Are you looking for a real-life cowboy? Well, do I have a place for you! Elko, Nevada. There are lots of exciting experiences waiting for you as you search for your cowboy or cowgirl! So, what should you do? Let me tell you!
By Shawn Ann Lowe
If I didn’t live in Elko, Nevada, I would travel here for a real cowboy experience. Elko has a diverse population, centered around mining and ranching. It’s located on Interstate-80 in Northeastern Nevada. Immerse yourself in the experiences offered in Elko.
National Cowboy Poetry Gathering
The premiere event promoting the cowboy experience in Elko, is the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, which takes place annually during the last week of January. The “Gathering” began in 1985 with 40 poets and was a place for Western ranchers and cowboys to come in from the cold and perform poems that were written to celebrate the life of the cowboy and the rancher. The Cowboy Poetry Gathering features not only poets from across the United States but cowboys from all over the world. In past years, the Gathering has hosted cowboy poets from France, Argentina, and even as far away as Mongolia.
Today, it has expanded to include musicians who play in small venues throughout Elko as well as a multitude of exhibitions displaying handcrafted, western art. You will see artisans create unique, one-of-a-kind leather pieces and watch demonstrations of traditional cowboy skills such as rope making and leather working. The next “Gathering”, the 38th, will take place January 30 - February 4, 2023. For more information, check out their website at www.nationalcowboypoetrygathering.org.
Silver State Stampede
The Cowboy Experience doesn’t stop at the Gathering. Elko hosts the Silver State Stampede, one of the premier rodeos in the West and the longest-running rodeo in Nevada. The Stampede was established in 1912. The rodeo is held in July and is three days of exciting bronc-busting, bull-riding and calf-roping action.
National Basque Festival and Basque Restaurants
When you make the trip to Cowboy country in July, you can also experience the National Basque Festival during the Fourth of July weekend. The Basques of the United States come from far and wide to participate in Basque strength games and enjoy wonderful Basque food. Check out The Star Hotel and Toki Ona Restaurants for outstanding family-style Basque dining.
Downtown Elko
You might find your cowboy at the Cowboy Art and Gear Museum checking out the Garcia bits and spurs from days gone by. If you can’t find her there, check out the gift shop at the Western Folklife Center. You can find all types of western-themed books, music, and jewelry to choose from. Or, your cowboy might be at J. M. Capriola’s buying a new saddle, or checking out the boots and cowboy hats. You can always find a cowgirl at Cowboy Joe’s Coffee.
Lamoille Canyon
Take your new cowboy boots and head to Lamoille Canyon. Just thirty minutes from Elko, you’ll love this glacial valley in the middle of the high desert. Lamoille Canyon is part of the Humboldt National Forest.
You will find picnic sites and campgrounds open during the spring, summer and early fall. If you are a fly-fisher, you’ll love the beaver ponds and streams running through the canyon. The winter produces lovely snowfalls, which brings in those cowboys who like to backcountry skin and to snowmobile.
Ruby Mountain Heli-ski and Ruby Lodge 360
There is great backcountry skiing In the Ruby Mountains! If you are up to the challenge, check out Ruby Lodge 360 and Ruby Mountain Heli-ski. There are many different ski packages and lodging options available. Ruby Lodge has a 360 degree view of the Ruby Mountains and the Great Basin, along with weekend lodging packages. While you are there, stay in one of the yurts, enjoy first-class cuisine, and a nature-filled view. You might even see that Cowboy!
California Trail Interpretive Center
For you history buffs, make the drive out to the California Trail Interpretive Center. The Center is in Hunter, Nevada, just a horseshoe’s throw away from Elko. The Interpretive Center is the home of California Trail Days in June, which celebrates the stories of the 250,000 people who decided to change their fates and make the 2,000-mile trek overland to California. The Center is open all year round for those who have a true passion for history and the pioneer spirit.
Now that you’ve found your cowboy, enjoy the history, the scenery, the poetry, and the excitement of cowboy culture in Elko, Nevada.
Western Folklife Center
Cowboy Art and Gear Museum
Northeastern Nevada Museum
Lamoille Canyon
Lamoille, Nevada
Ruby Mountain Lodge 360
