This Nevada hidden gem offers dark skies, ancient trees and the fastest open-road race

From overlooked roadside attractions to offbeat museums and obscure natural wonders, Local Hidden Gems will showcase some of the unique and unexpected treasures that make America extraordinary. We will emphasize charm, surprise and delight.

Local hidden gem: White Pine County, Nevada

Nevada's White Pine County is well off the beaten path. It's a solid day's drive from Las Vegas, Reno or Salt Lake City, along what Life Magazine once dubbed " the loneliest road in America ."

But its remote location is exactly what makes it a spectacular draw for travelers seeking the great outdoors — along with soaring mountain peaks, dark skies for some spectacular stargazing, and a surprisingly packed events calendar for a county of just 9,000 residents.

The county seat of Ely is the starting point for the Northern Nevada Railway , where visitors not only can ride the rails but operate the locomotive — or even spend a week as a member of a track crew as part of a Railroad Reality Week . It's also the finish line for the Silver State Classic Challenge , a 90-mile open-road race recognized by Guinness as the world's fastest open-road race , with speeds topping 200 mph. (Want to participate? It's open to anyone with a vehicle that can average at least 95 mph ... though there are a handful of other safety requirements , of course.)

Local hidden gems: A spotlight on the American treasures in our backyards

Speed plays a part in several more of the town's special events, including the Fears, Tears and Beers Enduro Mountain Bike Race in June, the White Pine County Fair and Horse Races in August and the Race the Rails train-vs.-bikes showdown in September.

Ely is an attraction by itself and also an ideal home base for exploring the region. The town of roughly 4,000 is home to the historic Hotel Nevada, the throwback soda fountain at Economy Drug, and the kitschy charm of the Jailhouse Motel & Casino's Cell Block restaurant, where diners can enjoy their meal in a booth behind bars.

Great Basin National Park , about an hour's drive from Ely, is one of the country's most underappreciated national parks . It's home to breathtaking mountain peaks, the world's oldest living trees , and a wide variety of flora and fauna. Visitors will find one-of-a-kind vistas above and below ground — Dark Sky International recognizes the park as one of the country's best dark-sky locales , and the two-mile Lehman Caves system below ground has inspired reverence in visitors for more than a millennium . The park's hiking trails are fit for all levels from amateurs to backcountry hikers; its campgrounds cater to backpackers, tent campers and RV campers.

This article originally appeared on Reno Gazette Journal: This Nevada hidden gem offers dark skies, ancient trees and the fastest open-road race