This Dreamy Slice Of Nevada Wraps Mountain Hikes, Cowboy Charm, And Quiet Campfire Nights All In One

Despite being only 15 miles from Elko, Nevada, Spring Creek feels worlds away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. This census-designated place might be the most peaceful spot you've ever considered taking a vacation. The area and its inhabitants have maintained an interesting western charm, cultivated tons of great outdoor action, and left the rest alone. Head here to swap streetlights for clear skies and stick around a spell in a true one-horse town.

Although the first Westerners here might have giddied up into town on a saddle, you'll probably want a car to explore the region properly. Spring Creek is only minutes from a beautiful stretch of I-80 known as the Cowboy Corridor, a fantastic route for a Nevada road trip and Wild West Adventure. Spring Creek is an excellent place to rest your head along the way. Make sure to stay an extra day to enjoy all the outdoor activities this beautiful stop has to offer. You can also fly directly into Elko Regional Airport and hit Spring Creek in around 30 minutes.

At the end of a day in Spring Creek, you'll sit back on your porch, relax at your campsite, or lie down with the van doors open while you enjoy a starry night. This slice of heaven brings you up close and personal with quiet hiking trails, bronco busting, and wide open spaces.

As far as townships go, Spring Creek is a spring chicken. The area was initially developed in 1971 when the MucCulloch Oil Corporation made big plans to build a city with 5,000 homes surrounding an Old West town center. That plan has turned into land management by the Spring Creek Association, a private group of property owners that oversees the outdoor action here.  

The association runs a 630-acre campground that puts you within great reach of the Ruby Dome and Griswold Lake trailheads, two hikes that take you into the heart of the Ruby Mountains. Trek with caution — these hikes provide stunning views, but will require several rock scrambles and bushwhacking sections to get to the top. If you'd rather stick to the greens, stay in town and enjoy 18 holes at the base of the Rubies at the Spring Creek Golf Course. On hot days, head to The Marina, a fish pond with hiking trails maintained by the association. Just be aware that you must purchase a pass from the Spring Creek Association Office to access the area. You should also keep an eye on the schedule for the Horse Palace, a 1500-seat arena that hosts rodeos and equestrian events. When nothing is on the schedule, you can rent out the arena or go riding and enjoy the on-site dressage rings.

Slightly outside the realm of the association, you can set your stakes deeper towards the startling beauty of the Ruby Mountains at Camp Lamoille and the Terraces Campground, where some camping spots feel like terraces overlooking Lamoille Creek. A bit West of town is another fun body of water called the South Fork Reservoir, which provides great camping, hiking, and trophy-sized trout fishing. 

Spring Creek is a place for sleeping under the stars and walking for hours through the mountains without running into anybody. That kind of solitude is priceless, but it also comes with a catch; there's not a whole lot to do here on a rainy day. Luckily, there are a few places around that help round out the offerings.

The largest nearby city is Elko, a gem of a town with good food and authentic cowboy history. The iconic Wild West City boasts bold Basque flavors and scenic canyons, as well as some of the country's best monuments to cowboy culture. Check out the digs at the Cowboy Art and Gear Museum, and stock up on some new western wear at J.M. Capriola, home to handcrafted custom saddles for hard-working cowboys. Once you're geared up, mosey on over to the Western Folklife Center, where the message is simple — "cowboys are still real." Each year, the center hosts the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, bringing some of the most interesting voices in cowboy poetry to Elko. The experience is mesmerizing.

If you're craving more outdoors, you're in luck: From Spring Creek, you can drive in any direction and bump into something cool. Head south to enjoy 40,000 acres of marshy meadowlands at the Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge, or venture north to enjoy some of the best fishing in Nevada at the Wild Horse State Recreation Area. Drive towards Utah on I-80 and stop at Hole in the Mountain Peak, or drive towards California to enter the void in the Black Rock Desert, a massive expanse featured as a stop along the Great American Outback Trail.