The only places that are more than a ghostly outline of civilization in the nearly 300 miles of Great Basin Desert that US-93 crosses between Ely and Las Vegas are the wildly different towns of Caliente, Panaca, and Pioche. The oldest and most northerly of the three, Pioche (pop. 800; pronounced pee-OACH, which means “pick-axe” in French), is a one-time mining boomtown that had its heyday well over a century ago. Being so remote—back then exponentially more than now—during the 1870s Pioche descended to a level of anarchy that rivaled Bodie and Tombstone, and over 75 men were killed before anyone died of natural causes.

  Corruption, too, was the order of the day, and you can tour Pioche’s “Million Dollar” Lincoln County Courthouse on Lacour Street for a graphic example of it. Designed in 1871 at an estimated cost of $26,000, the courthouse wasn’t completed until 1876, to the tune of $88,000. Then, unable to pay off the principal, the county commissioners kept refinancing the debt, while interest accrued, year after year; by the time it was paid off in 1937, the courthouse had cost a million bucks and been replaced by a more modern structure. Now restored, the old courthouse is open for self-guided tours (daily; donations; 775/962-5182) of the offices, the courtroom, and the old jail.

  The eclectic Lincoln County Historical Museum (daily; free; 775/962-5207), on Main Street at the center of town, is another good stop, as are nearby historic buildings such as the Thompson Opera House and the Commercial Club. The rusting remains of the aerial tramway that ran through Pioche, carrying ore to the stamp mills, can be explored—cables, cars, and all—from various points in town. Two state parks to the east (Echo Canyon and Spring Valley, 12 and 20 miles respectively) round out your Pioche-area sightseeing.