Last week I promised you a unique, out of the way place to explorer that was way off the freeway. I took this as a personal challenge. Limiting myself to the western United States, where the majority of RV Life readers live and RV, I began my quest. After much research and consulting MapQuest, I concluded Nivloc, Nevada (I-80 being the closest freeway, 197 driving miles to the north) is about as far off the freeway as one can get. The ghost town of Nivloc is very unique and very explorable.
The name of the mine and subsequent town was taken from the backwards spelling of one of the original mine owners. Gold was originally discovered in 1907 and this unique site was born, but lack of transportation soon caused the mining interest to fade. The mine was reopened in the 1930’s and the town boasted a Post Office from Oct. 1940 to Nov. 1943. The mine was closed down by executive order during WWII and has seen some on and off activity since. The well constructed trestle for carrying ore cars is the centerpiece of the town. This well weathered wood trestle with surrounding landscape as a backdrop will be a delight to RVing shutter bugs everywhere. Additional points of interest are the thousands of crucibles discarded by the assayer and the stacks and stacks of galvanized lids cut from the cans of cyanide used for processing the tons and tons of ore processed from the mine.
Boondocking opportunities exist all along the road from Silverpeak to Nivloc.
A potential boondocking location exists on the west outskirts of Silverpeak at
N 37 44.571 W117 39.185 For those of you wishing to adventure to this out of the way site enter “Nivloc, Nevada” on MapQuest and follow the directions or enter N 37 42.885
W 117 45.403 in your GPS receiver. Spring and fall are the best times of year to visit.
Enjoy the adventure!
Dave Helgeson’s many roles in the RV industry started before he even had a driver’s license. His grandparents and father owned an RV dealership before the term “RV” had been coined, and Dave played a pivotal role in nearly every position of an RV dealership. He and his wife Cheri launched their own RV dealership in the Pacific Northwest. The duo also spent 29 years overseeing regional RV shows. Dave has also served as President of a local chapter of the Recreational Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA), worked on the board of advisors for the RV Technician Program of a local technical college, and served as a board member of the Manufactured Home and RV Association. Dave’s reputation earned him the title of “The foremost expert on boondocking,” bestowed by RV industry icon, the late Gary Bunzer (The RV Doctor). When he’s not out boondocking, you’ll find Dave in the spotlight at RV shows across the country, giving seminars about all things RVing. He and Cheri currently roam in their fifth travel trailer, with Dave doing all the service, repair and modifications to his own unit.
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