Road	Length	High point
Calico Hills Overlook, Red Rock CanyonStop The Calico Hills pullouts (Calico I and Calico II) are the first major scenic stops on Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area's 13-mile one-way Scenic Loop Drive, located 17 miles west of the Las Vegas Strip on SR-159. Vivid bands of red, orange, and cream Aztec sandstone rise hundreds of feet above the desert floor, and the overlooks provide unobstructed views across the geological formations that give Red Rock its name. Restrooms are available at Calico II. The Scenic Loop is a timed-entry drive (reservation required in peak season) that routinely ranks among the top short rides near Las Vegas.	—	—
Extraterrestrial Highway (NV-375) Nevada State Route 375 runs 98 miles across the high desert of Lincoln and Nye counties, from Warm Springs south on US-6 to Ash Springs on US-93, passing the unmarked eastern boundary of Nellis Air Force Base — home to the classified test area popularly known as Area 51. The state officially designated NV-375 the 'Extraterrestrial Highway' in 1996. The road crosses open playas and isolated mountain ranges with minimal traffic and almost no services; the only settlement, Rachel, is home to the Little A'Le'Inn diner and motel at the route's midpoint. Pavement quality is variable — summer heat buckles sections — but the solitude and cultural mythology make it a bucket-list Nevada ride.	98 mi	—
Great Basin Highway (US-93) US Route 93 runs 520 miles across Nevada from the Arizona border near Laughlin north to the Idaho border near Jackpot, passing through the heart of the Basin and Range terrain. The motorcycle-relevant corridor is the central section from Ash Springs through Caliente to Ely — roughly 200 miles — traversing isolated mountain ranges, historic mining towns, and two notable state parks: Cathedral Gorge (near Panaca), where slot canyons and cream-colored bentonite spires rise from the valley floor, and Spring Valley State Park. Pioche, a preserved Victorian silver-mining town, sits just off the highway. Road quality is good, traffic is sparse, and the alternating canyon-and-basin rhythm provides constant visual variety without demanding technical skill.	321 mi	—
Lake Tahoe East Shore — NV-28 + Mt. Rose Highway (NV-431) Reno to Tahoe via Mt. Rose Summit (~8,900 ft), ~25 mi. Pairs with Kingsbury Grade (NV-207) for a Tahoe loop.	13 mi	—
Lamoille Canyon Road End TrailheadStop The terminus of Lamoille Canyon Road (Forest Road 660 / NV-227 spur) sits at 8,800 feet in the Ruby Mountains of northeastern Nevada, 27 miles southeast of Elko. The U-shaped canyon was carved by Pleistocene glaciers into a dramatic alpine amphitheater with sheer granite walls rising over 3,000 feet. The large trailhead parking area at the road's end anchors the Ruby Mountains Scenic Byway and provides access to trails toward Island Lake and Lamoille Lake. The drive up the canyon — 12 miles of paved byway with no dead-end turnaround issue for bikes — is routinely ranked among Nevada's finest alpine roads.	—	—
Middlegate StationStop Middlegate Station is a historic roadhouse on US-50 — the 'Loneliest Road in America' — located roughly 45 miles east of Fallon in Churchill County. Founded as a Pony Express relay post in 1857, the station today combines a full bar (the Sagebrush Saloon), a restaurant famous for its multi-pound 'Middlegate Monster' burger, a mini-mart, motel, and RV park. It is one of the very few services for miles in either direction, and the 'Shoe Tree' — a cottonwood covered in hundreds of tossed pairs of sneakers — stands just east along the highway. Gas, cold beer, and honest food in genuine American West isolation.	—	—
Mount Charleston Loop (NV-157 / NV-158 / NV-156) The Mount Charleston Loop links three Nevada state routes — NV-157 (Kyle Canyon Road), NV-158 (Deer Creek Road), and NV-156 (Lee Canyon Road) — into a 60-mile circuit climbing from the Las Vegas Valley floor into the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area. NV-157 ascends 17 miles from US-95 to 7,700 feet in Kyle Canyon, where pine and fir replace Mojave desert scrub and temperatures run 20–30°F cooler than the Strip. NV-158 traverses the ridge between the two canyons at the highest elevations on the loop with tight switchbacks and mountain views. NV-156 descends through Lee Canyon to another US-95 interchange. The loop is well-maintained asphalt with light weekday traffic and is the closest alpine riding to Las Vegas.	5 mi	—
Mount Rose Summit (NV-431)Stop Mount Rose Summit sits at 8,911 feet on Nevada State Route 431 (Mount Rose Highway) in Washoe County, making it the highest year-round mountain pass in the Sierra Nevada and a signature waypoint on the Lake Tahoe loop. A paved parking area accommodates roughly 50 vehicles and includes restrooms, trail maps, and brochures. The pass connects the Reno-Sparks metro to Incline Village and the Lake Tahoe basin via steep hairpin approaches with a maximum 9% gradient. A dedicated Lake Tahoe viewpoint sits at 7,562 feet on the descent. The summit trailhead also accesses the Mount Rose Wilderness.	—	—
