Angel Lake Road Byway Sometimes called the “highway to heaven” because it rises several thousand feet to the most appropriately and divinely named Angel Lake, the Angel Lake Scenic Byway winds 11.69 miles upward through sagebrush and piñon pine, mountain mahogany, quaking aspen and limber pine. Angel Lake is tucked into a glacial cirque high in the East Humboldt Range, south of the community of Wells along Interstate-80 and 50 miles east of the city of Elko, Nevada. The Humboldts are a young, craggy, and visually spectacular mountain range near the Ruby Mountains. Its scarps and spires have a character that changes with the season. Camping, backpacking and hiking are permitted. The Ruby Crest trail runs south along the west flank of the range. Road conditions can vary greatly in the back-country even during the warmer months. Be sure to call ahead for road conditions. Call the NDOT District offices at: 877.687.6237, or the USFS at 775.752.3357. Angel Lake is my all-time favorite twisty. There are spots on the road barely wide enough to fit two Miatas going in opposite directions. Switch-backs, blind curves and roadside cliff views all are featured on this drive. This is some of the best scenery anywhere in Nevada and perhaps in the West. Bring your thirst for driving and a picnic lunch. You can enjoy your meal lakeside or in designated areas. This is a protected wilderness area and the closest commerce is in the town of Wells some 17 miles north. You're going to love this drive! return to road trip