Day one: Fernley to Austin
Pick up US-50 east of Reno at Fernley. First stop is Fallon at mile 30 — grab breakfast at the Slanted Porch and top off fuel. From Fallon drive 30 miles to Sand Mountain Recreation Area, a 600-foot singing dune where locals ride ATVs. Push on to Middlegate Station at mile 111, order the Middlegate Monster burger, and sign the dollar bills on the ceiling. Cold Springs Station at mile 162 has fuel and a motel if you break down. Sleep in Austin (mile 172) at the Cozy Mountain Motel or the Union Street Lodging B&B — Austin has 200 people and one restaurant open past 7pm.
Day two: Austin to Ely
Leave Austin by 9am. Hickison Petroglyphs are 24 miles east, a free BLM site with a short interpretive loop. Eureka at mile 242 is the best-preserved 19th-century mining town on the route — walk the Eureka Opera House and the Sentinel Museum, both under $10. Lunch at the Owl Club Cafe. Fuel up. From Eureka it's 77 empty miles to Ely; cell service dies in Little Antelope Summit for 40 minutes. Sleep at the Hotel Nevada in Ely (unrenovated, atmospheric) or the Prospector Hotel (chain-clean, no charm).
Day three: Ely to Great Basin
From Ely drive US-50 east to the junction with NV-487 and turn south to Baker, gateway to Great Basin National Park. This is where US-50 leaves Nevada, so most people turn around here. Spend the afternoon at Great Basin — Lehman Caves tour, Wheeler Peak scenic drive, or the bristlecone hike if you have four hours. Sleep in Baker at the Stargazer Inn or the Border Inn straddling the Utah line. Fuel is available in Baker but expensive; fill in Ely.
Good to know
Do I really need to worry about fuel?+
Yes. The stretches Fallon-to-Austin (172 miles) and Eureka-to-Ely (77 miles) have limited or no fuel in between. Middlegate and Cold Springs stations sell gas but hours are unpredictable and prices run $1.50 above Reno. Never let your tank drop below half.
Can I do US-50 in one day?+
Technically yes — Fernley to the Utah border is about six hours of driving. But you will see nothing. The point of this road is stopping in Austin, Eureka, and Ely, all of which are worth an hour each. Two nights is the minimum.