Tonopah: A Small Town with Lots of Outdoor Fun
Tonopah, Nevada is the county seat of Nye County which lies midway between Reno and Las Vegas. The mining town with a pack of fewer than 3,000 people is not incorporated to-date. Jim Butler, its founder, has named it as such to mean ‘hidden spring’based from the Shoshone language word pronounced as ‘TOE-nuh-pah.’ It is nicknamed as 'Queen of the Silver Camps' with the discovery of silver-rich ore in the area in 1900.
Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit Tonopah, NV is during the shoulder seasons between summer and winter seasons. The weather is pleasant, particularly from March to April with temperatures reaching 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Fall is the peak season for tourism with the comfortable weather as its major draw. Hence, finding hotel discounts is impossible. If you’re after cheap accommodations, come to town during mid-summer as the unbearable heat drives tourists away. You can also scout great deals on Tonopah, NV hotels during winter, just before the holidays start.
What to Do & Area Attractions
Tonopah offers plenty of outdoor activities, thanks to its excellent location. The lovely Big Smoky Valley Scenic Drive stretches from the east of the town while the Toiyabe Range is just an hour drive away from the north. It is home to the Arc Dome Wilderness area. Moreover, Toquima Range and other remote and isolated Nevada mountain ranges are found in Tonopah. The town has many lodging options to choose from, including the over century-old Mizpah Hotel, ‘America’s scariest hotel’ The Clown Motel or a budget friendly Best Western Hi-Desert Inn near Tonopah Historic Mining Park.