54°F
weather icon Mostly Clear

Make Ely a priority summer destination

With plenty of summer outdoor activities available in Ely, and temperatures at a perfect comfort level over the next couple of months, the town should be a priority summer destination for Southern Nevadans with itchy feet.

Although Southern Nevada thermometers reach three digits almost daily during the same months, Ely, more than 4,000 feet higher in elevation and a little farther north, enjoys average daily highs around 80 degrees in June and the upper 80s in July and August. Those are ideal temperatures for sightseeing and hiking.

If you have two or three days to spend in the region, Ely has enough restaurants and comfortable rooms to serve as a base while making side trips to see Great Basin National Park or the Ward Charcoal Ovens, or to enjoy the waters of Cave Lake State Park.

If you had time to enjoy only one of this region’s experiences, it should be the Nevada Northern Railway, headquartered in East Ely. A National Historic Landmark, the railway is one of America’s best preserved short lines. Visitors can take a ride on two historic routes, the McGill Junction Route and the Keystone Route. The excursions take about 1½ hours and includes a walking tour of the railway complex.

The Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historical Park boasts six 30-foot-high, beehive-shaped ovens built in the late 1800s. These well-preserved historic structures produced charcoal for smelting ore, and operated from 1876 through 1879 during the silver boom in the area. Picnicking and camping are encouraged at the park, and there are plenty of hiking opportunities. The park is about 18 miles south of Ely.

Cave Lake State Park, a 32-acre reservoir, is about 14 miles southeast of Ely. The lake offers great fishing opportunities, including the record for brown trout as well as boating, swimming, hiking, camping and picnicking. On June 22, the lake is the place to be for the annual Cocktails and Cannons event, which features the Great Bathtub Races. Navigating in an iron tub must be a blast, but just watching the races from shore is almost as much fun. The program includes kayak and canoe races. Concessions are open during the day, and a barbecue and fireworks at night.

Great Basin National Park is little more than an hour away from Ely, and well worth a visit while you are in the area. If you are short on time just driving the 12-mile Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive is a great experience. The road climbs up more than 4,000 feet in elevation to 10,000 feet. From here many visitors head out onto one of the hiking trails where you can expect to see plenty of wildlife and wildflowers through summer. There are trails that take you to a bristlecone pine forest or high alpine lakes. For more adventure, and with plenty of preparation, you could hike up to Wheeler Peak, at 13,063 feet.

Besides outdoor activities the park is home to Lehman Caves. Here you can take a guided tour to see formations including stalactites, stalagmites, helictites and more than 300 rare shield formations. T wo tours are available: the 60-minute Lodge Room Tour and the 90-minute Grand Palace Tour. Reservations are recommended in the summer months. There are five developed campgrounds in the park, see www.nps.gov/grba.

For more information on Ely, its outdoor activities, lodging and other services, contact the White Pine County Tourism and Recreation Board, Bristlecone Convention Center, 800 -496-9350, www.elynevada.net.

Many of Deborah Wall’s columns were recently compiled with new information and photos in “Base Camp Las Vegas” and published by Stephens Press. She is the author of “Great Hikes, a Cerca Country Guide.” Wall can be reached at Deborabus@aol.com.

Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.
THE LATEST
Registration begins for youth sports

Registration is now being accepted from those interested in participating in Boulder City Parks and Recreation Department’s 2023 youth basketball or floor hockey leagues.

Trail provides glimpse into dam’s history

A trail passes through tunnels of Lake Mead history and hints at the challenges of taming a once-wild Colorado River to harness its water and power. The mostly flat Historic Railroad Trail allows walkers and bicyclists to travel back to the early 1930s on a path where tracks once guided trains hauling materials and critical components for Hoover Dam’s construction.

City Recreation

Youth sports return for fall

Pickleball proves popular; city to add courts

The sport of pickleball is expanding faster than the dry areas at Lake Mead, with over 5 million players nationwide. Boulder City has noticed this and, in a recent City Council meeting, approved $160,000 of the American Rescue Plan Act COVID-19 relief funds for additional courts in the city.

Fishers angle for best spot

Anglers covered the shorelines at Veterans’ Memorial Park on Saturday, June 11, as Boulder City hosted the Southern Nevada free fishing day event.

94-year-old still out on the green

Feeling younger than ever, 94-year old Virginia “Birdie” Hurst is an avid golfer who has no plans to slow down.

Catalina evokes visions of romance, nature

For many who grew up in the 1950s or ’60s, the name of Santa Catalina will always evoke the vision of California at its most romantic, thanks to the Four Preps’ influential pop song of the same name. But the actual island has helped city folk enjoy romance, nature and elegant surroundings in their preferred proportions for nearly a century.

Waterfall standout of Grand Staircase-Escalante

While it would take a lifetime to see all the extraordinary wonders of the 1.87-million-acre Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah, even on a short visit you can hike to some of the highlights. One of the standouts, that most people are eager to visit, is Lower Calf Creek Falls.