As you drive along The Loneliest Highway in America, you come across the community of Austin, Nevada.

Austin is full of rich history and a ton of outdoor activities, and I'm here to check it all out.

This is Outdoor Nevada.

♪♪♪ -I'm Connor Fields, your new host for my favorite show, Outdoor Nevada.

♪♪♪ Austin has a rich history dating back to the mid-19th century.

This small town emerged during the silver mining boom of the 1860s.

Back then, Austin was a hub of activity as prospectors flocked to the region in search of valuable silver deposits.

Austin truly boomed, boasting a population that rivaled some major cities of its time.

One of the notable aspects of Austin's history is the extensive network of mines that once dotted its surroundings.

These mines were integral to the town's prosperity, contributing significantly to the wealth generated during the silver rush.

Today, Austin stands as a testament to the resilience of small western towns, preserving its historic charm and attracting visitors eager to explore its rich past.

I wanted to learn more about Austin and its history, so I reached out to a local historian.

-Oh, good morning, puppy.

-Good morning, Dee.

(Dee Hemling) Good morning.

How are you today?

-I'm doing fantastic.

I'm really excited to be here.

I've never been to Austin before.

-Well, we've got lots of great history and lots of great things to show you.

-I'm really excited.

Tell me a little bit about Austin.

How long has it been around?

-Austin was founded in 1862.

A Pony Express agent that lived down in the valley come up here cutting wood, and his horse kicked over some silver ore. And he was all excited, sent it off to Virginia City, they assayed it, and it was very rich.

And so the rush to the race was on.

Originally, the town was down below.

It was called Clifton, and they had really expensive lots.

And nobody wanted to pay the money for the lot, so a couple of enterprising gentlemen decided they would help them-- anybody that helped them build the road to come up here into the canyon, they would give them free lots.

So within three years, Clifton was no longer and Austin was a booming town.

-Sounds like a great deal.

-It was.

-Tons of rich history.

And I'm sure there's tons of really cool stuff around this museum.

-There is, and I'd be happy to show it to you.

-Dee gave me a tour of the museum.

It covered everything from Lander County law enforcement... to local gaming... and of course it covered mining.

-This is our mining room.

And Austin, of course, was founded with mining.

So this is really a great room.

We are very fortunate that we had all these great donations.

The Manhattan Silver Mining Company was the big mining company here, and it was owned by Anson Phelps Stokes.

He was one of the main owners of the railroad.

The main investors in the railroad was what brought people here.

There was a spur from Battle Mountain to Austin, and they would haul their supplies and stuff in from that.

And we were fortunate that all of our mining journals and all that have been donated to the museum, and we have them all stored here.

-It's amazing seeing these books.

1885, that's some old stuff in there.

-There really is.

We have all of those old mining journals, and we have some stock certificates and different things.

There was probably 200-and-some different companies that issued stock certificates at that time.

-Was silver the only thing mined in the area?

Was there anything else?

-No.

In the 1980s, we had Austin Gold Venture.

Austin Gold Venture was out in Reese River, and they had about a 20-year lifespan.

And they did a lot of spot mining, and they went ahead and pulled the gold out of there.

-So gold and silver?

-Gold and silver.

-There was one other thing that Dee wanted to show me... a castle, a castle in Austin.

hank you for opening up for us, giving us the backstage access.

I tell you, I've lived in Nevada my whole life.

I was todayearsld when I learned that there was a castle here.

-Wow!

-Can we can go inside and check it out?

-Absolutely.

-She wants to come?

-Oh, of course.

laughter] -Stokes Castle stands as a unique and iconic structure from Austin's rich history.

Built in the 1890s, this castle-like edifice atop a hill was the brainchild of Anson Phelps Stokes, a wealthy mine owner.

Though it was never fully completed, the castle showcases Victorianra architecture and offers breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape.

This is so cool!

How do you end up with a castle in Nevada?

-It was modeled after a tower in Europe, and Anson Phelps Stokes built it as a summer home.

He was a railroad magnate that owned the railroad between Battle Mountain and Austin.

He also owned most of the mines here in the area.

And when they come out here the first year and they stayed in it, they decided it was only two stories high.