Mountain City Highway (NV-225) Nevada State Route 225 runs 100 miles north from Elko on Interstate 80 to the Idaho border at Owyhee, officially known as the Mountain City Highway. The route climbs over Adobe Summit in the Adobe Range, then descends to Wild Horse Reservoir — a sky-blue lake ringed by sage hills — before entering the narrow, winding Owyhee River Canyon north of Mountain City. The canyon section features the road tracing the river's curves through high basalt walls and cottonwood-lined banks in genuine high-desert isolation. Traffic is light throughout; the canyon north of Mountain City is the technical highlight, with tight river-following bends and minimal guardrails. Services are minimal beyond Elko and Mountain City.	100 mi	—
Mt. Rose Highway (NV-431) / Kingsbury Grade (NV-207) NV-431 climbs to ~8,900 ft with tight twisties; Kingsbury Grade drops ~3,000 ft via switchbacks. Locals warn NV-431 is "definitely not for beginner motorcyclists." Year-round but snow/ice at higher elevations.	24 mi	—
Red Rock Canyon Scenic Loop (NV-159) Nevada State Route 159 (Blue Diamond Road) provides access to the 13-mile one-way Scenic Loop Drive inside Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, 17 miles west of the Las Vegas Strip in Clark County. The loop passes beneath the Calico Hills — bands of red, orange, and cream Aztec sandstone rising up to 3,000 feet — with 13 named pullouts, self-guided nature trails, and picnic areas. The road surface is smooth, with a moderate climbing section followed by a mostly flat-to-downhill return. Timed-entry reservations are required October through May. The full NV-159 corridor from Las Vegas through Blue Diamond adds sweeping desert curves on either approach.	16 mi	—
Sand Harbor, Lake Tahoe–Nevada State ParkStop Sand Harbor is a stunning boulder-framed beach on the eastern shore of Lake Tahoe, located 3 miles south of Incline Village on SR-28 inside Lake Tahoe–Nevada State Park. Crystal-clear water over white sand and massive granite boulders makes it one of the most photographed spots on the lake. The site hosts the annual Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival in summer, and a day-use fee covers beach and picnic access. SR-28 along the Nevada shore is a continuously rewarding sport-touring road with lake glimpses at nearly every turn — Sand Harbor is its finest pullout.	—	—
Valley of Fire Highway (NV-169) Nevada State Route 169 runs 37 miles through the Valley of Fire State Park corridor northeast of Las Vegas, connecting I-15 to Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Inside the park, the road passes through towering Aztec sandstone formations in vivid reds, oranges, and whites — formations that appear to flame in late-afternoon sun. Key landmarks along the route include Arch Rock, Elephant Rock, Fire Canyon Overlook, and the White Domes at road's end. A new $30 million visitor center opened near the park entrance in November 2025. Pavement is well-maintained with a mix of sweeping curves and short straights — more visual spectacle than technical challenge, but one of the most photographically rewarding roads in the Southwest.	18 mi	—
Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive (via NV-488) Nevada State Route 488 (Lehman Caves Road) enters Great Basin National Park from the town of Baker and connects to the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive — a 12-mile paved park road climbing from 7,000 feet at the Lehman Caves Visitor Center to over 10,000 feet at the Wheeler Peak trailhead and campground. The gain of 4,000 feet in 12 miles compresses multiple ecological life zones into a single ride, ascending from sagebrush desert through mountain mahogany, pinyon-juniper, and subalpine bristlecone pine forest. Views of the Snake Range and Wheeler Peak (13,063 ft, Nevada's second-highest summit) are continuous on the upper sections. Vehicles over 24 feet are prohibited past Upper Lehman Creek Campground; motorcycles have the full run. Seasonal: road typically opens Memorial Day weekend.	5 mi	—
White Domes Day Use Area, Valley of FireStop The White Domes Day Use Area sits at the far end of White Domes Road inside Nevada's oldest and largest state park, Valley of Fire, reached via SR-169 north of Las Vegas. Towering cream-and-red Aztec sandstone formations rise over 150 feet in a tight cluster, surrounded by fire-red Jurassic dunes. The area served as a filming backdrop for films including 'Star Trek Generations' and '3000 Miles to Graceland.' A new $30 million visitor center opened in November 2025 near the park entrance. SR-169 into the park is itself a showcase ride through surreal red geology — the White Domes end-point is the payoff.	—	—

