Area Attractions

Area Attractions

When you arrive you will notice that Elko is a community rich in history and laced with character. There are so many things to see and do.

A good place to start is the Elko Area Chamber of Commerce located in the historic Sherman Station. This complex of ranch buildings was moved by the Chamber from a location 60 miles south of Elko. The complex includes the Sherman Station that was the stage stop at one time, the school house, creamery, blacksmith shop and barn. These buildings are over 100 years old and represent a great deal of the Elko area history.

The Chamber also serves as a Visitor Center and we have all kinds of information on camping, hiking, fishing, places to see and events that happen almost weekly. Be sure and look at the Chamber Calendar for more details. Located inside the Sherman Station is our "Made in Elko" Gift Shop for those special gifts and remembrances.

You could begin your visit indoors at our award-winning Northeastern Nevada museums and galleries or head outdoors to one of our many parks and recreation areas

As evening falls you might want to try your luck at one of the local casinos, better known for their live entertainment and fine dining. We have theaters and quite often the Great Basin College presents a play or artist for your enjoyment.

In the morning jump in the car and take a scenic tour around Elko County and take in nature's beauty with a quick trip of 35 minutes to the Ruby mountains, and travel up Lamoille Canyon. It is like traveling into the alpine mountains with mountain goats and sheep if you look close. On your way back down the canyon, be sure to stop in the quaint community of Lamoille nestled at the foot of those spectacular mountains. It is common to see deer in the Lamoille City Park early in the morning or as evening falls.

The Elko area also is home to several modern gold mines, and you may want to visit one or all of the ghost towns that turn of the century mining left behind.Nevada, the "Silver State" is famous for the gold and silver mines that have long supported our growing economy.

If you are looking for a slice of the real west you should consider staying at one of the area's working cowboy guest ranches where you can experience ranch living, taking a sunset horseback ride, work with the cows, or participate in wild west Cowboy Action Shooting.

Whatever you are looking for Elko, from the Basque Festival to the Ruby Mountain Balloon Festival, Oktoberfest, or the Motorcycle Jamboree you are sure to enjoy your visit and the Elko area is sure to provide you with a wide range of attractions. We look forward to seeing you at the historic Sherman Station to begin your visit.

MUSEUMS & GALLERIES

NORTHEASTERN NEVADA MUSEUM: 1515 Idaho Street
775.738.3418
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Tuesday - Saturday
1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday

Features exhibits on natural and regional history of northeastern Nevada. Including mining, ranching, firearms, the California Trail, railroads, and the lifestyle and basketry of the Paiute and Shoshone Indians.

The Wanamaker Wildlife Exhibit was added to the museum in 1999. The Wanamaker Wildlife Wing contains Nevada’s largest collection of wild animals from around the world. A majority of the collection which was donated by Jack and Francis and are exhibited in a natural setting. Approximately 300 animals are on exhibit. This exhibit includes Nevada Mountain which is covered with animals all native to Nevada and the Great Basin. There are also animals set from Africa, the Arctic, Australia, Asia, and all over North America. The Wanamaker collection is a source of pride for the community and many people’s only chance to see some very interesting creatures.

Outdoor displays include an 1860s Pony Express cabin and stagecoach. In the 18,000-square-foot Wanamaker Wing there are more than 200 full-size, mounted animals from the all over the world, all shown in their natural environment. The art gallery features portfolios by Ansel Adams and Edward Weston, permanent art displays, Western art and rotating installations. Check out the museum store for unique Nevada gifts made by local artists. They also have extensive research and photo archives available to the public.

SHERMAN STATION: 1405 Idaho Street, Elko
775.738.7135

The Sherman Station Ranch House and five outbuildings are located at the corner of 14th and Idaho Streets. Bavarian emigrant Valentine Walther, built the log structures between 1880 and 1903.

Built in 1903, the 100-year-old ranch house and former stagecoach stop is the newest of the buildings. The two-story structure is made of two-foot thick Limber Pine logs and at the time was the largest log cabin in Nevada.

In 1998, Sherman Station and the other four wooden structures were relocated to Elko from a Huntington Valley ranch about 60 miles south of Elko. It is now the headquarters of the Elko Chamber of Commerce and is the Visitors and Information Center for the Elko area.

The living/dining room of the house is a gift shop featuring "Made in Elko" gifts and souvenirs and is staffed with a full-time information specialist. Free tourism brochures and relocation information are available.

The parlor holds a small museum of antiques and Walther family artifacts. The Chamber utilizes the remaining house, even though the public is invited to tour the facility. Historical pictures of the Walther family line the walls with the family members wedding pictures in one hallway.

The stable, the oldest structure, dates back to 1880 and includes an exhibit of the former Nevada governor's carriage and barbed wire collection. The blacksmith's shop houses a permanent static exhibit and includes a forge and blacksmith tools. The fifth building, a one-room schoolhouse, was converted into a display with artifacts from the turn of the century.

WESTERN FOLKLIFE CENTER: 501 Railroad St., Elko
775.738.7508

Located in the historic Pioneer Hotel, the Western Folklife Center is dedicated to the preservation and presentation of the traditional cultures of the American West. Folklife Center activities include concerts and performances, exhibits, workshops, adult and youth educational programs, and the world renowned National Cowboy Poetry Gathering. Exhibits at the Center include a newly produced state-of-the-art video presentation on cowboy music and raching culture.

