Winnemucca is a small city in Nevada that got its start as a station on the first transcontinental railroad. It's now a hub for mining, freight traffic, and other activity in northern Nevada, and it also has enough to pique a visitor's interest: mountain landscapes, casinos, vestiges of the Old West, and a proud Basque heritage.

Understand

Winnemucca
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D       3.8 0.9     42 19       3.4 0.7     48 23       3.2 0.8     56 27       1.6 0.9     63 31       0.1 1.1     72 38       0 0.6     83 45       0 0.3     93 52       0 0.2     91 49       0 0.4     81 40       0.5 0.7     67 30       3 0.9     51 22       5.3 0.9     41 17 Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation+Snow totals in inches Source: Wikipedia. Visit The Weather Channel for a ten-day forecast.
Metric conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D       97 22     5 −7       86 17     9 −5       81 21     13 −3       41 23     17 −1       2.5 28     22 3       0 14     28 7       0 6.4     34 11       0 4.6     33 9       0 11     27 4       13 17     19 −1       76 22     11 −5       135 24     5 −8 Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation+Snow totals in mm

Orientation

Winnemucca is the county seat of Humboldt County in northern Nevada, located on the Humboldt River, about halfway across the state on Interstate 80.

The center of town is around Winnemucca Boulevard and Melarkey Street, and the downtown historic district is on Bridge Street, which has been Winnemucca's main street since the 1870s. Casinos and hotels tend to be concentrated to the west of town near Interstate 80, and the train station is to the southeast towards more residential areas.

The nominal visitor's center is in a convention center at the corner of Winnemucca Blvd and Bridge St, but its posted hours are inscrutably contradictory and in any case not followed consistently, so don't count on getting assistance there.

History

Named after Chief Winnemucca of the local Northern Paiute tribe, the city was established in 1866 and was reached by the first transcontinental railroad in 1868. Numerous Basque and Chinese immigrants found their way to the area; the Basques mostly came to work with livestock and the Chinese to work on the railroad. Winnemucca's once-flourishing Chinatown has disappeared over time (though remnants are displayed at Humboldt Museum), but a strong sense of Basque pride remains, and Basque restaurants and cultural celebrations are a prominent part of the city's identity.

Climate

The dry air means that temperatures vary considerably over the course of the day. Dress in layers.

Get in

Winnemucca is reached via Interstate-80 coming from the east (Salt Lake City) or west (Reno), and by Highway-95 coming from the north (Boise) or south (Las Vegas).

Amtrak serves Winnemucca with the California Zephyr, which runs daily between Emeryville (in the San Francisco Bay Area) and Chicago, with stops including Sacramento, Reno, Elko, Salt Lake City, and Denver. 1 Winnemucca station is an unstaffed platform with a simple shelter; trains arrive on the same platform going in both directions. As of 2023, the eastbound train is scheduled to arrive and depart Winnemucca at 7:08PM; going west it's a less convenient 5:40AM (though as always with Amtrak, plan for the possibility of significant delays).

Get around

The town itself is compact and reasonably walkable, presumably a legacy of its development well before the arrival of the automobile. Outside of the core downtown area, sidewalks are inconsistent, but the streets are wide so it doesn't feel too bad to walk on the shoulder when necessary.

For hiking and other activities outside of town, you'll need a car. If you're arriving by train but want a car to get around, rental cars are available at 2 Humboldt Ford Car Rental, 3305 Potato Rd.

See

The Bridge Street historic district and signage all around clearly show Winnemucca's Old West heritage, and the dry mountain landscapes form a beautiful backdrop.

