Nevada State Route 318

Nevada State Route 318
State	NV
Type	SR
Route	318
Length mi	59.467
Established	1976
Direction a	South
Terminus a	U.S. Route 93
Direction b	North
Terminus b	Interstate 80
Counties	Nye County

Nevada State Route 318 is a rural two‑lane highway in eastern Nevada connecting the southern junction with U.S. Route 93 near Hiko and the northern junction with Interstate 80 near Lovelock via remote desert terrain. The route traverses arid basins, valley floors, and ranges that are proximate to landmarks such as Great Basin National Park, Goldfield, Tonopah, Ely, and provides a corridor for motorsport events and local access to mining, ranching, and recreational destinations including Area 51 regional approaches and the Extraterrestrial Highway. The highway is managed by the Nevada Department of Transportation and has been used for land speed and endurance trials traced by organizations like the Sports Car Club of America and events linked with Bonneville Salt Flats enthusiasts.

Route description

State Route 318 begins at its southern terminus at U.S. Route 93 near Hiko and advances northward through the Pahute Mesa‑adjacent basins toward Alamo. It parallels washes and ephemeral streams that feed into closed basins characteristic of the Mojave Desert transition to the Great Basin, passing near historic mining communities such as Beatty and Rachel before reaching the settlement of Crescent Valley. Northbound, the highway negotiates alluvial fans and desert pavements south of the Shoshone Mountain foothills and proceeds toward its junction with Interstate 80 near the Union Pacific Railroad corridor serving Wadsworth and Reno. The roadway intersects county and local roads that provide links to Yucca Mountain, Tonopah Test Range, and access roads used by the Nevada National Security Site perimeter contractors and federal land managers such as the Bureau of Land Management.

History

The corridor that became State Route 318 follows wagon and early automotive alignments used during Nevada Silver Rush expansions and the 20th century mining booms centered on Goldfield and Tonopah. Initial graded road segments were improved during New Deal era public works and later routed to support military testing in the interwar and post‑World War II periods, including logistics to the Tonopah Test Range. Formal designation as State Route 318 occurred in the statewide renumbering undertaken by the Nevada Department of Highways in the 1970s concurrent with federal interstate developments such as Interstate 80. Over subsequent decades, the route gained prominence when sanctioned competitions by the Sports Car Club of America and touring organizations associated with Bonneville Speedway runners and California Highway Patrol‑escorted events used it for speed trials, attracting media coverage from outlets covering American motorsport heritage. Preservation efforts have occasionally intersected with Historic Route 66‑era advocacy groups and state transportation planning commissions focused on rural mobility.

Major intersections

- Southern terminus: junction with U.S. Route 93 near Hiko and access to Alamo. - Junctions with county highways providing access to Cave Lake State Park, Ely connector roads, and haul routes to Tonopah mining districts. - Crossings over unnamed desert washes with logistic links to the Union Pacific Railroad operations serving Wadsworth. - Northern terminus: interchange with Interstate 80 near Lovelock, providing connections toward Reno and Elko.

Traffic and usage

Traffic volumes on the highway are generally low, reflecting patterns similar to other rural Nevada corridors used for intercity connectivity, freight movement to mining sites, and seasonal tourism to destinations such as Great Basin National Park and Hoover Dam. Vehicle counts spike during motorsport events sanctioned by the Sports Car Club of America and during holiday travel periods when travelers route between Las Vegas and northern markets via U.S. Route 95 and connecting interstates. The route supports mixed traffic including light vehicles, heavy trucks serving mineral extraction operations, and recreational vehicles tied to hunting, off‑road recreation associated with Bureau of Land Management lands, and access to flight test ranges used by contractors for United States Air Force programs.

Scenic and recreational significance

The corridor is valued for expansive desert vistas, proximity to dark‑sky observation points favored by amateur astronomers aligned with institutions like the International Dark‑Sky Association and visitors to stargazing venues near Great Basin National Park. Motorcycling and sport driving groups from Southern California and the Bay Area stage rallies that traverse the highway, often linking to Bonneville Salt Flats excursions and historic automotive tours that reference practitioners from Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance circles. Outdoor enthusiasts use the route to reach trailheads for hiking, hunting, and primitive camping on public lands overseen by the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service management zones in adjacent ranges.

Maintenance and improvements

Maintenance responsibility lies with the Nevada Department of Transportation, which schedules resurfacing, shoulder widening, and winter debris clearance in coordination with Nye County public works and federal land managers. Improvement projects have included pavement rehabilitation funded through statewide transportation programs and occasional federal stimulus allocations tied to rural infrastructure initiatives endorsed by state transportation commissions and legislative delegations. Safety upgrades have incorporated signage conforming to Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices standards, guardrail installations near steeper approaches, and coordination with Nevada Highway Patrol for event permitting and traffic management during sanctioned motorsport activities.

Category:State highways in Nevada Category:Transportation in Nye County, Nevada