And they decided that it needed to be a third story, so they added a third story onto it and never stayed in it again.

-So that third story never got to be used?

-No, it never got used.

And as far as we know, nobody ever lived in it.

We can't ever find any pictures of the interior of it, and we have no idea what happened to the furniture.

-Who maintains it today?

-The Historical Society now owns it, the Austin Historical Society.

-Is there a lot of upkeep?

Do you guys do a lot to maintain it?

-No, not really.

-So this is true authentic, exactly what it was like?

-Yes.

-What was it made out of?

-It's made out of native granite.

There were local craftsmen that built this.

They used a windlass and lifted the rocks, and they chinked in, in between it with the smaller rocks to hold the rocks level.

And it's all cut granite from this area.

I'm looking up right now, and I just-- that reminds me of a railroad.

And you had mentioned that Stokes was in the railroad business.

Is that railroad tracks up there?

-Yes, it is.

-I've never seen a castle built with railroad tracks before.

-They actually used it to cantilever for the balconies.

Each one of these sections had balconies, and you could come out onto the balconies.

-I can't thank you enough for getting me this backstage access to see this castle.

So cool.

So much history, and I never thought I was gonna see a castle in Nevada.

I'm gonna head down to Kingston, go check out some of their mountain bike trails.

-And you're gonna have a good time.

We headed east on the US 50, otherwise known as "The Loneliest Highway in America," 23 miles, then a right on Nevada 376 South for about 11 miles.

Kingston.

Kingston, Nevada, a small and historically rich town is nestled in the central part of the state.

Founded during the silver mining boom in the late 19th century, Kingston played a vital role in the extraction of valuable minerals.

The town's history is closely tied to its mining operations, with remnants of old mines and structures still dotting the landscape.

Kingston reached its peak population during the mining era but experienced decline as mining activities waned.

Today Kingston offers a glimpse into the past with well-preserved historic buildings and a quiet atmosphere, making it a destination for those seeking a step back in time and the connection to Nevada's mining heritage.

Kingston is also a great place to hike and ride.

I met up with Chad, an outdoor enthusiast and Kingston local.

Chad, we were driving down the highway in this big beautiful valley, mountains on either side.

We pulled off, and we arrived here in Kingston, a charming little town right up against the mountain.

Tell me a little bit about Kingston.

(Chad Kelly) Yeah.

So Kingston, we are almost the geographical center of Nevada.

We're at about 6,100 feet elevation.

So we have surprisingly nice cool summers, and we're far enough south in Nevada that we don't have horrible winters.

A nice small little retirement community.

About 120 full-time residents here.

Another 100 or so are part-timers.

Right now we just have the one business here, the Lucky Spur, but lots of outdoor opportunities here.

-What brought you out here originally?

-So about 11 years ago, my wife and I were looking for a second home to purchase.

We lived in Elko area.

And we just fell in love with this area because, again, you know, in Central Nevada here, it put us right in the middle of the state from everywhere.

We're four hours from Vegas.

We're three hours from Reno, three hours from Carson City, two-and-a-half hours from Ely.

So in a morning's drive, you could be anywhere in the state and be spending time somewhere.

At the time, I was working mining.

So again, I grew up in Elko, spent 19 years underground mining, and I was working a seven-on, seven-off schedule.

And so once we bought the place here, every other week, every seven days, we were down here raising my kids at that time.

It was a great place to get away, come down, have some fun, do off-roading and stuff is what we like to do a lot of.

So it was a great spot, and it put us right in the middle of really everything that we wanted to do in Nevada.

-What is the history of Kingston?

Is it an old mining town, or what was the industry?

-Yes.

Originally it was a mining establishment in the 1860s, and in this area that we're in right now was a ranch.

And in the late '60s early '70s, a gentleman by the name of Carl Haas bought the ranch and started developing it and turn it into the small community that it is now.

-What kind of activities do people come here to do?

-Man, just anything you can imagine for outdoors, we have here.

We have amazing hiking, mountain biking.

We're the central point on the Nevada Backcountry Discovery Route.

So for overlanders, adventure bikers, dirt biking.

We have a nice little lake up the canyon, so you can do paddle boarding up there.

Great fly fishing.

