Origin
Laughlin, NV
Evening in Laughlin on Tuesday
Local time
7:55 PM
PDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Laughlin, NV to Elko, NV
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 2, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
9h 49m
Distance
522.5 mi
841 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$109
one way
EV Charging
Excellent
16 DC fast
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
9h 41m
★
6 AM
9h 50m
8 AM
10h 7m
10 AM
9h 56m
12 PM
9h 54m
3 PM
9h 57m
5 PM
10h 6m
8 PM
9h 44m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Laughlin, NV
Abhishek Navlakha
Elko, NV
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Laughlin, NV to Elko, NV covers 522.5 miles and takes about 9h 49m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on Great Basin Highway, Sunnyside Road, Veterans Memorial Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-haul drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 219.2 miles on Great Basin Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $108.76 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
261.2 miles from Laughlin, NV
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 56m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Great Basin Highway | 219.2 mi | 4h 4m |
| Sunnyside Road | 109.4 mi | 2h 4m |
| Veterans Memorial Highway | 53.9 mi | 56m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 47.7 mi | 44m |
| Grand Army of the Republic Highway | 23.5 mi | 26m |
| Laughlin Highway | 18.2 mi | 21m |
| Purple Heart Highway | 17.6 mi | 20m |
| Las Vegas Freeway | 13.5 mi | 14m |
Longest stretch:
Great Basin Highway
— 219.2 mi, about 4h 4m
Traffic on I-15
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
2 PM
~1,224 veh/hr typical · worst 1,587
Quietest
1 AM
~169 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
7.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 16 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Laughlin, NV and Elko, NV.
1
Start on this road
146 ft
·
10 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto F Street
167 ft
·
19 sec
·
F Street
3
At end of road, turn left onto Laughlin Civic Drive
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Laughlin Civic Drive
4
At end of road, turn left onto NV 163
18 mi
·
21 min
·
Laughlin Highway
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
6
Merge onto US 95
54 mi
·
56 min
·
Veterans Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on NV 173
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Veterans Memorial Highway
8
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
32 sec
Toward I 11 North, US 93 North, US 95 North: Las Vegas, Henderson
9
Merge onto I 11; US 93; US 95
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Boulder City Bypass
10
Continue on I 11; US 93; US 95
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Purple Heart Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 72
Toward NV 159: Charleston Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
12
Turn right onto NV 159
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East Charleston Boulevard
13
Turn left onto South Lamb Boulevard
6.8 mi
·
11 min
·
South Lamb Boulevard
Use the left lane.
14
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward I 15 North: Salt Lake City
15
Merge onto I 15; US 93
14 mi
·
14 min
·
Las Vegas Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit onto US 93
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
US 93
Exit 64
Toward US 93 North: Ely
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Continue on US 93
85 mi
·
1 hr 35 min
·
Great Basin Highway
18
Turn left onto NV 318
99 mi
·
1 hr 52 min
·
Sunnyside Road
19
Continue on NV 318
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
20
Continue on NV 318
11 mi
·
12 min
·
Sunnyside Road
21
At end of road, turn right onto US 6
24 mi
·
26 min
·
Grand Army of the Republic Highway
22
Continue on US 6
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Veterans Boulevard
23
Turn left onto US 50; US 93
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Great Basin Boulevard
Use the left / straight lanes.
24
Turn right onto US 93
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Aultman Street
25
Continue on US 93
9.6 mi
·
15 min
·
Great Basin Highway
26
Continue on US 93
1.6 mi
·
4 min
·
South 4th Street
27
Continue on US 93
46 mi
·
49 min
·
Great Basin Highway
28
Continue on US 93
78 mi
·
1 hr 24 min
·
Great Basin Highway
29
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
16 sec
Toward I 80 West: Elko, Reno
Use the left lane.
30
Merge onto I 80
48 mi
·
44 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
31
Take the exit onto I 80 BUS
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
I 80 BUS
Exit 303
Toward I 80 Business West: Elko East
32
Turn left onto I 80 BUS
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
East Jennings Way
33
Turn right onto I 80 BUS
1.6 mi
·
4 min
·
East Idaho Street
34
Turn left onto NV 227
62 ft
·
2 sec
·
5th Street
35
Arrive at destination
NV 227
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 261.2 miles from Laughlin, NV, or about 4h 56m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 219.2 miles.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 115 miles or 2h 12m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 261.2 miles or 4h 56m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 261.2 miles or 4h 56m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 8h 48m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Elko, NV than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Laughlin, 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.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
+
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Laughlin, NV
Aim for roughly 261 miles and 4.9 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Elko, NV
Aim for roughly 261 miles and 4.9 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 115 miles from Laughlin, NV.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Great Basin Highway for about 219.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
172 mi into the route
Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch
This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.