//Rallies & events

Rally

Rally · September, ~3 days

Street Vibrations Fall Rally

Nevada

Street Vibrations is the West's largest annual motorcycle rally, produced by Roadshows Inc. and held each fall across Reno, Sparks, Carson City, and Virginia City since 1993. The three-day event draws 50,000+ riders for live music on seven outdoor stages, custom bike shows, stunt demonstrations, poker runs, and 250+ vendor booths. Multiple satellite venues spread the action across the Northern Nevada region, with the Virginia City Victorian backdrop adding a historic Nevada flavor.

NextSep 24–26, 2026

Official site ↗

By Switchback · Updated 2026-07-08

Best season

Oct–Apr (south); May–Oct (north)

Helmet law

Required, all riders (NRS 486.231)

Lane splitting

Illegal (NRS 486.351)

Signature terrain

Desert parks, alpine passes, open basin highways

Nevada is a bigger, stranger, and more varied riding state than most people expect. Yes, the desert is real — summer heat in the south will push past 110°F and the remote stretches of US-50 and NV-375 can leave you without a gas station or cell signal for 60 miles at a stretch. But the same state that offers Mojave flatlands also climbs past 10,000 feet in Great Basin National Park, threads narrow river canyons in the Ruby Mountains, and skirts an alpine lake at nearly 9,000 feet above Reno. The routes here range from a tight 13-mile one-way scenic loop a half-hour from the Las Vegas Strip to a 520-mile basin-and-range corridor that crosses the entire state north to south. Choose by region and season, carry water you don't think you'll need, and treat the long open stretches as part of the point — not the problem.

Why Nevada Rewards the Prepared Rider

Nevada covers 110,000 square miles, and the routes here reflect that scale. You can spend a morning looping through Aztec sandstone formations at Red Rock Canyon, then ride three hours north and find yourself in a glacier-carved alpine canyon in the Ruby Mountains with granite walls rising over 3,000 feet. The diversity is real, but so is the planning it demands.

Think in Regions

The routes on this page fall into three geographic clusters, and they don't mix well in a single day:

Southern Nevada (Las Vegas corridor): Red Rock Canyon Scenic Loop, Valley of Fire Highway, Mount Charleston Loop, and the Extraterrestrial Highway all radiate from or through the Las Vegas area. This region is best October through April — summer heat regularly pushes desert pavement into ranges that are genuinely dangerous for extended riding.
Northern Nevada (Reno / Tahoe): Mt. Rose Highway, the Lake Tahoe East Shore run, and Kingsbury Grade are spring-through-fall roads. The Mt. Rose Summit holds snow into late spring and can ice without warning in shoulder seasons — locals specifically note NV-431 is not suitable for newer riders.
Eastern Nevada (Elko / Great Basin): Lamoille Canyon Road and the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive are the state's finest alpine rides but operate on tight seasonal windows — roughly Memorial Day through October. Great Basin National Park sits 300 miles from Las Vegas; build a night in Baker or Ely into any trip.

