Lovelock is a gateway for great outdoor adventure. Southwest of Lovelock is the 40-Mile Desert. These alkali flats are now a great place to experience outdoor adventure and anyone who already loves outdoor adventure will enjoy this area.
Lovelock Caves
20 miles South of Lovelock. Follow South Meridian Road to Derby Road and follow the signs. This archaeological site is a great outdoor adventure. It has yielded 2,000-year-old tule duck decoys and other Native American artifacts. Contact the Chamber (775-273-7213) or Museum (775-273-4949) for Lovelock Cave Backcountry Byway outdoor adventure booklet.
Unionville
A few hours drive from Lovelock, you can experience outdoor adventure at Unionville, a historic mining town where people still live among the rustic ruins. The town has a claim to fame with Mark Twain, who bought a mine in the 1860s but abandoned it after digging 12 feet. Other nearby mining ghost towns to enjoy great outdoor adventure are Rochester and Seven Troughs.
Where to stay during your outdoor adventure:
The Old Pioneer Garden Bed & Breakfast (the inn dates back to 1861).
2805 Unionville Road
775-538-7585
800-538-7556
www.virtualcities.com/nv/oldpioneer.html
Wedding packages available.
Rye Patch State Recreation Area
The Rye Patch Reservoir along the Humboldt River is a year-round destination for outdoor adventure including fishing, boating and camping. It’s 22 miles north of Lovelock on I-80. Outdoor adventure can be enjoyed along 72 miles of shoreline and 11,000 acres of water surface when full.
Rye Patch has served as a haven for outdoor adventure. According to archeological discoveries, huge prehistoric camels, bison and elephants, were drawn to the region’s freshwater springs 23,000 years ago. About 8,000 years ago, ancient tribes camped along the riverbanks during hunting and gathering expeditions. Tribal communities settled in the region about 2,000 B.C.
When early trappers and explorers arrived in the 19th century, they named Rye Patch for its natural patch of wild rye. Rye Patch Dam was constructed in the 1930s to store water for irrigation. In 1971, the reservoir and river below the dam became a Nevada State recreation area offering outdoor adventure.
Call 775-538-7321 for outdoor adventure at Rye Patch.
Tufa rock formations
Visitors who love outdoor adventure will enjoy the Tufa formations. Tufa are limestone remnants from the bottom of the long-dried Lahontan Sea, an ancient ocean that once covered most of the Great Basin. For those experiencing outdoor adventure, Tufa is common around desert lakes.
