Meeting Smokey, we request a tour of the earthquake damage from a couple years ago... The old hotel:
Worst hit, and still recovering, is old Main Street, along the railroad tracks. But since the train doesn't stop here anymore, the buildings were largely abandoned, awaiting historical renovation, while the commercial aspect of Wells moved toward the freeway. Wish the old bars were still open.
While the trains don't stop, they do run through town. And just on cue... the Sante Fe... and a couple hobos looking for an open box car...
No visit to Wells would be complete without an interlude with the ladies...
Wells gets its name from springs, actually, created by the runoff from the Humboldt Mts, and forming the headend of the Humboldt River that flows West to Elko and on to Reno.
While driving around town (doesn't take long!), we saw a sign for Angel Lake... it was hot and the mountains looked cool, so off we went. Angel Lake, and Angel Creek, form a major source of water for the Wells area. And, it is a beautiful area.
We hiked around the lake to explore the waterfall. Lots of wildflowers blooming madly...
Lots of snow left in these mountains, a record year for snowfall in these parts. This pic shows the snow runoff over the falls and into Angel Lake... from there, the lake drains via Angel Creek down to the valley below.
Our intrepid hikers take a break before the final trek to the falls.
We made our way back to the truck and then back to Wells. A final shot of the Humboldt Range.
Wells is easily bypassed when zipping along the freeway. But there are some cool events happening there... a car show which attracts entrants from around Nevada, Idaho, and Utah as well as a fiddler's contest, fishing contest, and many other weekend events that make the place more interesting. Worth a stop on your next road trip.
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