• 1 Humboldt Museum, 175 Museum Lane, ☏ +1 775 623-2912, dana@humboldtmuseum.org. W–F 9AM–4PM Sa 10AM–4PM. Interesting local history museum. Highlights include mammoth bones, a substantial collection of Native American artifacts, and an exhibit on Winnemucca's former Chinatown, established by 19th-century railroad workers. The gift shop has a range of non-kitschy northern Nevada souvenirs, especially books and gemstones. Free, donations accepted. (updated Oct 2023)
• 2 Thunder Mountain Monument, 800-804 E Star Peak Rd, Imlay (30 mi (48 km) west; take highway 80, exit on 145 and double back east along Frontage Road about one mile). Daily, sunrise to sunset. An unmistakable sight on the way to Winnemucca, a hand-built home covered with concrete sculptures of famous Native Americans and a large white arch meant as a handle, so the home could be picked up and carried away by the Great Spirit, in the end times that the artist was convinced were near. The home itself is closed to entry, but you can walk around it and see many additional sculptures of concrete and found objects that surround it. Free, donations accepted. (updated May 2023)

Do

• Winnemucca Raceway. Dirt track racing at Winnemucca Raceway. (updated Nov 2017)
• Bloody Shins Trail. Fantastic mountain biking. (updated Dec 2019)
• Off-road vehicles are welcome at the sand dunes just north of town on Highway-95.
• Trainspotting. If you're into freight trains, this is a good place to see them. They come right by the Amtrak station. (updated Oct 2023)

Gambling

If you win... Chances are that, if you win it big in Winnemucca and you are not a U.S. citizen your winnings will be subject to a 30% withholding tax from the Internal Revenue Service. That $10,000 slot winning can dwindle quite quickly if that is taken off the top. Not to worry, though; you can reclaim your gambling winnings tax through a 1042-S form. You should get this from the casino, so don't lose it: it is your starting ticket to getting your gambling winnings back.

Winnemucca hosts several casinos, including Winners, the Model T, the Sundance, and Legends.

• 1 Winners Inn Casino, 185 W Winnemucca Blvd, ☏ +1 775-623-2511. Boasts 200 slot machines and the only live roulette game in Humbolt County. (updated Nov 2017)
• 2 Model T Casino, 1130 West Winnemucca Blvd, ☏ +1 775-623-2588. 24/7. Mostly slot machines and other electronic screen-based games. Also has an arcade room. (updated Oct 2023)

Events

• Tri-County Fair: around Labor Day Weekend, check for exact dates. "Winnemucca's Wildest Weekend" including a rodeo and carnival.
• Basque Festival: June. A celebration of Winnemucca's Basque heritage.

Buy

For souvenirs with a deeper connection to the region than a T-shirt or postcard, try the Humboldt Museum gift shop.

• 1 My Sister's Closet, 324 S Bridge St, ☏ +1 775 625-3804. A large thrift shop selling lots of weird old junk—or rather, vintage conversation pieces. Sequined American flag vests, souvenir plates from other states, roller skates from unidentifiable decades, 5 cent gumball machines, that's the idea. The name is fitting: this store gives you the feeling of stepping into an old lady's particularly large and well-organized attic. It's charming and delightful, the woman who runs it is friendly, and you might just find an oddball souvenir that people will ask about for years to come. (updated Oct 2023)
• 2 Frames N' Things, 407 S Bridge St. M–F 9AM–5PM, Sa 10AM–2PM. To locals it's a shipping service and picture frame shop, but for visitors this is the place to go for Winnemucca swag. Mugs, hoodies, local cosmetics, and T-shirts that say "Where the fucca is Winnemucca?". (updated Oct 2023)

Winnemucca Charm Trail

This is an unusual and customized souvenir, based around a sort of scavenger hunt organized by the Humboldt County Chamber of Commerce. Start by buying a bracelet ($8 in 2023) at the Humboldt Museum, then you can get $2 charms at any of a few dozen participating stores, restaurants, and other businesses around town. Look for the purple signs that say "Winnemucca Charm Trail".

Eat

Winnemucca hosts several Basque restaurants, including traditional family-style dining at the Martin Hotel and restaurant-style dining at Ormachea's. Don't pass up the chance for some Picon Punch. Ormachea's is also a great Basque establishment with larger portions.

It's easy to find restaurants with a small-town feel. Yes there are fast-food chains (Subway at 936 W Winnemucca Blvd, Burger King at 3220 Fountain Way, Taco Bell at 3475 Construction Way, Jack in the Box at 218 W Winnemucca), but the real dining scene is at local places where the staff seem to have known each other for years and local patrons might happen to run into friends.

