Photo of John Collett taken by Larry Burton
Cowboy John Tours, LLC, showcases Elko to small businesses, partnerships, and corporations doing business locally.
Cowboy John,
“Currently I tour prospective employees of Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital, Elko Family Medical Dental, the Elko Regional Airport, and attendees and media for the Western Folklife Center. These tours help businesses promote themselves to prospective employees by showing the variety of activities and interests that make up Elko and the surrounding area. Businesses also offer my tours as an added bonus or reward to special employees and administrative staff.
“I’m the son of Dr. George Collett who, along with other physicians established both the Elko Medical Clinic and Elko General Hospital, so I am familiar with the town of Elko.
I also have in-depth background in the ranching culture. During summers since I was 7 years old I worked and lived on a remote cattle ranch in Rowland, Nevada, haying meadows using teams of horses, and riding for cattle on the desert between Nevada and Idaho.
“As an insurance agent for over 40 years, many of those years spent in Elko, I worked with businesses throughout northeastern Nevada, and insured many business and ranch owners. I’m a past president of Elko JC’s, Elko Lions Club, and Desert Sunrise Rotary and have been a tour guide for the Western Folklife Center, Home of the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, since its inception.”
“I am familiar with Elko and the surrounding area, but my tours focus mainly on the culture of the area, and the people who form the independent way of life you find here. I know the people. I know the area. I am your local Tour Guide.”
Elko appears to be in the middle of nowhere. Driving through northern Nevada the country looks empty, desolate, and lonely so people assume Elko has little to offer.
Leave the freeway, though, and the Ruby Mountains south of town, take your breath away, with winter heli-skiing/snowmobiling, and sledding. In summer, creeks and streams rush down steep granite slopes carpeted in quaking aspen and alpine wildflowers.
North of Elko the Great Basin stretches to Idaho with flower-covered hills dropping into deep, hidden lava canyons. (We’re talking remote Bruneau and Jarbidge rivers—horse/four-wheel country, places where you don’t trust your GPS!)
Old mining towns Jarbidge and Tuscarora are great for a day’s drive, or longer if you want to stay over, and Tuscarora houses some of the finest artists in our nation; many who open their studios during the year. You can see real wild horses (mustangs) around watering holes in open country, and cattle ranches. If you like outdoor adventure Nevada has it in spades!
Wild Horses
The area was settled by savvy cattle and sheep ranchers whose innovative, creative spirits developed the vibrant community of art and education: our National Cowboy Poetry Gathering (The Western Folklife Center) was the first in the U.S., and both the first Community College (now, Great Basin Community College) and the University system in the state of Nevada began here.
Cowboy John at the Folklife Center
Our Boys’ and Girls’ Club has a thriving program for young people, and Elko’s center is activities for children, with many ball fields, swimming pool, tennis courts, and Basque park, along with two high schools, middle and elementary schools, and two golf courses. We have a Peace Park, the Ruby Mountain Symphony, and the Northeastern Nevada Museum, and we’re the home of the California Trail Interpretive Center.
Cowboy John toured prospective dental candidate Dr. Jake Butler and wife Heather (photo below) around Elko, April, 2015, for the Nevada Medical Center. The tour included the Western Folklife Center’s black box movie, “Why The Cowboy Sings,” quilt show at the California Trail Center, Boys and Girls Club, area businesses, and Thomas Canyon in the Ruby Mountains. They also attended the Health and Wellness Fair in the Convention Center and the Sheepherders’ Ball in the Basque Clubhouse. Cowboy John Collett is available for business, and personal tours of the area and also operates a shuttle service for hikers of the Ruby Crest Trail.”
Dr. Jake Butler with his wife Heather
Elko is home to many excellent restaurants, Luciano’s (Italian), The Star Hotel and Toki Ona (Basque), Machi’s (American), and Flying Fish (sushi/American). Cowboy Joe is the downtown coffee spot, McAdoo’s, lunch/dinner, Anacabe’s Elko Merchandise, original Basque family owner, Cedar Creek Clothing, What2Wear, women’s clothing, and J.M. Capriola, the working cowboy store, plus our full-service hospital Northern Nevada Regional Medical Center.
Elko General Merchandise, Elko, NV
Just in June so far Elko has celebrated California Trail Days, the Mining Expo, the Motorcycle Jamboree, Lamoille Country Fair, Museum Duck Race, Ruby Mountain Relay/Lamoille Canyon Marathon, and the Lamoille Country Fair. Still to come in July and August are the National Basque Festival, Art in the Park, Angel lake Kids Fishing Derby, Wells Car Show, Elko County Fair & Horse Races, and Jarbidge Days.
Cowboy Joe Coffee, Elko, NV
CUSTOM TOURS CAN BE ARRANGED
Jarbidge (remote, mining town), Tuscarora (artist galleries, mining town), Mustang horses, and Small Business, Parternship, and Corporate Tours.
Call us at, 1.775.385.9923 for information.
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