Lovelock Travel Guide

Tourist Guide

The?Thunder Mountain Monument?is a series ofoutsider art?sculptures and architectural forms which were assembled by Frank Van Zant starting in 1969 upon his arrival in?Imlay, Nevada; it is located on a shoulder of?I-80. A WWII veteran from Oklahoma, Frank Van Zant had served with the?7th Armoured Division,[1]?fighting in several campaigns, and been badly burned in a tank battle outside ofLeipzig, Germany.[2]?A self-identified?Creek Indian,[3]he took the?Native American?name Rolling Mountain Thunder after experiencing an?epiphany, and took on the twin but related tasks of both building shelters from the presumed coming apocalypse, and making a?de facto?spiritual haven for spiritual seekers of the?hippie?era. (There is no Thunder Mountain in the vicinity.)The site contains three stone and cement buildings and over 200 cement sculptures variously depicting Native Americans and their protective spirits, massacres, and purported injustices. Thunder Mountain Monument (or Park) is replete with found objects (such as, but not limited to, car hoods, dolls' heads, typewriters, and gas pumps), many of which are incorporated into the buildings themselves; one framework forms a large handle so the Great Spirit could take the building away after Thunder's death.He was long subjected to harassment by the local townspeople, and his site was partially destroyed by arson in 1983, the same year he was named Nevada's Artist of the Year; a heavy cigarette smoker, Rolling Mountain Thunder committed suicide by shooting himself in the head in 1989. His uniquely wrought environment was neglected and subject to vandalism until it was declared a Nevada State Historic Site in the 1990s; it is now under the care of his grown children under the aegis of a State of Nevada Historic Site Restoration Project, and is partially open to the public for self-guided tours.[4]Frank Van Zant has been the subject of two short documentaries.[5] Wikipedia
The?Thunder Mountain Monument?is a series ofoutsider art?sculptures and architectural forms which were assembled by Frank Van Zant starting in 1969 upon his arrival in?Imlay, Nevada; it is located on a shoulder of?I-80. A WWII veteran from Oklahoma, Frank Van Zant had served with the?7th Armoured Division,[1]?fighting in several campaigns, and been badly burned in a tank battle outside ofLeipzig, Germany.[2]?A self-identified?Creek Indian,[3]he took the?Native American?name Rolling Mountain Thunder after experiencing an?epiphany, and took on the twin but related tasks of both building shelters from the presumed coming apocalypse, and making a?de facto?spiritual haven for spiritual seekers of the?hippie?era. (There is no Thunder Mountain in the vicinity.)The site contains three stone and cement buildings and over 200 cement sculptures variously depicting Native Americans and their protective spirits, massacres, and purported injustices. Thunder Mountain Monument (or Park) is replete with found objects (such as, but not limited to, car hoods, dolls' heads, typewriters, and gas pumps), many of which are incorporated into the buildings themselves; one framework forms a large handle so the Great Spirit could take the building away after Thunder's death.He was long subjected to harassment by the local townspeople, and his site was partially destroyed by arson in 1983, the same year he was named Nevada's Artist of the Year; a heavy cigarette smoker, Rolling Mountain Thunder committed suicide by shooting himself in the head in 1989. His uniquely wrought environment was neglected and subject to vandalism until it was declared a Nevada State Historic Site in the 1990s; it is now under the care of his grown children under the aegis of a State of Nevada Historic Site Restoration Project, and is partially open to the public for self-guided tours.[4]Frank Van Zant has been the subject of two short documentaries.[5] Wikipedia
3 day train ride
Surestay Hotel by Best Western Lovelock

Surestay Hotel by Best Western Lovelock

3 out of 5
1420 Cornell Ave Lovelock NV
Fully refundableReserve now, pay when you stay
The price is ₹7,668 per night from 16 Jan to 17 Jan
₹7,668
₹8,588 total
16 Jan - 17 Jan
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this business-friendly hotel in Lovelock. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, free parking and a 24-hour front desk. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean ...
7.8/10 Good! (822 reviews)
Parking outside rooms. Ample available parking. Weren’t able to get room keys but this wasn’t a problem for us as we were only staying the night. Looking to get a good nights sleep and shower. The room had 2 sinks/mirrors, one inside the bathroom and one outside which is convenient if sharing accommodations. ...

Reviewed on 28 Dec 2025

Surestay Hotel by Best Western Lovelock
Royal Inn

Royal Inn

2 out of 5
1435 Cornell Ave Lovelock NV
Fully refundableReserve now, pay when you stay
The price is ₹9,828 per night from 16 Jan to 17 Jan
₹9,828
₹11,007 total
16 Jan - 17 Jan
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this motel in Lovelock. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, free parking and room service. Popular attractions Lovers Lock Plaza and Marzen House Museum are located ...
7.8/10 Good! (318 reviews)
Yes

Reviewed on 13 Dec 2025

Royal Inn
Hotel Lovelock NV I-80

Hotel Lovelock NV I-80

2 out of 5
55 Cornell Ave #248 Lovelock NV
Stay at this motel in Lovelock. Enjoy free breakfast, free Wi-Fi and free parking. Popular attractions Marzen House Museum and Lovers Lock Plaza are located ...
The whole property needs a lot of work. Liked that there was a pizza store on the property

Reviewed on 1 Mar 2020

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Hotel Lovelock NV I-80
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Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Grandview at Las Vegas

Grandview at Las Vegas

3 out of 5
9940 Las Vegas Blvd S Las Vegas NV
Stay at this 3-star family-friendly aparthotel in Las Vegas. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, 5 outdoor pools and 5 hot tubs. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (7,886 reviews)
It was a great stay, we enjoy. The only observation I have is that there was some live roaches in the kitchen and leaving room.

Reviewed on 8 Jan 2026

Grandview at Las Vegas
Tahiti Village Resort & Spa

Tahiti Village Resort & Spa

3.5 out of 5
7200 Las Vegas Blvd S Las Vegas NV
Stay at this spa aparthotel in Las Vegas. Enjoy free parking, a full-service spa and room service. Our guests praise the pool and the helpful staff in their ...
8.4/10 Very Good! (8,541 reviews)
Staff and ease of parking are commendable. Rooms are spacious.

Reviewed on 10 Jan 2026

Tahiti Village Resort & Spa
Palms Place

Palms Place

4.5 out of 5
4381 W Flamingo Rd Las Vegas NV
Stay at this luxury aparthotel in Las Vegas. Enjoy an outdoor pool, a full-service spa and a 24-hour fitness centre. Our guests praise the restaurant and the ...
8.2/10 Very Good! (12,296 reviews)
Nice room. Shower door was hard to close, and glass so it was a little nerve racking

Reviewed on 7 Jan 2026

Palms Place
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Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Popular places to visit

Pershing County Courthouse

After visiting Pershing County Courthouse, make a plan to see the other sights and activities in Lovelock. Visit the area's casinos or simply enjoy its restaurants.

Pershing County Courthouse

Lovers Lock Plaza

Learn about the local history of Lovelock when you spend time at Lovers Lock Plaza. Visit the area's casinos or simply enjoy its restaurants.

Lovers Lock Plaza

Marzen House Museum

You can spend time studying the exhibits at Marzen House Museum during your travels in Lovelock. Visit the area's casinos or simply enjoy its restaurants.

Marzen House Museum