• 1 Chihuahua's. Mexican food. Multiple vegan options. (updated Oct 2023)
• Dos Amigos. Mexican food. 
• 2 The Martin Hotel, 94 W Railroad St. Despite its name, this restaurant does not offer rooms but traditional family-style Basque dining since 1898. (updated Oct 2016)
• 3 Sid's Restaurant, 1195 W Winnemucca Blvd (just past the Holiday Inn Express, south of I-80), ☏ +1 775-625-2100. 5:30AM-9PM daily. American-style diner serving fantastic homestyle food. (updated Oct 2023)
• Model T. Has excellent food and at great prices. 
• 4 China Garden. A good choice for Chinese food. 
• 5 The Griddle, 460 W Winnemucca Blvd, ☏ +1 775 623-2977. 6AM–4PM. For the breakfast. (updated May 2023)
• 6 Winnemucca Pizzeria, 139 S Bridge St, ☏ +1 775-625-2700. 11:00am-9:00pm. For pizza 
• 7 Koreana Korean Cuisine, 329 East Winnemucca Blvd, ☏ +1 775 625-7032. Tu–Sa 11AM–8PM, Su M noon–8PM. Korean food and boba tea. Advertised as "authentic Korean cuisne, with just a little bit of a twist", which is about right. It may not quite be what you'd find in Seoul (they might ask you if you want chopsticks or silverware, and the kids' menu has a grilled cheese), but they have plenty of Korean classics like banchan, bibimbap, and kimchi. Multiple vegan options. $15-25. (updated Oct 2023)

Drink

• The Martin Hotel is a fun place to relax and have a few drinks. Great atmosphere.

Sleep

• 1 Best Western Gold Country Inn, 921 W Winnemucca Blvd, ☏ +1 775 623-6999, toll-free: +1-800-346-5306, fax: +1 775 623-9190. 
• 2 Holiday Motel, 670 W Winnemucca Blvd, ☏ +1 775 623-3684, toll-free: +1-800-262-8901, fax: +1 775 623-4221. 
• 3 Days Inn by Wyndham Winnemucca, 714 W Winnemucca Blvd, ☏ +1 702-410-8164. 
• 4 Holiday Inn Express, 1987 W. Winnemucca Blvd, ☏ +1 775 625-3100. Free Wi-Fi. 
• 5 Town House Motel, 375 Monroe St, ☏ +1 775-623-3620. 
• 6 Silver State RV Park, 5575 E Winnemucca Blvd, ☏ +1 775 623-4513, toll-free: +1-800-562-7554 (reservations). RV/tent sites, cabins, and tepees. Has seasonal pool and WiFi. (updated Feb 2018)

Connect

There is no AT&T cell service in Winnemucca. T-Mobile service is fine.

If you need to get online, Sid's and Jack in the Box both have free (open) Wi-Fi.

Media

• The Great Basin Sun prints a mix of local stories from Humboldt, Pershing, and Lander Counties; statewide news reprinted from the Nevada Independent; and an eclectic set of opinion columns. It's available for $1 at a handful of newspaper boxes around town, including one on Bridge Street and a few outside hotels and restaurants.

Go next

By car, you can take US 95 North to Boise, Lewiston, and Coeur d'Alene. Interstate 80 connects Winnemucca with Reno, Sacramento, and San Francisco to the west, and Elko, Salt Lake City, and the Rocky Mountains to the east. US 95 South goes with Interstate 80 West to south of Lovelock, where it goes down to Fallon, Las Vegas, and Yuma.

Going east, the train makes overnight stops in Elko, Salt Lake City, and Provo, then crosses the border into Colorado (Grand Junction and eventually Denver) the next morning. Going west, the next stop is Reno, then it's over the California border to Truckee and later Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay Area. See California Zephyr for more.

Routes through Winnemucca

Sacramento ← Reno ←	W  E	→ Elko → Salt Lake City
Reno ← Lovelock ←	W  E	→ Battle Mountain → Salt Lake City
Payette-Fruitland ← Jct ←	N  S	→ Lovelock → Fallon