Lincoln County is home to several small communities, each with its own personality and storied history. Local businesses offer visitors amenities to rest and recharge during your stay. Discover what each town has to offer:

Alamo is 90 miles north of Las Vegas, and known as the commercial hub of the Pharanagat Valley. In the early days, Alamo was best known as a resting stop for thieves taking stolen horses from Utah and Arizona to California. Today, visitors passing through are less likely to come across a stolen horse, but can still enjoy Alamo’s ranching roots. Local attractions include rodeo grounds, an RV park and a splash pad.

Caliente is a former railroad town northeast of Alamo that was first settled by Ike and Dow Barton, who escaped slavery in Arkansas. The town is named for its nearby hot springs and was considered a “spa town” for travelers on the Union Pacific Railroad. Today, Caliente is still a vibrant community with city parks, a public swimming pool, a shooting range, a motocross race track and mountain bike trails. Its central location offers easy access to Lincoln County’s many state parks.

Panaca, located just north of Caliente, is historically the most religious town in Lincoln County. Founded as a Mormon colony, today Panaca is the only dry town in Nevada and one of just two towns in the state that prohibits gambling. Visitors will still enjoy the sinless city, which is a quiet oasis with easy access to Cathedral Gorge State Park, its own natural hot springs and many nearby ghost towns.

Pioche, north of Panaca, has a more dramatic past. It began as a silver mining town and quickly developed a rough and tumble reputation for the frequently bloody disputes over mining claims. Visitors today can still experience a taste of the Wild West with Pioche’s historic architecture and attractions, which include an old opera house and a saloon. Other local attractions include a park, swimming pool, baseball diamond and a nine-hole golf course.

Rachel is a tiny town with an outsized reputation as the “UFO Capital of the World.” Located along “The Extraterrestrial Highway” and a few miles north of Area 51, Rachel first became associated with life from outer space in 1989, when Las Vegas resident Bob Lazar famously told the media he had a run-in with nine flying saucers at a lake south of Rachel. More recently, Rachel hosted Alien-Stock, a gathering of people united by the Storm Area 51 meme. Visitors can meet like-minded UFO hunters — or simply enjoy a burger — at the Little A’Le’Inn. Rachel offers an RV park and a motel for visitors for overnight stays

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