Jim:
I’m a former Army Ranger living in Salt Lake City, Utah and I’ve been considering Nevada as my bug out / retreat location. I was wondering if you had any resources regarding land for sale or lease in the area north or south of Elko. Any information would be most appreciated. Keep up the outstanding work on the Blog. I love it and read it every day, Thank You and God Bless., – Jason
JWR Replies: As mentioned in my book Rawles on Retreats and Relocation, rather than the Elko area, I recommend the Jarbidge, Nevada area. Jarbidge is in Elko County, but nowhere near the city of Elko. It is about 75 miles north of Interstate-80, just short of the Idaho state line. In my opinion, the city of Elko is too dry and not strategically located. Ely is a bit more off the beaten path, but as previously mentioned in SurvivalBlog, there are two prisons located near Ely, including one of Nevada’s two maximum security prisons, housing the state’s most dangerous inmates. In contrast to Elko and Ely, Jarbidge has plentiful open water sources, and is presumably remote enough to avoid the onslaught of the Golden Horde from California. If you like isolated retreat locales, then Jarbidge is a fine choice. The hunting there–especially along the edge of the Jarbidge Wilderness area–is excellent. (Including mule deer and elk.) Not many properties change hands in and around Jarbidge, so you have to watch the market carefully–or better yet have an agent in Elko County watch it for you. One other proviso: There is currently a legal battle in progress in the Jarbidge region over water rights. Be sure that you will receive deeded water rights before you buy property there.
There is currently a 3,700 acre cattle ranch for sale south of Charleston, Nevada (in the sagebrush country about 20 miles south of Jarbidge) but I prefer partially-timbered areas that are father north, around the town of Jarbidge. I don’t know any real estate agents in that area personally, but I’ve heard that Paul and Lori Bottari of Bottari Real Estate (in Wells, Nevada) are reputable and quite knowledgeable. OBTW, I suggest that you resist the urge to look in or around the Ruby Mountains unless you have a big budget. Sadly, the Californians have enormously driven up the land prices around Lamoille and the Ruby Mountains. That area is also uncomfortably close to the I-80 corridor.
OBTW, if the main appeal of Nevada for you is the lack of income tax (rather than its proximity to Salt Lake City), then I would instead direct you to the Star Valley of western Wyoming. The Star Valley is much nicer than anywhere in Nevada. And, like Nevada (but unlike Utah and Idaho), Wyoming has no personal income tax! (Again, see my book Rawles on Retreats and Relocation for details.)