Traveling from Ely to Whitney, Nevada, covers 246.2 miles of high-desert terrain within the Mountain West. You should anticipate a drive time of approximately 4 hours and 45 minutes, making this a manageable one-day trip for most drivers. With a fuel budget of about $49, it is a straightforward journey that connects these two Nevada locations. You will navigate via Sunnyside Road, the Great Basin Highway, and the Grand Army of the Republic Highway. Since the entire route takes place within the state of Nevada, you will experience a consistent regional atmosphere throughout the trek.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
123.1 miles from Ely, NV
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 21m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Sunnyside Road
109.4 mi
2h 4m
Great Basin Highway
85 mi
1h 34m
Grand Army of the Republic Highway
22.2 mi
24m
Las Vegas Freeway
13.4 mi
13m
North Lamb Boulevard
8.9 mi
14m
Boulder Highway
2.7 mi
4m
Main Street
1.4 mi
1m
Mill Street
0.7 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Sunnyside Road
— 109.4 mi, about 2h 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ely, NV and Whitney, NV.
1
Start on 6769
0.3 mi·1 min·Campton Street
2
Turn left onto Murry Street
360 ft·17 sec·Murry Street
3
Turn right onto Weber Avenue
255 ft·14 sec·Weber Avenue
4
Turn left onto 6768
0.7 mi·1 min·Mill Street
5
Continue on 6768
0.2 mi·28 sec·Murry Street
6
Turn right onto US 6
22 mi·24 min·Grand Army of the Republic Highway
7
Turn left onto NV 318
11 mi·12 min·Sunnyside Road
8
Continue on NV 318
1.4 mi·1 min·Main Street
9
Continue on NV 318
99 mi·1 hr 52 min·Sunnyside Road
10
Turn right onto US 93
85 mi·1 hr 34 min·Great Basin Highway
11
Take the exit onto US 93
0.4 mi·54 sec·US 93
Toward I 15 South, US 93 South: Las Vegas
12
Merge onto I 15; US 93
13 mi·13 min·Las Vegas Freeway
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi·37 sec
Exit 50Toward Lamb BoulevardUse the slight right lane.
14
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi·19 sec
Exit 50Toward Lamb Boulevard SouthUse the left lane.
15
Continue on NV 610
8.9 mi·14 min·North Lamb Boulevard
Use the left lane.
16
Turn left onto NV 582
2.7 mi·4 min·Boulder Highway
Use the left lane.
17
Turn slight left
278 ft·7 sec
Use the left lane.
18
Turn left onto East Tropicana Avenue
0.7 mi·1 min·East Tropicana Avenue
19
Turn right onto Steptoe Street
0.2 mi·27 sec·Steptoe Street
20
Turn left onto Kimberly Avenue
0.1 mi·37 sec·Kimberly Avenue
21
Turn left
69 ft·5 sec
22
Turn right
63 ft·4 sec
23
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
To ensure a smooth experience, plan for at least one dedicated stop to stretch your legs and refuel during the nearly five-hour journey. Since the drive is under five hours, you have the flexibility to complete it in a single day without needing an overnight stay. Keep a close eye on your fuel gauge during the 109.4-mile stretch on Sunnyside Road, as services may be limited along that specific segment. Aim to depart early in the morning to maximize daylight, particularly if you are navigating the more technical, turn-heavy sections of the route.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 123.1 miles from Ely, NV, or about 2h 21m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 109.4 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 54 miles or 1h 2m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 123.1 miles or 2h 21m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 49m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Whitney, NV than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Ely, NV so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Ely, NV
This is one driving day of about 246.2 miles and 4h 45m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 54 miles from Ely, NV.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Sunnyside Road for about 109.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 246.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.3 mi into trip|~1m in|Murry Street
Turn left onto Murry Street
Navigation decision point
5
219.3 mi into trip|~4h 8m in|US 93
Take the exit onto US 93 toward I 15 South, US 93 South: Las Vegas
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 15 South, US 93 South: Las Vegas
7
233.2 mi into trip|~4h 23m in
Take the exit toward Lamb Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 50
Toward Lamb Boulevard
9
233.4 mi into trip|~4h 24m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Lamb Boulevard South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Exit 50
Toward Lamb Boulevard South
5
246.1 mi into trip|~4h 44m in|Kimberly Avenue
Turn left onto Kimberly Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$49.05 one way
$98.09 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg86 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$51.91
$103.81
premium
$5.59
$54.19
$108.39
diesel
$5.61
$54.36
$108.72
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$49
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$74–$99
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 86.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $26 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
73.9
0
$25.85
$11.82
Efficient EV
61.6
0
$21.54
$9.85
EV Truck/SUV
98.5
1
$34.47
$15.76
Gas CO2
86 kg
EV CO2
29 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Ely, NV
Evening
in Ely on Saturday
Local time
7:53 PM
PDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Whitney, NV
Evening
in Whitney on Saturday
Local time
7:53 PM
PDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
42°F
Alamo, NV
123 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
6 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
4h 45m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument
National Monument
Over the last ~570,000 years, water has transformed the Upper Las Vegas Valley. Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument is an urban park that preserves the unique story of this ever-changing enviro...
18 mi from route
~46 min detour
Free
near mile 229.3
Park Closure: South Unit temporarily closed south of Grand Teton Drive; Trailheads remain open.
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention behind the wheel. The route features a relatively low 6% highway share, meaning you will spend the vast majority of your time on secondary roads rather than high-speed interstates. Your longest uninterrupted stretch occurs during the 109.4 miles spent on Sunnyside Road, which dictates the pace of the trip. The road’s personality is defined by these winding, local segments that require a more active driving style than a standard freeway cruise.
Only 6% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 109.4 mi on Sunnyside Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near Murry Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 45m drive. You will face about 15 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (Murry Street): Navigation decision point; at 219.3 miles (US 93): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 233.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Ely, NV to Whitney, NV, road signs begin pointing toward Lamb Boulevard South along the way.
Lamb Boulevard South
233.4 mi in|~4h 24m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 45m. Total distance: 246.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 109.4 miles on Sunnyside Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through NV can have sparse or no coverage. Before you leave, download offline Google Maps or Apple Maps for the route, and consider downloading music or podcasts instead of streaming. If you depend on data for navigation, keep a paper backup of the turn-by-turn directions.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (Murry Street): Navigation decision point; at 219.3 miles (US 93): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 233.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.8 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.5 hours — manageable with a long break at Whitney, NV, but most travelers stay overnight.
