Fort Churchill to Wellington is in west-central Nevada ten miles east of Carson City. The eastern terminus is near Fort Churchill State Historic Park off US 95A. The byway heads west to Dayton and then south to end at the junction with NV 208 near Wellington. It follows NV 2B, Como, Sunrise Pass, and Upper Colony Roads for a total of 67 miles. The roads vary from relatively smooth gravel to rough dirt roads. The graveled sections are mostly two lanes while the rougher segments are single lane with steep grades. A four-wheel drive vehicle is necessary to complete the byway; a two-wheel drive, high-clearance vehicle can travel most of the route. Most of the byway is passable year-round. The portion through the Pine Nut Mountains is usually closed in winter.
Fort Churchill State Historic Park is the site of a military establishment that was erected in 1860 to defend settlers and riders of the Pony Express Trail. The stone buildings were used for less than a decade and abandoned in 1869. The fort once had more than 60 buildings; the remains invite exploration. A visitor center has more information on the history of the fort.
Leaving the fort, you continue west along the banks of the Carson River, retracing the Pony Express Trail for 21 miles. From Dayton, the byway heads south across the rugged Pine Nut Mountains. This region is home to wild horses, mountain lions, mule deer, bobcats, and coyotes. Once across the mountains, the route smoothes out a bit and continues south to Wellington.
Camping facilities can be found in Fort Churchill SHP and Dayton State Park. The ten-site campground and picnic area in Dayton SP were built on the site of Rock Point Quartz Mill, which dates to 1861.