Winnemucca

Winnemucca is reached via Interstate-80 coming from the east (Salt Lake City) or west (Reno), and by Highway-95 coming from the north (Boise) or south (Las Vegas).

Amtrak serves Winnemucca with the California Zephyr, which runs daily between Emeryville (in the San Francisco Bay Area) and Chicago, with stops including Sacramento, Reno, Elko, Salt Lake City, and Denver. 🌍 Winnemucca station is an unstaffed platform with a simple shelter; trains arrive on the same platform going in both directions. As of 2023, the eastbound train is scheduled to arrive and depart Winnemucca at 7:08PM; going west it's a less convenient 5:40AM (though as always with Amtrak, plan for the possibility of significant delays).

The town itself is compact and reasonably walkable, presumably a legacy of its development well before the arrival of the automobile. Outside of the core downtown area, sidewalks are inconsistent, but the streets are wide so it doesn't feel too bad to walk on the shoulder when necessary.

For hiking and other activities outside of town, you'll need a car. If you're arriving by train but want a car to get around, rental cars are available at 🌍 Humboldt Ford Car Rental, 3305 Potato Rd.

The Bridge Street historic district and signage all around clearly show Winnemucca's Old West heritage, and the dry mountain landscapes form a beautiful backdrop.

• 🌍 Humboldt Museum, 175 Museum Lane, ☏ +1 775 623-2912, dana@humboldtmuseum.org. W–F 9AM–4PM Sa 10AM–4PM. Interesting local history museum. Highlights include mammoth bones, a substantial collection of Native American artifacts, and an exhibit on Winnemucca's former Chinatown, established by 19th-century railroad workers. The gift shop has a range of non-kitschy northern Nevada souvenirs, especially books and gemstones. Free, donations accepted. (updated Oct 2023)
• 🌍 Thunder Mountain Monument, 800-804 E Star Peak Rd, Imlay (30 mi (48 km) west; take highway 80, exit on 145 and double back east along Frontage Road about one mile). Daily, sunrise to sunset. An unmistakable sight on the way to Winnemucca, a hand-built home covered with concrete sculptures of famous Native Americans and a large white arch meant as a handle, so the home could be picked up and carried away by the Great Spirit, in the end times that the artist was convinced were near. The home itself is closed to entry, but you can walk around it and see many additional sculptures of concrete and found objects that surround it. Free, donations accepted. (updated May 2023)

• Winnemucca Raceway. Dirt track racing at Winnemucca Raceway. (updated Nov 2017)
• Bloody Shins Trail. Fantastic mountain biking. (updated Dec 2019)
• Off-road vehicles are welcome at the sand dunes just north of town on Highway-95.
• Trainspotting. If you're into freight trains, this is a good place to see them. They come right by the Amtrak station. (updated Oct 2023)

For souvenirs with a deeper connection to the region than a T-shirt or postcard, try the Humboldt Museum gift shop.

• 🌍 My Sister's Closet, 324 S Bridge St, ☏ +1 775 625-3804. A large thrift shop selling lots of weird old junk—or rather, vintage conversation pieces. Sequined American flag vests, souvenir plates from other states, roller skates from unidentifiable decades, 5 cent gumball machines, that's the idea. The name is fitting: this store gives you the feeling of stepping into an old lady's particularly large and well-organized attic. It's charming and delightful, the woman who runs it is friendly, and you might just find an oddball souvenir that people will ask about for years to come. (updated Oct 2023)
• 🌍 Frames N' Things, 407 S Bridge St. M–F 9AM–5PM, Sa 10AM–2PM. To locals it's a shipping service and picture frame shop, but for visitors this is the place to go for Winnemucca swag. Mugs, hoodies, local cosmetics, and T-shirts that say "Where the fucca is Winnemucca?". (updated Oct 2023)

Winnemucca hosts several Basque restaurants, including traditional family-style dining at the Martin Hotel and restaurant-style dining at Ormachea's. Don't pass up the chance for some Picon Punch. Ormachea's is also a great Basque establishment with larger portions.

