In hindsight, I should have stopped immediately and reversed—but lessons are often learned the hard way.
Thankfully, we were able to reach someone who gave us the number for a tow company in Fallon. After about an hour and a half of waiting, a friendly truck operator arrived and had us unstuck in no time. The detour cost us $170 and roughly two hours.
The silver lining? We definitely stretched our legs.
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Stuck!
Up until now we had a great run on the road. I should have heeded that “Pavement Ends” sign and just parked on the tarmac and walked along the sand. INstead I decided to get a little closer to the dune, the result, a 2 hour wait for a tow truck. The time did allow us to check out the area for a bit, long enough to find some shade while we waited.
🛑 Final Stop: Reno, Nevada
After the sand dune ordeal, we were eager to reach Reno and decided to press on without any additional stops. We rolled into town around 6 p.m., later than planned but still early enough for showers and dinner.
We checked into the Silver Legacy / Eldorado, another casino hotel. Like Ely, it reinforced that the casino vibe just isn’t my thing. If I were to do this trip again, I’d opt for a night in Lake Tahoe or Truckee instead—places that align much better with how I prefer to wind down after a long day on the road.