You may be parched, famished, and tired of driving. Salt Lake City lies about 500 miles to the east; and Black Rock City is another 150 miles to the west. Yes, you’re almost there, but you still got a ways to go.
Set on the western edge of “Cowboy Country,” Lovelock is your last pit stop on I-80 for another 60 miles, so you may want to fill up on some gas, maybe grab a bed, a shower and some food, and even stock up on supplies that can be found at various local businesses.
Why Stop in Lovelock
The obvious reasons: fuel, food, a shower, a quick rest—or a visit to Lovers Lock Plaza before hitting the final stretch to Burning Man.
But there’s another meaningful reason: Lovelock is the county seat of Pershing County, where Burning Man takes place. Lovelock is a small, mostly conservative agricultural, mining, and service community of around 1,800 residents. The town is an important and close neighbor to Black Rock City. If you have some time, stop in Lovelock, visit the sights there or nearby, and enjoy some of the local restaurants. Show them some love.
Solar arrays have been installed at the Lovelock Elementary and High School, and at the Pershing County General Hospital by Black Rock Solar!
In terms of bearings, C–Punch is on the east side of town. Golden Gate Truck Stop and the Safeway are at or near the town’s center. Most of the businesses can be found along Cornell Avenue; on Dartmouth and Broadway Streets, and on Main Street, which straddles all three of these streets and forms the town center.
Worth Checking Out
Lovelock’s historic round courthouse (400 Main Street) is said to be the only one of its kind in the nation still functioning as a courthouse, built in 1920-21 by Frederic Joseph DeLongchamps.
Lovers Lock Plaza is just next to the courthouse. You can “Lock your Love” with a lock onto the designated fence. It is said that as long as your lock remains on the chain, your love will endure. A nice ritual for those so inclined.
You also might want to check out the Marzen House Pershing County Museum — formerly the showplace and home of a wealthy rancher, now restored and chock full of interesting artifacts from Lovelock’s early days.
And, finally, where did the name come from?! Lovelock is named for George Lovelock, a Welsh immigrant who, in 1867, donated eighty-five acres for a town site and right-of-way for the transcontinental railroad and railway depot.
For further information on Lovelock and the environs, here are some helpful links:
Pershing County website
Lovelock/Pershing County Chamber of Commerce
Nevada Rock Art
Nevada’s Cowboy Country
Explorations in the Area
Tufa rock formations are a sight to behold. These intricately textured shapes of towers, ledges, pillars and archways were geologically formed by algae in nearby prehistoric Lake Lahontan in the same way that blue-algae forms coral reefs.
Lovelock Indian Cave, aka Bat Cave or Sunset Guano Cave is a limestone cavern, created by the waters of prehistoric Lake Lahontan. Home to indigenous peoples as far back as 2000 B.C., the oldest dated duck decoys in North America (1,250 to 1,980 years ago) were discovered here. It’s 160 feet wide by 40 feet deep.
A great place to stay is Rye Patch State Recreation Area: camping, picnic areas, hiking and water sports. Located 22 miles east of Lovelock off I-80, (775) 538-7321. Also in Rye Patch is the Gold Diggers’ Saloon and Grub House. Burner-friendly, the Saloon sports a very good selection of beers and a photo gallery on the wall. 2210 Rye Patch reservoir Road, Exit 129, 22 miles east of Lovelock, (775) 538-7000.
Thunder Mountain Monument: Feast your eyes on a fine roadside example of radical self-expression replete with unique statues and intricate concrete totems. Created by Frank Van Zant (AKA Chief Rolling Mountain Thunder) over a period of 20 years beginning in 1968, it is considered Nevada’s equivalent to the Watts Towers. He meant it as a tribute to Native Americans. Its main feature is a three-story house, composed of concrete, bottles, and assorted treasures retrieved from a nearby junkyard. Located across the freeway from Imlay, about halfway between Lovelock and Winnemucca. Access is free, donations accepted for a volunteer effort to save the site from crumbling away.
Check out the Ghost town of Unionville, a mining boom town in the 1860’s with upwards of 1,500 fortune seekers including reputedly, Mark Twain. Nestled in a region of mesmerizing high desert mountain ranges and remote valleys is a B&B—the Old Pioneer Garden Country Inn.