Second major stop
Overnight candidate
345 mi into the route
Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start
This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.
Find hotels in Ely, NVOvernight Options
Night 1
261 mi · about 4.9h in
A practical overnight split lands near Alamo, NV after about 261 miles or 4.9 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 115 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 261.2 miles from Laughlin, NV, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Great Basin Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 219.2 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 261 miles or 4.9 hours on the road.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 215 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 472.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Laughlin Civic Drive
At end of road, turn left onto Laughlin Civic Drive
Navigation decision point
6
73.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 21m in
Take the ramp toward I 11 North, US 93 North, US 95 North: Las Vegas, Henderson
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 11 North, US 93 North, US 95 North: La...
7
92.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 43m in
Take the exit toward NV 159: Charleston Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 72
Toward NV 159: Charleston Boulevard
7
114.3 mi into trip
|
~2h 11m in
|
US 93
Take the exit onto US 93 toward US 93 North: Ely
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 64
Toward US 93 North: Ely
9
472.4 mi into trip
|
~8h 59m in
Take the exit toward I 80 West: Elko, Reno
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I 80 West: Elko, Reno
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$108.76 one way
$217.51 round trip
$4.79/gal
25.4 MPG avg
202 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.06 | $114.89 | $229.78 |
| premium | $5.31 | $120.66 | $241.33 |
| diesel | $5.35 | $121.55 | $243.10 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$109
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$239–$349
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 202 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-03.
EV Charging Along Route
16 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent
Henderson, NV - Paseo Verde Parkway - Tesla Supercharger
Henderson, NV
Tesla
16 DCFC
Las Vegas, NV - South Eastern Avenue - Tesla Supercharger
Las Vegas, NV
Tesla
16 DCFC
Laughlin, NV - Tesla Supercharger
Laughlin, NV
Tesla
12 DCFC
Henderson, NV - Tesla Supercharger
Henderson, NV
Tesla
12 DCFC
Ford Country
Henderson, NV
FORD_CHARGE
4 DCFC
Walmart 2838 (Henderson, NV)
Henderson, NV
Electrify America
4 DCFC
Kroger Smiths 354 (Whitney, NV)
Las Vegas, NV
Electrify America
4 DCFC
Boulder City Police Department
Boulder City, NV
TURNONGREEN
2 DCFC
ChargePoint Network: 8
Tesla: 4
Electrify America: 2
TURNONGREEN: 1
FORD_CHARGE: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $55 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 156.8 | 1 | $54.86 | $25.08 |
| Efficient EV | 130.6 | 1 | $45.72 | $20.90 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 209 | 2 | $73.15 | $33.44 |
Gas CO2
183 kg
EV CO2
61 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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.
Destination
Elko, NV
Evening in Elko on Tuesday
Local time
7:55 PM
PDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
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
33 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
9h 49m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
522.5 mi / 9h 49m — a long-haul route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. Biggest road: Great Basin Highway.
3% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
35 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 219.2 mi on Great Basin Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
At 9h 49m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Laughlin Civic Drive.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 21 significant decision points across 522.5 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Laughlin Civic Drive): Navigation decision point; at 73.2 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 92.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
High-altitude sections with notable climbs
6,091 ft
532 ft
Total Climb
6,787 ft
Total Descent
2,252 ft
Highest Point
6,091 ft
~412.4 mi in
Elevation Range
5,559 ft
Notable High Points
3,450 ft at ~41.2 miles
+1,228 ft prominence
6,091 ft at ~412.4 miles
+287 ft prominence
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Laughlin, NV and Elko, NV, road signs point toward Henderson and Reno.
Henderson
73.2 mi in
|
~1h 21m
Reno
472.4 mi in
|
~8h 59m
About the Cities
Starting in Laughlin, NV
Full guide →Founded 1964
Laughlin is a town in Southern Nevada. It is known for its gaming and water recreation. In 2010, the population was 7,000. Laughlin is the third most visited casino and resort destination in the state after Las Vegas and Reno, and is one of the top five destinations for American recreational vehicle enthusiasts.
Arriving in Elko, NV
Full guide →Founded 1868
Elko (Shoshoni: Natakkoa) is a city in Elko county, Northern Nevada.
Top landmarks
- • Elko County Courthouse — courthouse
- • Elko Main Post Office — post office in Elko, Nevada
- • Ruby Valley Pony Express Station
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Solo Traveler
9h 49m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Long-haul drive route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 219.2 miles on Great Basin Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 261 miles on day one.
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.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Elko, NV before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 2 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
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 0.1 miles (Laughlin Civic Drive): Navigation decision point; at 73.2 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 92.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 9.8 hours each way, a round trip means 19.7 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Elko, NV before the return drive.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NREL for EV charging, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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