Weird Nevada

WEIRD

NE ADA V

In the contest for weird, wild, and altogether unusual attractions, the Silver State takes the gold every time.

From haunted hotels and alien-occupied highways to mysterious museums and offbeat art installations, these aren’t your traditional tourist attractions.

SEVEN MAGIC MOUNTAINS Near a dry lakebed just south of Las Vegas stand seven pillars of rock. Look on these works, and witness the Mojave’s hottest large-scale art installation: Seven Magic Mountains. The rainbow-hued stonework was created by Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone in May 2016 for a two-year exhibition, but due to the site’s popularity, it has been extended through 2022. The stunning towers are presented in vivid fluorescent colors, and the boulders—sourced directly from the desert—are stacked an impressive three-stories tall. What does it represent, though? Are these technicolor towers simply “art for art’s sake”? The artist does have a message, and a clue is in its location: travelers on I-15’s busy Las Vegas-to-Los Angeles corridor are able to spot the exhibit from their vehicle. Seven Magic Mountains lies between the lakebed and the highway; it is a barrier between the natural and the manmade. If you plan on taking a pilgrimage, be sure to plan accordingly—there aren’t any services at the site, and it’s the desert, so bring water and sunscreen. The Nevada Museum of Art in Reno maintains the open-air gallery, which is free to the public. Once there, enjoy the self-guided cellphone tour to hear the full story from the artist, and remember to take plenty of pictures.

page 38

THE CLOWN MOTEL

People with coulrophobia beware: this Tonopah motel is a love letter to red noses, powdered faces, and painted smiles. The Clown Motel was built in 1985 in honor of local clown enthusiast Clarence David, whose collection of 150 clown figurines inspired his children to establish one of Nevada’s most famous Uncommon Overnighters. Over the decades, that original collection has multiplied: the lobby is adorned with thousands of grinning clowns, and each of the 31 rooms feature custom clown art. Oh, and did we mention it’s adjacent to a cemetery? page 39

TRAVEL NEVADA PRO TIP

If you’re looking to add “stay in possibly haunted room” to your clown experience, consider requesting rooms 108, 111, 210, or 214.

GOLDFIELD HISTORIC CEMETERY

Let’s talk of graves, of worms, and epitaphs: Goldfield Historic Cemetery is one of the state’s most tour-worthy graveyards. Visitors might be interested to learn that they’re not actually walking the grounds of the original cemetery. When Goldfield was first founded, the deceased were interred in the center of the town. As Goldfield began to boom, residents determined they’d have to move the cemetery to a less trafficked location, so each grave was relocated by a group called the “Official Ghouls.” While inspecting the century-old graves of the town’s residents, remember to tread respectfully! The cemetery is still used as Goldfield’s modernpage 44 day burial ground.

TRAVEL NEVADA PRO TIP Admission to the Ordnance Museum is free, so you can easily justify splurging a few extra bucks at Hawthorne’s El Capitan Restaurant or Old Nevada Pizza.

HAWTHORNE ORDNANCE MUSEUM

Nevada is well known for its association with “The Bomb”: there’s even the National Atomic Testing Museum in Las Vegas. However, for military history fans interested in a smaller payload, prepare to have a blast at the Ordnance Museum. Hawthorne is home to the world’s largest ammunition depot—clearly visible by the 2,400 bunkers dotting the landscape outside of town—so it comes as no surprise there’s a museum dedicated to the history of these projectiles. page 44

INTERNATIONAL CAR FOREST OF THE LAST CHURCH

When one abandoned car is left out in nature, it tends to blend into the landscape. When there are 30, you have the International Car Forest of the Last Church. It all started in 2011 when Goldfield artists Mark Rippie and Chad Sorg sank a car into the desert, planting the first seed in the world’s largest car forest. This free, open-air gallery is one of the largest art installations in the state and continues to beckon a flock of passionate pilgrims.

page 44

WEIRD NEVADA

HANDS OFF!

While visitors used to be encouraged to leave their own mark on these venerated vehicles, today the exhibit is curated, with new creations frequently cycled in.

Get ready to redefine your idea of the perfect summer vacation. In Reno Tahoe, you can wander through idyllic alpine forests, venture into endless desert landscapes and dive into refreshingly clear waters. Discover delightfully unexpected bars, restaurants and breweries. Lose yourself in the rhythm of vibrant, artistically inspired city streets. Once you begin to explore all Reno Tahoe has to offer, you’ll wish the season would last forever.