Choosing Your Route

Nevada's open roads are not uniformly demanding. The Red Rock Scenic Loop and Valley of Fire Highway are visually intense but technically modest — steady pavement, moderate grades, low speeds by park design. US-93 through the Basin and Range is a long-haul endurance corridor more than a technical ride. Mountain routes like NV-431 and the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive involve real elevation gain, gradient, and exposure to afternoon weather.

Hazards Worth Naming

Service gaps on rural Nevada highways are not theoretical. The Extraterrestrial Highway (NV-375) crosses 98 miles with only one settlement. US-50 spans long stretches between small towns. Carry extra water on every desert route — dehydration risk is real even in mild temperatures. Sand and gravel wash across low-desert roads after monsoon-season rain (July–September in the south). On any high-elevation road, check for afternoon thunderstorms in summer and ice in the shoulder seasons. Wildlife — wild horses, mule deer, bighorn sheep — crosses remote roads at unpredictable hours.

Events and Infrastructure

Riders based in Reno each fall gain access to Street Vibrations, the region's largest rally, which spreads across Reno, Sparks, Carson City, and Virginia City. For route planning support, Middlegate Station on US-50 is one of the few genuine all-in-one fuel, food, and rest stops in central Nevada — worth noting because alternatives in that corridor are sparse.

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// Frequently asked

Yes. Nevada Revised Statute 486.231 requires all motorcycle riders and passengers to wear DOT-approved helmets on public roads, regardless of age. Eye protection — goggles, glasses, or a face shield — is also required unless the motorcycle is equipped with a transparent windscreen. There are no age-based exceptions.

No. Both lane splitting and lane filtering are explicitly prohibited under NRS 486.351. Nevada law requires motorcyclists to occupy a full lane of traffic and prohibits passing between vehicles in adjacent lanes, whether moving or stopped. Two motorcycles may ride side-by-side in a single lane with mutual consent, but sharing a lane with a car or truck is not allowed.

It depends on where in the state you're riding. Southern Nevada routes — Red Rock Canyon, Valley of Fire, the Extraterrestrial Highway — are best October through April, when desert temperatures are manageable. Northern and mountain routes — Mt. Rose Highway, Lamoille Canyon Road, Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive — are best late spring through early fall. The overlap sweet spot for riding across the full state is late April–June and September–October.

Several higher-elevation routes close due to snow. The Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive in Great Basin National Park typically opens seasonally after the early-summer thaw — around Memorial Day weekend in normal snow years — and closes again in late fall. Lamoille Canyon Road (NF-660) in the Ruby Mountains is generally open May through October. Mt. Rose Highway (NV-431) stays open year-round but carries ice and snow risk at its 8,911-foot summit during winter and early spring. Always check current conditions before riding any high-elevation route.

Desert heat is the most underestimated danger — summer temperatures in the south can make riding in full gear physically dangerous, and breakdowns in remote areas have real consequences. Carry more water than you think you need on any rural route. Sand and gravel wash across desert roads after rain, particularly in the Valley of Fire and Extraterrestrial Highway corridors. On mountain passes like NV-431 and the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive, afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer, and road surfaces can ice with little warning in shoulder seasons. Wildlife — deer, wild horses, and bighorn sheep — crosses remote roads unpredictably, especially at dawn and dusk.

US-50 earned that federal designation because of its genuine isolation across central Nevada — roughly 287 miles from Fernley to Ely crossing 17 mountain passes with almost no services between small towns. The road is more about endurance and scenery than constant curves; the twistiest sections run east of Austin toward Bob Scott Summit. It suits riders comfortable with long fuel and water gaps and a slower, landscape-focused pace. Plan fuel stops carefully and treat the isolation as the experience, not an inconvenience.

//Sources & references

Nevada Revised Statutes § 486.231 – Protective headgear requirement (Justia) ↗Nevada Motorcycle Operator Manual – Nevada DMV ↗Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive – Great Basin National Park (NPS) ↗Is Lane Splitting Legal in Nevada? – SJW Injury Law ↗Best Motorcycle Rides in Nevada – GreatMotorcycleRoads.com ↗