Behold excellent views of Lake Mead, Hoover Dam, a canyon trail with petroglyphs, views of the canyons, domes, towers, and large blocks of sandstone.
The Moapa Valley Drive offers excellent vistas of Lake Mead. The 110-mile long Lake Mead and the 1.5 million-acre recreation area were created with the construction of Hoover Dam. It took almost 2 years of tunneling and digging to divert the river, two years to block the canyon with about 7 million tons of concrete, and some 5000 workers working around the clock to complete the project. Checking and driving out the views in the Mead area will remind you of the enormousness of projects that humans can accomplish. The drive will take you about 2-1/2 hours. Read more . . .
The 2-hour Lamoille Canyon Scenic Byway leads into the Ruby Mountains on Forest Road 660. This great drive is Mother Nature’s panorama at its best with mountains and desert. The 34-mile drive through the Humboldt National Forest is closed in the winter. Trace Route 227 east of Elko to the start of the byway. As soon as you are into the national forest, you’ll dead-end in Lamoille Canyon. To the right, you will see the 11,387-foot Ruby Dome. Just a short drive ahead is the Powerhouse Picnic Area.