Lander County: Petroglyphs, Pioneer History and Mountain Landscapes

Lander County combines impressive wide-open landscapes and mountain ranges with traces of railroad history, historic churches and exceptional outdoor experiences. Those planning a trip with different focuses will find inspiration here for culture, nature observation, hiking, cycling and special excursions. When searching for a vacation rental or vacation home, you can therefore first consider whether Battle Mountain’s history, Austin’s historic buildings or the expansive landscapes should be your primary focus.

Petroglyphs, Wild Horses and Wide-Open Landscapes

The Hickison Petroglyph Recreation Area combines ancient petroglyphs with opportunities for walking, picnicking and camping. This adds a place to your stay where cultural history and time spent outdoors come together directly. The Mill Creek Recreation Area also offers a specific excursion option: The access road leads via a signed turnoff from SR 305, 20 miles south of Battle Mountain, and then along a paved gravel road.

In the Bald Mountain Herd Management Area, steep mountain ranges meet expansive valley floors and elevations between 5,500 and 8,500 feet. Wild horses live there, along with mule deer, sage grouse, chukar partridges, pronghorns, coyotes and mountain lions, among others. Lander County also has 2.6 million acres of public land managed for multiple uses, including hiking, cycling, fishing and nature observation.

For a trip with a strong focus on landscapes, Mount Lewis is a prominent landmark: At 9,678 feet, it is the highest peak in Lander County. A rocky, remote OHV trail leads through Lewis Canyon in switchbacks to the summit. The canyon can also be explored on foot via the gravel road to Mount Lewis. Those planning to hike the Toiyabe Crest Trail should take steep climbs, sparse tree cover and long waterless stretches into account and plan their supplies carefully.

History in Battle Mountain and Austin

From 1880 to 1938, Battle Mountain was the operational headquarters of the Central Nevada Railway, as well as the headquarters of the Battle Mountain and Lewis Railroad from 1881 to 1890. This period shapes the town’s historical character. The exhibition at the Battle Mountain Cookhouse Museum is housed in an authentic 1920s ranch cookhouse originally from the Battle Mountain area. Exhibits include artifacts from local Paiute and Shoshone groups, ranching relics, items from the local schoolhouse, a collection of cameras and old copper stills. A suitable starting point for further orientation in town is Battle Mountain.

Austin was founded after William Talcott discovered silver there on May 2, 1862, and became the county seat of Lander County in 1863. Today, the town preserves three nearly 150-year-old churches. St. Augustine’s Catholic Church and St. George’s Episcopal Church are currently active. St. George’s was consecrated in 1878 and continues to hold weekly services. St. Augustine’s Catholic Church was built in 1866 from local bricks and stone fired or worked at the Austin Brickyard.

Stokes Castle is also part of the historic experience in Lander County. The structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003; admission is free. Those interested in the development of towns, religious architectural history and regional landmarks can give particular consideration to these focuses when choosing their accommodation.

Active Excursions and Special Travel Ideas

In Nevada, the Pony Express National Historic Trail allows for road trips as well as hiking, cycling and horseback riding on various sections. For cycling enthusiasts, the World Human Powered Speed Challenge is also noteworthy: It uses a five-mile section of Nevada State Route 305 near Battle Mountain. Southwest of Austin, Smith Creek Valley Dry Lake can be reached via State Route 722 and is used primarily for land sailing.

This creates different travel profiles without requiring you to commit to a single vacation theme: historic towns and museums, landscape-focused excursions, wildlife observation or activities on selected trails and routes. A vacation rental in Lander County can serve as an independent base for your preferred focus. What matters less is a general location label than which experiences you want to include in your travel plans.

For further comparisons, you can also view White Pine County, Clark, Storey County, Washoe, Humboldt County, Lincoln County and Carson City.

For the overarching travel overview: Nevada.