There's great hunting here: upland game birds, big game hunting.

-It's a bit of an outdoorsman's dream up here.

-It is.

Absolutely, yes.

It's an amazing area.

-Well, what would you like to show me today?

-You know, I seen you brought a bike with you.

And we have a great trailhead about five miles west up the canyon.

We can take you for a little bike ride if you'd like to.

-Absolutely.

Let's do it!

Right on.

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ -A quick tip: When you're riding a trail for the first time, take it easy.

Get to know it.

You never know what's around the corner, and you don't want to be surprised.

Just enjoy the ride.

Remember it.

And then when you come back, you can take it up a level.

♪♪♪ This trail is fun.

The views are amazing.

It had just rained.

Not too much, though.

Just enough to make the dirt right.

This is what we call "hero dirt."

It's so much fun to ride on hero dirt.

This is some good hero dirt.

♪♪♪ Woof!

You're making me work overtime to keep up with you on that e-bike.

-Yeah, these things are nice.

Our our main loop here is close to 36 miles.

So to get that done in a day and get to see everything, the e-bikes make that possible.

-That's a long single track you have out here.

-Yes, it is.

So this Toiyabe Crest trail that we're on here is Nevada's longest trail.

And we're in Nevada's longest mountain range, the Toiyabe mountains.

The section of trail we're on right now is the northern part in the nonwilderness.

We've got 32 miles, and then we have six different feeder canyons that have trails that all connect in there.

So there's really endless possibilities for building loops out of this trail.

So it's great.

-And who does maintain them and build them?

-So this was built by the Triple C's back--t started in the late 1930s.

They finished it in the '60s, and this is in the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest.

And actually the Forest Service has deferred maintenance on it for the last three decades.

A very good friend of mine has spearheaded the resurrection of this trail, and we've been getting some grant money and bringing this trail back to its former glory.

It's an amazing trail.

-I'm glad you guys did it.

It's absolutely gorgeous up here.

You've got the mountains.

You got trees.

You got the meadow.

You got a lake.

It's unbelievable.

-Yeah, yeah.

This is, you get up here and it's hard to believe that you just came from the desert, you know, and the cactus, and now you're up in these beautiful mountains and lush greenery.

-It's wonderful!

It looks to me like we go across this meadow, we go up this little hill over here, climb as far up this mountain as we want.

I'll take the lead, and see if you can keep up.

-Yeah.

Heck yeah.

I'll try.

♪♪♪ -I'll tell you what, these climbs are no joke.

-Rides like this remind me how cool the e-bike is and how it helps open up so many trails for people.

I live to put in the work, but a little help on this trail would be nice.

♪♪♪ [breathes heavy] Man, that's one heck of a climb.

I can see why you want to ride your e-bike up here.

-Yeah, it makes this trail a lot easier.

That's for sure.

-32 miles on a traditional bike would be no joke.

-Yes.

Yeah, it's a very, very long remote trail.

-And you can't just bike it, right?

You can hike it as well?

-Yeah, correct.

Yeah, it's a great hiking trail.

And, you know, one thing people need to consider when they come out here is just remembering how remote we are.

So people really need to make sure they're prepared.

Keep it safe, you know.

Be very diligent about where you're at on the trail and stuff.

Our closest medical services are 140 miles away in Fallon.

-Yeah.

That'd be tough.

But that's part of what makes it so beautiful is you're out here, you've got the reservoir, you've got the untouched mountains.

It's gorgeous out here.

-Yes, absolutely.

It's, yeah, just the vastness of our views out here and the remoteness and, I mean, you're out here, just you and mother nature.

-It's the best.

We should head back to the trailhead before we lose too much more light.

-Yeah.

That sounds good.

-Chad's a good guy to know.

I'll definitely be coming back.

Till then, it's back to the 50.

♪♪♪ -Route 50 is famously dubbed "The Loneliest Highway in America."

This stretch of road traverses the heart of the state, offering travelers an immersive experience of solitude and stark beauty.

The Loneliest Highway name is from a 1986 Life magazine article.

It captures the essence of the isolated stretches along this route.

In my opinion, The Loneliest Highway is a symbol of adventure and exploration.