A regional nonprofit organization based in Elko, Nevada, the Western Folklife Center works to expand our understanding of ourselves and our neighbors by celebrating the everyday traditions of people who live and work in the American West.

Since it was founded in 1980, the Western Folklife Center has helped raise public awareness of and support for the traditional, expressive culture of the American West. Though it is best known for the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, the Folklife Center provides exhibitions, performances, and a full array of educational programs at its cultural center in Elko and in communities across the West. The Folklife Center also regularly produces national programming for public radio and television, and creates CDs and DVDs based on original fieldwork. In 2006, we introduced our podcast, Ranch Rhymes: Cowboy Poetry and Music from the Western Folklife Center. www.westernfolklife.org

PARKS & POOLS

For a town of its size, Elko has several parks for many activities including horseshoes, basketball, tennis, soccer, football and baseball. Most have large grassy areas for kids to run and play.

ANGEL PARK: Sage St. and Dotta Dr., Elko, 777-7261
Two tennis courts, large playground, picnic areas, and plenty of parking are available.

ELKO CITY PARK: Picnic tables and barbecue pits, playground, basketball courts, tennis courts, horseshoe pits, junior football field, softball field, and several ballparks.

JOHNNY APPLESEED PARK

Located on the north side of the swimming pool, the Johnny Appleseed Park is a great structure of fun for children of all ages. The park offers swings, slides, towers to climb and even a climbing wall.

FIFTH STREET FACILITY "H" PARK: Picnic areas and soccer field with bleachers.

GREENBELT PARK: Hosts an old engine and caboose from the Western Pacific Railroad , a play area, benches, and picnic tables.

MOUNTAIN VIEW PARK: Covered picnic area, restrooms, playground and seven soccer fields.

SOUTHSIDE PARK: Tennis courts, covered picnic areas, soccer field, basketball court and softball field.

SKATE PARK: The park features a mini flat top hill, beams, jumps, a pyramid and shallow bowl.

SWIMMING POOL: Elko Municipal Swimming Pool
College Avenue and 14th St., Elko, 777-7299
Elko's swimming pool, open to the public, offers daily swimming sessions.; This park is under construction and will host a nature path, water feature, organic garden area and quiet place to walk and meditate. The park is scheduled for completion in 2011.

CASINOS

The five major games played today are slot machines, craps, twenty-one, roulette and keno. The excitement of winning is the big draw to the casinos but live entertainment and quality restaurants make our casinos just that much more fun. Plan to visit them all and take the shuttles between casinos for convenience.

SCENIC TOURS

LAMOILLE CANYON: Highlights a four-stop, self-guided auto tour. The geology interpretive exhibits lead travelers past meadows bursting with wildflowers, abundant wildlife, waterfalls and avalanche chutes.
LAMOILLE TOWN: Lamoille Hwy. Lamoille, NV
This small picturesque community is nestled at the foot of the Ruby Mountains. The beautiful town park is located in the heart of the Lamoille and sits at the edge of a small creek in a shady grove. This peaceful community is an Elko County favorite.

GHOST TOWNS & QUAINT PLACES

Come to the Elko Area Chamber of Commerce located in the historic Sherman Station for information of the Ghost Towns in Nevada.

JARBIDGE: The town of Jarbidge became a boomtown overnight when gold was discovered in 1908. The last stagecoach robbery in the West happened in Jarbidge in 1916. The small isolated community is known for its high-spirited residents who reside within the picturesque, steep canyon. This area, located near the Idaho border, is among the country's last unspoiled wilderness areas with towering mountain peaks, lakes and rippling streams.

Outdoor enthusiasts may enjoy hunting, fishing, hiking, biking and horseback riding. Primitive campsites near the town are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Services in the town include two bed and breakfast establishments, a small store, a gas station and a saloon.

To reach Jarbidge, drive north from Elko on Mountain City Highway (State Route 225) for 55 miles until you reach the Charleston turn off. From there you will drive another 47 miles northeast to Jarbidge on narrow county roads. Alternately, drive east on I-80, take the Deeth exit and travel north. During winter months the route through Rogerson, Idaho is always open.
JIGGS: Located 35 miles south of Elko on State highway 228, Jiggs became a supply center for local ranches from the 1870s until 1925.
METROPOLIS: Located 14 miles northwest of Wells, the New York based Pacific Reclamation Company built the town in 1911 as a farming promotional scheme.
MIDAS: The town of Midas is a remote old mining town located 60 miles northwest of Elko off State Route 789. In recent years the Midas mining district has yielded new opportunities in mining and employment. The town of Midas is thriving today.
TUSCARORA: Located 54 miles northwest of Elko off State route 226, this was one of the county's most important gold and silver mining towns. Tuscarora today houses an artist community with a pottery gallery and pottery classes available.

RANCH STAYS

Good food, comfortable accommodations, spectacular views and a chance to experience life on a ranch. Elko County has several working Guest Ranches that offer everything from horseback riding & cattle branding to scenic tours. The Elko County Ranches can offer their visitors Hunting, fishing, photo hunts, bird watching and pack trips.