This is where you should start if you need to decide what to do in Elko. The exhibits are primarily…read moreoutside in separate buildings from 100 years ago such as a school, a creamery, and blacksmith shop. The main building was a 2-story home where many kids were raised. The person behind the desk was very friendly - Katie - providing personalized recommendations for what to do and see in and around Elko.

From the web: The Carlin Tunnel is a collective name for a set of four tunnel bores in the…read moreHumboldt River's Carlin Canyon, east of Carlin in Elko County, Nevada, United States. Wikipedia Also: The Carlin Tunnel is a set of four bores (two for the interstate and two for rail traffic) that are cut through the Humboldt River's Carlin Canyon, east of Carlin, NV which is about 100 miles west along I-80 from the Utah-Nevada border. The two interstate tunnels were opened in 1975. https://qdconstruction.com/projects/carlin-tunnel-rehabilitation/ https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nevada/carlin-tunnel-nv/

I love tunnels! I remember going through them on Amtrak. It is fun and creepy at the same time…read moregoing g through tunnels. All that weight being held on op of you . I get creeped out in subways and tunnels but enjoy the thrill. The tunnel for vehicles has nice bright white lights. Less than 10 seconds in the tunnel.

This is a great center to visit when driving on I-80…read more Parking is free and the lot is a nice size with many stalls open. There are clean bathrooms inside and a water bottle refill station. When we walked in we were greeted by the friendly staff. They explained where everything was and helped us feel welcome. The whole thing is free. Donations box are near the entrance and are greatly appreciated to help maintain the museum and keep the trails pristine. I enjoyed the museum and small student art exhibit. The museum was very interactive and had beautiful murals. I also found the wagons outside enjoyable to walk around and look inside. The trails are great! There are two main lookout spots and they ate not hard trails to follow. With this said, the trails are gravel so I recommend closed toe shoes for the trails.

This museum focuses on why people headed to California starting in 1841 - with much of the focus on…read morethe first couple trips and follow-ups. The movement was slow and hard. They took us from a starting point geographically where there was "civilization" and walked us through various geographic locations - much of it would be right off I-80 today - en route. Included is the challenge of getting around/over the mountains. Some interactive stuff for kids. There wasn't a gift shop when we were there. Most exhibits are inside - but there are a handful of things to see and read outside. Spent 90 minutes between the inside and outside.