Ely has an active copper mining industry and scenic nature
The small city of Ely was originally founded in the 1870s as a stagecoach stop. Copper was discovered nearby in 1906, and it has been a defining part of the community ever since. Along with the Ely State Prison, the Robinson Mine is one of the area’s largest employers. “People come from all over the nation to work here,” says Vince Fleischman, a local real estate agent with Key Realty who also rents out properties in Ely. “There are high-paying jobs here, and we don’t have enough people to fill the positions.” Although it sits hundreds of miles from any major metro area, the town of 4,000 also serves as the county seat for White Pine County.
Early 1900s cottages in central Ely and manufactured homes on acreage
Cottages built in the early 1900s through the 1950s sit on fenced, grassy or gravel lots, lining Ely’s neatly gridded streets. Ranch-style homes were added throughout the 1950s and ’60s, with a second wave in the ’80s and ’90s. Prices range from $40,000 to $370,000, largely depending on condition. More recent construction on large lots can fetch between $250,000 and $550,000. Meanwhile, the rural northern side of the community is dotted with manufactured homes from the 1990s and 2000s, with prices ranging from $250,000 to $400,000. Coming on roughly 4 to 6 acres of land, these properties can also house chickens, horses and plenty of outdoor storage.
Success Summit, Great Basin National Park and local amenities in Ely
The White Pine County Golf Course is a public, 18-hole course built on a historic ranch with restored red barns. Nine of its holes are situated along the Nevada Northern Railway, and snow-capped ridges surround the course. Steptoe Park is one of the city’s largest green spaces. Its barbecue grill, picnic tables and pavilion are popular for outdoor gatherings, with a playground and a soccer field nearby. The White Pine Aquatics Center has a daily admission rate of less than $5, and it’s next to the city’s skate park.
Drivers can take Nevada state Route 486 past Cave Lake to what locals call Success Summit. “There are white aspen groves, campgrounds and a full-blown forest, while the rest of the town is high desert,” Fleischman says. “You’re going to see a lot of animals if you go early in the morning.” About 50 miles away, the Great Basin National Park is home to the state’s longest cave system. Patches of purple wildflowers sprout between boulders on the slopes of Wheeler Peak, where trails offer almost 3,000 feet of elevation gain.
White Pine County Horse Races
White Pine County’s annual horse races were first organized in 1934. Enthusiasts and gamblers can watch thoroughbreds gallop around the track, while other eventgoers enjoy live music, barbecue and livestock auctions.
Racks Bar and Grill, La Fiesta and Mr. G’s Italian Restaurant and Bar
Ely’s nostalgic storefronts line U.S. Route 50 in the historic downtown. Racks Bar & Grill has been a go-to for burgers, sandwiches and flatbread pizza since 2011. Servers bring sizzling fajita plates and oversized margaritas to tables at La Fiesta Fine Mexican Restaurant and Bar, which is covered with Polaroids of smiling patrons in sombreros. Mr. G’s serves Mediterranean-American classics in an elegant olive-colored dining room. In contrast, Mr. G’s blue-lit lounge has pool tables next to pop art murals of Johnny Cash, Tony Montana and Vito Corleone. Entertainment includes music, dancing, karaoke and comedy shows for the evening hours. Ridley’s Family Markets has the essentials farther south.
White Pine County School District hopes for renovation funding
Students in Ely can start at David E. Norman Elementary School, which receives a C grade from Niche, followed by White Pine Middle School, rated B-minus, and White Pine High School, rated C. High schoolers can join extracurricular activities like the robotics club, Future Farmers of America or the National Honor Society. The wrestling team also took home a state championship in 2025. The district has some of the oldest school buildings in the state, which it hopes to rebuild or renovate with funds from Assembly Bill 224, new Nevada legislation that designates bonds for rural school districts in need of repair. The White Pine County School District is projected to be the first to receive approval.
Ely is located at the convergence of three national highways
U.S. Route 93 leads south to Las Vegas, about 250 miles away. U.S. Route 50 passes through Eureka and Austin on its way west toward Reno, and U.S. Route 6 crosses the border into California. Elko Regional Airport, roughly 180 miles away, offers a direct flight to Salt Lake City. The Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas has more options.
Environmental factors in and around town
Homes located along Murray Creek are at an increased risk of flooding. Ely is also at a heightened risk of wildfire due to the slope of the area and surrounding vegetation.
