Utah Portion of US Route 6

The Utah Portion of US Route 6 takes a wild ride through the Great Basin Desert and Wasatch Range! At Delta, it splits from US 50 before venturing towards the historic Tintic and Eureka mining districts. Near Santaquin, travelers will join I-15 for some high speed action to Spanish Fork canyon – that’s where you’ll hop off with US 89 for an incredible trek into Soldier Summit. After cresting those mountains is when things get really interesting as this route makes its way deep down Utah’s coal country – there’s even one final surprise waiting along side of fellow traveler U S 191!

Traveling east from Green River, I-70 and US 50 form a dynamic duo as they wind along the dramatic southern edge of the Book Cliffs. Conjoined with them is US 191 to Crescent Junction – an impressive feat considering this trio continues for miles! An eye-catching visual spectacle in Utah’s breathtaking landscape awaits adventurers who make it all the way through Grand Valley into Colorado.

Established as a National 501(c)(3) charitable organization, as a Public Charity the U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association works to promote economic development and cultural preservation for communities located along “The Grand Army of The Republic Highway.” Spanning 3,652 miles in total, this grand old highway is an integral part of Americana with many sites rich in history waiting to be discovered!  Online at https://www.route6tour.com

California Portion of US Route 6 post

Nevada Portion of US Route 6

The Nevada Portion of US Route 6 takes travelers on an incredible journey, starting at the California border and heading northeast through Queen Valley with Boundary Peak–Nevada’s highest summit! Climb into the Pinyon-Juniper zone to reach Montgomery Pass (7,167 feet [2,185 m]) before descending into barren shadscale desert. Along the way you’ll pass Columbus Salt Marsh and then merge with US 95 from Coaldale Junction all of Tonopah. Here in Nevada lies a testing ground for military activities – Nevada Test & Training Range is just 15 miles southeast of your destination. With awe-inspiring landscapes spanning every mile along this route it promises be one fantastic adventure!

Just east of Tonopah, US 6 journeys through an otherworldly desertscape boasting vast mountain ranges and mysterious valleys. For those who dare to take the journey off-road down SR 375 – dubbed “The Extraterrestrial Highway” – there is no telling what’s in store! As you continue along this northeasterly route across fascinating landscapes such as Reveille Peak (over 11,500 ft!), Pancake Range or White Pine Ranges expect that barren deserts will become lush with increasing rainfall. So come explore for yourself these exotic lands set deep within Nevada’s extraterrestrial highways!

Ely is the biggest city on the Nevada Portion of US Route 6, where it joins up with US 50. East of Ely you’ll find lush forests and meadows teaming with deer and elk as well a descent down Spring Valley towards Sacramento Pass – home to Wheeler Peak, second highest mountain in Nevada! Plus there’s also Baker; an oasis of Mormon farming right before the Utah state line. All this makes for one seriously beautiful road trip… if you’re considering traveling that way then expect some jaw-dropping views along your journey!

Established as a National 501(c)(3) charitable organization, as a Public Charity the U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association works to promote economic development and cultural preservation for communities located along “The Grand Army of The Republic Highway.” Spanning 3,652 miles in total, this grand old highway is an integral part of Americana with many sites rich in history waiting to be discovered!  Online at https://www.route6tour.com

Nevada Portion of US Route 6 post

In Memory of the Passing of Dirt the Cat.

A SPECIAL HAPPENING!
Remembrance Day – May 28, 2023
Dirt the Cat


In Memory of the Passing of Dirt the Cat.
Official Mascot and Greeter of the Nevada Northern Railway
Ely, Nevada

We knew he was beloved, not only by us, but also by people around the world. Our Facebook post that announced his passing has reached nearly 2 million people. Phenomenal! Because of this outpouring of support, I would like to make two announcements.

The first is the we will be honoring Dirt, The Boss Shop Cat on the Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend, May 28th.

Secondly, we have hired a sculptor to create two life-size bronzes of Dirt. If you would like to contribute to having the bronzes made, we have a special account set up for contributions, it is named Dollars for Dirt, click here to contribute.

We plan to unveil Dirt’s Statute and Headstone on May 28, 2023 at 10:00 am. This is the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. We will be operating two trains that day, the first one is 11:30 am, for tickets click here, the second train is at 2:00 pm, for tickets click here.

Because of all of the interest and support, the museum is committed to having two bronze statues made. One statue and a gravestone will be over his burial place. This is near the East Ely Depot where he can look out over the train yard and watch all of our activities. The second statue will be displayed in the engine house where he was born at the Nevada Northern Railway National Historical Landmark in Ely, Nevada.

In Dirt’s passing, he has transformed from being our Boss Shop Cat to becoming an ambassador for Heritage Railroading across the country and around the world. Dirt’s physical presence has left us, but his spirituality is still with us and will be for as long as steam locomotives still operate.

I consider Dirt following in the paw prints of Smoky the Bear. Smokey was a real bear cub that survived a forest fire. He eventually transformed into a symbol of fire prevention, “Only YOU can prevent forest fires.”

I see Dirt, The Boss Shop Cat doing the same thing. Dirt will help us reach new people to explain why the preservation of our steam railroading heritage is so important. Dirt, will also be instrumental in helping us teach railroad safety to children.

Dirt was and still is truly amazing. As long as the big wheels keep turning here, Dirt will be with us all. It’s a tall order, but then again, who knew that the runt of the litter, a little orange and white ball of fur would become such a colossus in the world of heritage railroading!

I hope you can join us on May 28th, we look forward to having you join us in celebrating the life of Dirt, the Boss Shop Cat. We will try to live stream the event for those of you who can’t make it.

Nevada Links

Nevada Links
a list of communities on or near US Route 6

Basalt Basalt, Nevada – Wikipedia
Clark 89437
Clark, Nevada – Wikipedia
Coaldale Coaldale, Nevada – Wikipedia
Currant 89049
Currant, Nevada – Wikipedia
Ely 89301
Ely, Nevada – Wikipedia
Great Basin College:
Campuses – Ely Center

 
Lockes 89049
Lockes, Nevada – Wikipedia
Majors Place 89301
Majors Place, Nevada – Wikipedia
Miller’s Nevada
Miller’s, Nevada – Wikipedia
Montgomery Pass 89010
Montgomery Pass, Nevada – Wikipedia
Tonopah 89049
Tonopah, Nevada – Wikipedia
Warm Springs Warm Springs, Nevada – Wikipedia