I’ve driven through every kind of terrain this country has to offer. From the snow-packed switchbacks of the Rockies to the swampy trails of the Deep South. But nothing — and I mean nothing — tests a driver’s nerve like Nevada’s back roads during a natural disaster.

This state isn’t just vast; it’s harsh. Endless basins, razorback ridges, crumbling highways, and sudden weather shifts turn the Silver State into a survivalist’s gauntlet. If you’re ever caught out here when the big one hits — be it wildfire, flash flood, or an earthquake — knowing which roads to avoid and how to drive your way out might just save your life.

The High-Risk Highways and Byways

You need to understand: Nevada’s not all glitter and poker chips. Step outside Las Vegas or Reno, and you’re facing long stretches of desolate land. Most of the roads weren’t built for resilience — they were built fast and cheap during the boom times, and many haven’t seen serious maintenance in decades.

Here are the roads you need to avoid in a disaster:

1. US-50 (The Loneliest Road in America) – Beautiful? Yes. Practical in a disaster? No. With hundreds of miles of isolation and minimal services, a breakdown here could be your last.
2. NV-318 – Fast-moving floods have taken out sections of this road in the past. It becomes a trap in heavy rains.
3. US-93 North of Ely – Cracks, buckles, and poor signage mean you’ll be playing a dangerous guessing game if the GPS goes out.
4. SR-447 (Gerlach to Nixon) – Known to Burners heading to Black Rock, but not built for sustained traffic or emergency detours.
5. I-15 Near Mesquite – Crowded, especially during evacuations from Vegas. One wreck and you’re stuck with thousands.
6. US-95 Between Tonopah and Hawthorne – High winds and poor visibility from dust storms have caused deadly pileups.
7. SR-375 (Extraterrestrial Highway) – Cool name, bad lifeline. Services are scarce, and the road can vanish beneath flash floods.
8. Mt. Charleston Scenic Byway – Landslides, snow, and rockfalls make this route highly unstable during seismic or storm activity.
9. SR-278 (Eureka to Carlin) – Limited escape routes and heavy ranch truck traffic mean slow evacuations.
10. Goldfield to Beatty Road – This stretch is as ghostly as the towns it connects. A sinkhole once opened right in the middle of the two-lane road.

In a disaster, these roads go from inconvenient to deadly. Your best defense? Preparation, skill, and adaptability.

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15 Survival Driving Skills to Get You Out Alive

When roads fail, it’s not horsepower that saves you — it’s skill. Here’s what you need to master:

1. Situational Awareness – Always scan for exits, hazards, alternate routes, and natural cover.
2. Off-Road Navigation – Know how to transition from asphalt to dirt without damaging your vehicle or losing control.
3. Reading Terrain – Learn to identify mud traps, sand pits, and rock hazards before you’re in them.
4. Driving Without GPS – When satellites fail, a compass, paper map, or just the sun’s position can steer you right.
5. Driving on Flat Tires – Sometimes, forward motion is your only option. Know how to keep going on a rim temporarily.
6. Escape and Evasion Maneuvers – Learn quick-turn techniques like the J-turn or bootlegger reverse to evade blocked paths or hostile encounters.
7. Driving at Night Without Headlights – Use the moon and ambient light to avoid detection or conserve battery when stealth matters.
8. Fuel Rationing Techniques – Accelerate smoothly, avoid hard braking, and coast when possible to stretch every drop.
9. Water Crossing Tactics – Know depth limits and current speeds. Fast water kills engines — and people.
10. Weight Distribution – Don’t overload one side. Balance your load to maintain control on uneven ground.
11. Braking Without ABS – Pump your brakes manually in older or stripped-down vehicles to avoid skidding.
12. Defensive Driving Under Stress – Tunnel vision can kill. Stay calm, even if the world’s on fire.
13. Tire Repair in the Field – Carry plugs, a compressor, and know how to use them. Duct tape won’t cut it.
14. Using Mirrors to Spot Threats – Check for looters, wild animals, or incoming hazards while maintaining your pace.
15. Driving Through Debris – Angle your tires to push over small rubble, not absorb it.

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3 DIY Gasless Driving Hacks

Running out of gas out here isn’t a maybe — it’s a when. Here’s how to squeeze the most out of your options:

1. Solar Still for Fuel Recovery

In the heat of Nevada, old fuel tanks and gas cans can leak or evaporate. If you come across abandoned vehicles, use a siphon tube and a solar still to extract residual fuel. Lay out a black tarp inside the trunk or rear bed, create a funnel with tubing, and place a container underneath. The sun’s heat can help recover vapors and tiny fuel remnants over hours. Slow? Yes. Lifesaving? Also yes.

2. Gravity-Fed Fuel System

When dealing with older vehicles (carbureted engines, mostly), you can rig a gravity-fed fuel system using a hanging fuel container. Mount it higher than the engine and connect it with fuel line tubing. It’s crude, but it works — especially when your fuel pump is shot or power’s gone.

3. Biofuel Burn Conversion

If you find cooking oil or animal fat (yes, it happens on ranch roads), you can blend it with residual diesel to power older diesel engines. It’s dirty and smelly, but enough heat and filtration will get the engine running in an emergency. Don’t try this on modern engines unless you want to turn your vehicle into a lawn ornament.

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Final Thoughts from the Driver’s Seat

Disaster doesn’t send an RSVP. When it strikes, Nevada’s roads become survival tests, not transportation systems. You won’t have time to plan once things go wrong — so you plan now.

Load your vehicle like your life depends on it — because it will. Keep water, a field repair kit, spare tires, fuel canisters, and navigation tools within reach. Practice your skills. Know your roads. Trust no route without proof it’s clear. And above all, when everyone’s panicking and honking and spinning their wheels — you keep calm, shift gears, and drive out.

Because when the highway becomes a war zone, the survivor isn’t the one with the biggest truck — it’s the one who knows how to use it.