One through three
1. Highway 50 across Nevada — the self-styled Loneliest Road in America, Ely to Fernley through five mountain passes, roughly 400 miles, and the pass summits at 7,000-plus feet stay cool into July. 2. Valley of Fire Road — 20 miles inside the state park, White Domes to Rainbow Vista, more colour per mile than any road in the state. 3. Lake Tahoe East Shore, US-50 from Spooner Summit to Stateline — 12 miles of lake views, pullouts every mile, and the road actually improved after 2020's paving.
Four through six
4. Mount Rose Highway 431 — Reno to Incline Village over 8,900-foot Mount Rose Summit, one of the highest year-round paved passes in the Sierra. 5. Extraterrestrial Highway (SR-375) — Ash Springs to Warm Springs, 98 miles of nothing, the Little A’Le’Inn at Rachel is the only fuel stop for real. 6. Kingsbury Grade, Highway 207 — old Pony Express route from Carson Valley to South Lake Tahoe, tight switchbacks, gone if it's snowing. Fuel discipline matters on all six; a 200-mile gap between stations is normal.
Good to know
Is Highway 50 really that empty?+
Yes. Austin to Eureka, 70 miles, you may see a dozen cars all day. Fill up in Ely, Eureka, Austin, and Fallon; the gaps between are real.
When are these drives closed for snow?+
Mount Rose Highway and Kingsbury Grade see chain controls December through March. Highway 50 passes usually stay open but require tires. Valley of Fire and the Tahoe East Shore run year-round.