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is a town in Elko County, in northeast Nevada in the western United States. The population was 1,346 at the 2000 census. Wells is located at the junction of U.S. Route 93 and Interstate 80, approximately 50 miles (83 km) east of Elko and is part of the Elko Micropolitan Statistical Area.
along the trail to California. It was subsequently founded as a railroad town along the original Transcontinental Railroad, and was once a stopover for passenger trains. The Humboldt River has its source in springs and a swampy area just west of town which is today called Humboldt Wells. In the late 1800s the town of Humboldt Wells was burning down, and in a frantic plea for help, a telegraph was sent that said, "Wells is burning". After this the town was rebuilt and simply referred to as 'Wells'.
The Lone Star Motel located in Wells was used in the 2001 film Joy Ride for a critical scene.
A 6.0 earthquake occurred near Wells at 6:16 am on February 21, 2008. Because of its proximity of the epicenter, Wells experienced significant damage. The earthquake originated 9 km below the surface, with its epicenter only 12 miles (19 km) distant from Wells, at 41.077, -114.752.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.9 sq mi (17.8 km²), all land.
Wells is located by the intersection of U.S. Route 93 and Interstate 80.