US93: Great Basin Highway

For the first few miles north of Las Vegas, US93 is co-signed with I-15. As soon as you turn due north when US93 breaks off on its own, you'll ask yourself two questions: 1) What is that big black thing? (It's a solar power station) and 2) What am I getting myself into?



This part of US93 is called the Great Basin Highway and it is also designated as a Scenic Highway.



After quickly passing through a first set of small hills, you are most definitely into the great basin. For over 200 miles, you clear successive passes and cross basins in between.



There are a few very small towns along the way, situated at either crossroads -- such as with the "Extraterrestrial Highway" -- or near relatively green areas surrounding small desert lakes/oases.



Mostly, though, the road is a series of long straight ribbons, occasionally punctuated by slight changes in direction. I took a hundred photos, none of which do it justice. This is probably the best:



Near Great Basin National Park, US93 meets up with dual-signed US50 and US6 and turns west. After a short, steep climb over 7,700ft Connors Pass, the road enters Ely, NV, where we have stopped for the night. It's been a spectacular day of desert driving and we have more on tap for tomorrow and beyond... Stay tuned!