We arrived to this exceptionally remote location to find no one around, and our first vision was a dog in the bed of a truck that was caged in. Proper signage might have kept us from seeing that, but I think I would rather know the strange things in back driveways! The rooms were all unlocked, and our door even had a HOLE in it that led to the outside! We wondered who would be looking in! When we opened the microwave, we find a dirty cup with nasty coffee stuck inside. We were not even asked for ID or to sign-in. The locks did not offer the safety one would require in such a remote location without cellular service or a telephone in the cabin. Then we noticed MANY DEAD insects in window sills and spider webs in the kitchen and main room (all down the corner behind the door). It looked as though they had not even taken a broom through it even though we had made reservations prior to our stay. They required us to pay in full with a credit card upfront and know we know why. DO NOT PAY until you see the place... better yet, don't bother to make the drive. The animals around were the only redeeming quality. We had to make the decision not to stay for the safety of our family. The reading material only made our decision more complete: "How NOT to Get RAPED or MUGGED" was one title, and several others about serial killers, etc... They are still holding on to our money and saying we never showed up. These pictures prove we were there!

I have often wondered, when I drive through the desert, who or what is up there in the small green cracks of the faraway hills?
One answer is the Old Pioneer Garden Country Inn. It looks like it was once a sheep or cattle ranch, there is a history of Basque sheep-herding in the area. There is a creek running through the property with at least 3 buildings that serve as accommodations. They do keep some sheep for themselves as well as Nubian goats, geese, 2 dogs, and at least 1 cat. I got to feed one of the kid goats. Fun!
It's about 18 miles from I80 and worth the drive. Your car will get dusty the last few miles on a dirt road. Watch out for cattle.
My mom and I stayed 1 night in the "field house" which we had to ourselves but actually has at least 4 bedrooms. It doesn't look like much from the outside but it is so nice inside. I loved sitting on the front porch, especially in the morning. Lots of birds and bunnies.
As 1 reviewer said, the house was rather stuffy in the evening when we arrived. We opened all of the windows (screened) in our room and Dave, the owner, turned on the swamp cooler and ceiling fans so it cooled down w/in the hour. We slept comfortably. I loved the bathroom: big, claw-foot tub and separate shower.
We also got to check out one of the other houses that a group of guests had stayed in together. It had a game/movie room downstairs with a nice pool table and the rest of the house was very charming. A great place if you have a group of people.
The breakfast was wonderful, delicious, cooked by Mitzi, Dave's mom. We ate outside with the other guests. It was a great first morning of our trip.
Dave was very helpful in helping us plan the next day of our journey towards Minnesota. He brought out his road atlas and gave us good advise on where to stop the next night.
My mom loved it too. We will definitely return. I would like to stay longer next time.
So peaceful.
p. s. If you are coming from the west, check out Rye Patch Dam. There is a shaded picnic area with access to the river (Humboldt) close by. A nice place to cool off on a hot day. $7 entrance fee.

Based on the descriptions of the Old Pioneer Garden Inn as a bed & breakfast, my wife had a mental picture of a quaint country inn with bedrooms upstairs. The best way to describe this is not as a B&B; as the sign on the fence says it's a guest ranch.

We arrived around 8:30 p.m. & the owner, Dave, got in his truck & led the way down the dirt road a bit to the house we were using. The location was well out into the countryside on the dirt road & it was beautiful and quiet. We arrived around dusk, which I would not recommend to other travelers because it was difficult to know when we were getting close to our destination. There is absolutely no GPS, or cell phone reception out there, so call for directions before you go; Dave gave us directions to bypass the primitive country road the GPS route gave us traveling eastbound on I-80.

Our house had a big eat-in kitchen and cozy living room with 2 couches. Although there was no Internet or cable tv, there were plenty of board games, a small tv with VCR, video cassettes & a radio. The kitchen was equipped with a big refrigerator & freezer, gas stove & microwave, but no pots & pans. We'd recommend bringing microwaveable dinners for convenience sake or making arrangements to eat at the main house. My wife and I had the master bedroom with a queen sized bed and en suite bathroom, complete with claw foot bathtub & a separate shower. Our boys had a room with a queen bed and a twin bed in an alcove off the bedroom, again with an attached bathroom with a shower.

The downside to staying in the country is that there are the inevitable problems with the plumbing, insects & dust. The beds were comfortable, but the house was hot when we arrived & it didn't cool off for hours. We could get a great cross breeze by opening the doors & windows in the various rooms, however, that invited every moth & beetle in the countryside into the house. There was an AC unit, but it was located in the kitchen & didn't reach the bedrooms; the ceiling fans in the bedrooms helped, but it was still warm inside. We eventually turned off the lights & opened up the house anyway & it cooled off overnight to a pleasant temperature.

The next morning, we drove to the hosts' house for a delightful breakfast. We walked through the gate past fields with goats, chickens & geese to see a charming picnic table nestled under a tree. The breakfast was delicious & plentiful, with many of the foods coming from their farm. After breakfast, our kids fed the goat kids their bottles, then we said our goodbyes & headed out.

We really did enjoy our stay & would recommend this to our friends & families traveling through the area, especially those who enjoy camping &/or country living. It's a great place to plan to stay for a few days to relax & get away from the pressures of city living; without cell phone interruptions or the lure of Facebook, it was very peaceful & relaxing.

It was hard to decide to write this review, as I want to keep this little gem of a secret all to myself! On a whim, we drove from Reno to Unionville (about a 3 hour trip) on a Sunday afternoon after seeing an article about it in the Reno Gazette Journal. We arrived at the inn unannounced and were accomodated graciously by Dave, the owner's son. We had a two bedroom house all to ourselves for $95.00. The house was rustic but clean, not too fancy, but very inviting and welcoming. It was furnished comfortably with everything one might need for an extended stay: washer/dryer, full kitchen, plenty of movies and books. Outside, seating for enjoying a quiet cup of coffee (with an audience of curious blue-bellied lizards looking on)` while watching the sunrise and the great horned owl come back from a night of hunting. The peace and quiet of the place is unsurpassed, and the natural beauty incredible. The next morning we were treated to a scrumptious homemade breakfast (made by the owner, 90 year old Mitzi!) with the most heavenly waffles I think I've ever had. Afterwards, we were allowed to return the favor by feeding the two 17 day old goats their breakfast! What a delight for us "city folks"!

If you are looking for the ultimate in unplugging, you won't do better than this. But, shhhhh...it really should stay our little secret!