It's easy to find restaurants with a small-town feel. Yes there are fast-food chains (Subway at 936 W Winnemucca Blvd, Burger King at 3220 Fountain Way, Taco Bell at 3475 Construction Way, Jack in the Box at 218 W Winnemucca), but the real dining scene is at local places where the staff seem to have known each other for years and local patrons might happen to run into friends.

• 🌍 Chihuahua's. Mexican food. Multiple vegan options. (updated Oct 2023)
• Dos Amigos. Mexican food. 
• 🌍 The Martin Hotel, 94 W Railroad St. Despite its name, this restaurant does not offer rooms but traditional family-style Basque dining since 1898. (updated Oct 2016)
• 🌍 Sid's Restaurant, 1195 W Winnemucca Blvd (just past the Holiday Inn Express, south of I-80), ☏ +1 775-625-2100. 5:30AM-9PM daily. American-style diner serving fantastic homestyle food. (updated Oct 2023)
• Model T. Has excellent food and at great prices. 
• 🌍 China Garden. A good choice for Chinese food. 
• 🌍 The Griddle, 460 W Winnemucca Blvd, ☏ +1 775 623-2977. 6AM–4PM. For the breakfast. (updated May 2023)
• 🌍 Winnemucca Pizzeria, 139 S Bridge St, ☏ +1 775-625-2700. 11:00am-9:00pm. For pizza 
• 🌍 Koreana Korean Cuisine, 329 East Winnemucca Blvd, ☏ +1 775 625-7032. Tu–Sa 11AM–8PM, Su M noon–8PM. Korean food and boba tea. Advertised as "authentic Korean cuisne, with just a little bit of a twist", which is about right. It may not quite be what you'd find in Seoul (they might ask you if you want chopsticks or silverware, and the kids' menu has a grilled cheese), but they have plenty of Korean classics like banchan, bibimbap, and kimchi. Multiple vegan options. $15-25. (updated Oct 2023)

• The Martin Hotel is a fun place to relax and have a few drinks. Great atmosphere.

• 🌍 Best Western Gold Country Inn, 921 W Winnemucca Blvd, ☏ +1 775 623-6999, toll-free: +1-800-346-5306, fax: +1 775 623-9190. 
• 🌍 Holiday Motel, 670 W Winnemucca Blvd, ☏ +1 775 623-3684, toll-free: +1-800-262-8901, fax: +1 775 623-4221. 
• 🌍 Days Inn by Wyndham Winnemucca, 714 W Winnemucca Blvd, ☏ +1 702-410-8164. 
• 🌍 Holiday Inn Express, 1987 W. Winnemucca Blvd, ☏ +1 775 625-3100. Free Wi-Fi. 
• 🌍 Town House Motel, 375 Monroe St, ☏ +1 775-623-3620. 
• 🌍 Silver State RV Park, 5575 E Winnemucca Blvd, ☏ +1 775 623-4513, toll-free: +1-800-562-7554 (reservations). RV/tent sites, cabins, and tepees. Has seasonal pool and WiFi. (updated Feb 2018)

There is no AT&T cell service in Winnemucca. T-Mobile service is fine.

If you need to get online, Sid's and Jack in the Box both have free (open) Wi-Fi.

By car, you can take US 95 North to Boise, Lewiston, and Coeur d'Alene. Interstate 80 connects Winnemucca with Reno, Sacramento, and San Francisco to the west, and Elko, Salt Lake City, and the Rocky Mountains to the east. US 95 South goes with Interstate 80 West to south of Lovelock, where it goes down to Fallon, Las Vegas, and Yuma.

Going east, the train makes overnight stops in Elko, Salt Lake City, and Provo, then crosses the border into Colorado (Grand Junction and eventually Denver) the next morning. Going west, the next stop is Reno, then it's over the California border to Truckee and later Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay Area. See California Zephyr for more.