When you get a chance, make sure that you check out some of these small communities around Nevada.

They all have their own unique charm and fascinating history.

You'll meet some great people and see some amazing things.

It's definitely worth the adventure.

nd now it's off to Hickison Petroglyphs Recreation Area, a fascinating location that features great hiking trails and ancient rock carvings.

It's a hidden gem.

Most of the trails here are open for all skill levels.

This is an easy trail leading to some petroglyphs and a beautiful overlook.

he Hickison Petroglyph Recreation Area showcases a remarkable collection of petroglyphs etched into the rocks by early inhabitants, offering a window into their rich cultural heritage.

s you explore the area, the juxtaposition of the ancient rock art against the backdrop of Nevada's expansive desert scenery creates a truly immersive and awe-inspiring journey, inviting individuals to connect with the profound history etched into the very fabric of this landscape.

These intricate and mysterious carvings provide a unique archaeological experience for visitors.

I love seeing these ancient drawings and carvings, trying to imagine what they mean and how they impacted life back then.

They really make you think about a time past and just how far communications have come.

There is something I don't understand... Why?

This area is so beautiful.

It's so pristine and untouched.

There's these awesome petroglyphs on the walls, but, unfortunately, people think that they are so cool that they need to carve their own name into the wall.

Or maybe they need to profess their love to whoever they are dating at the time by adding their own petroglyph.

Do your part.

The Bureau of Land Management controls this area and does everything they can to preserve this for future generations, so don't go and add your own carving and profess your love.

Find another way to do it.

I really hope people stop it...

Please.

♪♪♪ On to better; back to the hike.

This is such a nice hike.

Gradual incline.

Open stretches.

Wide, level, and well-marked trails.

Nice.

Very nice.

he Hickison Petroglyphs Recreation Area offers hikers a unique blend of archaeological exploration and scenic beauty.

Trails wind through the desert landscape guiding adventures to discover ancient petroglyphs etched into the rocks by early inhabitants.

♪♪♪ And this?

This was so perfect.

♪♪♪ -As hikers traverse the trails, they can enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and desert, creating memorable outdoor experiences that combine history, nature, and the thrill of exploration.

♪♪♪ I mean, come on!

Such a chill spot with an amazing view.

A great place to think back about this trip.

♪♪♪ -And now, here.

I love this gig.

That was a nice, easy trail.

Nothing too crazy, less than a mile.

The views at the end are absolutely spectacular.

You have rolling hills as far as the eye can see and the beauty of the mountains in the distance.

And that's the thing about Central Nevada.

There's so much undeveloped and untouched land.

And the towns that are here have their own unique charm and fascinating history.

It's definitely worth the adventure.

♪♪♪ The more time I spend making my way around the state, the more I realize just how much Nevada has to offer and how much more I want to do.

♪♪♪ Austin and the surrounding area have been such an eyeopener for me: the history, recreation, the people.

Honestly, I was a little surprised.

I kind of knew what to expect, but I didn't expect as much and I didn't expect as beautiful.

Austin was an amazing trip.

I have definitely driven through Austin several times.

I gassed up and just got right back on the road.

I had no idea everything there is to do here.

And that only proves a point: You really need to stop, look around, and talk to a local.

See if there's a museum nearby or maybe a historical group.

It is so worth the extra time to look around and find out about what makes the place you're in special.

Dee was great.

You can tell how much she loves Austin and how she is a guardian to its history.

♪♪♪ Kingston was a challenge, an amazing challenge.

♪♪♪ Chad, I had a blast riding with him.

The guy is so knowledgeable about how to enjoy the outdoors.

♪♪♪ Beyond its historical allure, Austin offers outdoor enthusiasts a gateway to surrounding natural wonders.

The nearby Toiyabe National Forest provides opportunities for hiking, camping, and exploring the diverse flora and fauna of the region.

Whether wandering through its historic streets or immersing oneself in the scenic landscapes, Austin, Nevada, unfolds as a captivating blend of history and nature in the heart of the Silver State.

There is so much more to do, and I can't wait to come back.

Do yourself a favor.

Make a plan, set a date, get out, and explore Nevada.

his is Outdoor Nevada.

♪♪♪