Final round underway for Nevada Treasures contest

Valley of Fire State Park in Southern Nevada is a finalist in the Las Vegas Territory. Photo: Matthew B. Brown

Historic sites, natural wonders still in the running; vote through May 4

A handful of Nevada attractions and businesses are vying to be named Nevada Treasures in an online social media contest that began in March as part of the Nevada Commission on Tourism’s Discover Your Nevada campaign. Finalists in six categories were announced today by the Nevada Commission on Tourism; the public has until 5 p.m. on Friday, May 4 to cast online votes at discoveryournevada.com.

“This contest was designed to be a fun way to get people talking about Nevada’s most unique treasures,” says Claudia Vecchio, director of the Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs. “We’ve seen people really get behind their favorites, courting online votes and creating a buzz about these treasures. While we’re very interested to see which treasures eventually win, the real value of the contest has been in the remarkable conversations that have been generated. People are talking about what’s available throughout the state.”

People nominated all types of things as Nevada Treasures, from historic sites and natural wonders, but also a photography symposium, restaurants, wineries, and even people.

The contest is wrapping up, with two finalists in each of six categories (which happen to be the six tourism "territories" of Nevada):

• Cowboy Country: Shooting the West — an annual photography symposium in Winnemucca — and the Star Hotel and Restaurant in Elko;

• Indian Territory: The Lost City Museum in Overton and Pyramid Lake in Northern Nevada;

• Las Vegas Territory: The Colorado River and Valley of Fire State Park;

• Nevada Silver Trails: Goldwell Open Air Museum — an open air sculpture park near Beatty — and Sanders Family Winery in Pahrump;

Ely's Nevada Northern Railway is a finalist in the Pony Express Territory. Photo: Matthew B. Brown

• Pony Express Territory: Churchill Vineyards in Fallon and the Nevada Northern Railway in Ely; and

• Reno-Tahoe Territory: Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park in Minden and Thunderbird Lodge National Historic Site on the east shore of Lake Tahoe.