Hello,

My sister and I(early 60s) will be returning to Colorado from a few days in Lake Tahoe. I was thinking of taking Highway 50, but now I am wondering if that is smart for us to do?

People to whom I've mentioned this ida say they wouldn't do it. Now I am becoming a bit paronoid. Should we do it or just take Interstate 80 to Salt Lake and home from there by my usual route?

Thanks for you help.

Linda

I'd say 50 is slow and tedious. (Actually not that slow as there is little to slow you down), but certainly tedious. I-80 is quicker and boring.

Take your pick. Boring or tedious?

Thanks, Neopatrick, for your quick response.

Boring and/or tedious I can handle. The concerns people expressed had to do with safety in case of car breaking down or whatever.

Any thoughts I can use to refute this argument. My husband is one of the nervous people about that road.

Linda

Linda, is there a particular reason you WANT to take Hwy. 50?

Breaking down is no fun on either road, but frankly it seems there is almost as much along 50 (or perhaps more) than on I-80. You will have a cell phone I trust? What more can you do? I don't think you are more likely to be robbed or attacked on 50 if you break down than you are on I-80. It's been a long time since we drove across 50 (from the Utah/Nevada border after coming up to it from Cedar City, then to Sparks). I'm curious how many trucks there might be on that route. Truckers are the best if you run into trouble.

I have driven US-50 across UT/NV several times and really thought nothing of it. If your vehicle is in good shape and you like two lane roads don't worry. A breakdown can happen anywhere and I can think of no place that is the ideal place to have that happen..

We drove Highway 50 from east to west a few years ago out of curiosity for "the loneliest highway in America." We enjoyed it. As I recall we went up mountains and down again--it was fun.

The next year we drove from north to south on 305 and 376. Route 50 was very lively in comparison. We drove on 305 for 45 minutes before we encountered vehicle headed north!

If you're curious, do it. It's fun. I definitely would not worry about a breakdown (of course I have AAA and they have tow truck connections everywhere).

I usually am in tune with NeoPatricks sugestions for travel but we'll have to agree to disagree on this question. The trip across Nevada on Hwy 50 will show you a set of geoligic features found almost nowhere else - range and basin topography is unique to this area. In addition, there are several small mining towns along the way to tour, a large wildlife refuge, and, if you're interested, a restored old railroad running both steam and diesal with restored old cars and cabooses in Ely.

US-50 is a fairly heavily traveled road and, assuming you don't make the trip in the middle of a blizzard, you should expect no greater problems than you might have on any highway, I-80 included.

but dwooden, I'm not sure I'd be in disagreement with that, but I think we're talking two different things here. You can find points of interest anywhere you go. And I suppose if someone driving across 50 wanted to take an extra day or so to stop and explore, sure there would be some interesting things, but I don't think that was the point. I assumed from the post that GJLinda was doing like we did, when we did that route -- trying to get from point A to point B as quickly and efficiently as possible. I maintain that trying to go 70 miles an hour all the way -- 50 is tedious, and I-80 is boring.

Actually, I was talking the same criteria. The range and basin topography can be seen and appreciated without slowing down. I threw the other attractions in as an "In addition".

I love Hwy 50!

http://www.byways.org/explore/byways/2033/places/

I-80 will be a faster drive, but if you're not in a hurry then Hwy 50 will be fun. Just be aware that the gas prices in Austin are VERY high!

Utahtea

Utahtea

I haven't driven Highway 50 yet, but I have driven other "lonely" roads out here in the middle of nowhere, solo. The fact that you are traveling with your sister is a definite plus.

Budget Travel magazine featured a "road trip" article on this Highway, which looked interesting enough to make me add it to the list of things to do. I'm sure the two of you will have fun together.

Just be smart! Keep some emergency supplies in the car (water, food, blankets, flares), and I always like to keep pepper spray with me. Don't put too much faith in the cell phone either - I have looked at my phone a number of times to find NO reception, so the phone won't do you any good if you can't get a signal.

But if you travel sensibly, as you should on ANY road, you should have a great time, AND you get to say you drove "the loneliest road"!

I've been on Hwy 50 a few times. You'll see a lot of desert and will be slowed down periodically by trucks. To me, I-80 feels safer because there are more lanes and less chance of head-on collisions.

I love Hwy. 50 and would not hesitate to drive it. There are interesting places to stop and suprisingly decent places to eat. Great Basin National Park is cool, too - a vertical park - and the tour of Lehman Caves there is interesting.

I have traveled both highways many times and the only breakdown occured on highway 50 in a new car fortunatly a sheriff's car was behind me called his friend and one hour at no charge had me on my way. Take the 50 route and enjoy your trip.

Hwy 50 is the best! I wish I could take it again. Make sure to bring an extra pair of shoes to leave at the shoe tree!

Norden1 - do you live in Norden? Such a beautiful area.

Another 50-lover here. Haven't driven it in years, but I still have dreams about that landscape. It's like being on the moon. Very trippy, imo.

Good description LucieV, very trippy and it did remind us of the moon. We loved it, too. Drove it in july 05 with no mishaps, and actually saw a fair amount of traffic, too.

To the OP, do you have ON-Star or one of the other service companies? One of those and / or a cell, and you'll be good to go. Enjoy!

Shoe-tree???
We missed that one!
Where???