Skip to Main Content

Schurz, Nevada: Shoe Tree (Gone)

An old-timer shoe tree with an interesting back story.

Directions:
US 95, on the northbound side, between roughly 4.5 miles south of Schurz, or 29 miles north of the towns of Hawthorne and Babbitt.
Status:
Gone

Visitor Tips and News About Shoe Tree

Reports and tips from RoadsideAmerica.com visitors and Roadside America mobile tipsters. Some tips may not be verified. Submit your own tip.

Shoe Tree

Now defunct. NDOT had the tree bulldozed. A few optimistic soles (haha) have been throwing shoes on a new tree. Nothing like the original.

[SAR, 02/02/2010]

Shoe Tree.

Shoe Tree

It's a dead tree with shoes thrown into it, yes, but the real story behind it is why the shoes are there:

When I was a boy there were a lot more branches and a boat-load more shoes. People have been throwing shoes in that tree since my dad was little and he's 53 now. The reason you are supposed to throw your shoes into that tree is kinda a rite of passage, or more bluntly put, you lost your virginity.

The county cut most the branches off and took all the shoes down when I was 14; it stayed shoe free for like 2 days, and people that had shoes up there before went and threw a new pair up there. That happened twice -- finally the county gave in and just let the shoes stay. Even I have a pair of shoes in that tree somewhere.

That is the story behind the tree.

[Brad McConnell, 11/12/2008]

Shoe Tree.

Shoe Tree

This is a few miles north of Hawthorne, Nevada near Walker lake. It is a dead tree with hundreds of shoes hanging from it. No signs, we didn't stop and ask but we did stop to take pictures.

It has no sign it just appears on the side of the road and you will want to turn around to make sure you saw what you thought you saw.

There is an asphalt parking area around the tree.

[B. Lillis, 07/25/2008]

Shoe tree.

Walker Lake Shoe Tree

The Walker Lake Shoe Tree is another example of this unique American art form. It is along US 95 north of Walker Lake, NV. It has been there for many years, and is a favorite sight as I travel up and down that lonely road.

This is a sparsely-populated area, so it seems to be the home of every discarded shoe from people for miles around. It gets a fresh infusion each year at high school graduation. It stands alone in a pull-off, surrounded by miles of grazing land.

Today, it appeared to have about 100 pairs of shoes, and one new feature - a bra.

[SoccerFanatics, 04/09/2008]
Shoe Tree - Denuded, Reborn

Located in between Schurz and Walker Lake Nevada, this tree was "modified" recently by the wonderful folks from NDOT. We thought this was a horrible downfall and an end to the many interesting selections flung into the great tree. But folks being the way they are here... branches chopped to the "bare bones" now are lovingly redecorated with footwear again! Long live the local Shoe Tree on Highway 95!

[Tinae, 08/10/2007]

Latest Tips Across Roadside America

Catch up on the latest discoveries from the road.

Explore Thousands of Oddball Tourist Attractions!

Unique destinations in the U.S. and Canada are our special obsession. Use our attraction recommendation and maps to plan your next road trip.

My Sights

My Sights on Roadside America

Create Your Own Bizarre Road Trips! ...Try My Sights

Mobile Apps

Roadside America app: iPhone, iPad Roadside America app for iPhone, iPad. On-route maps, 1,000s of photos, special research targets! ...More

Roadside Presidents app: iPhone, iPad Roadside Presidents app for iPhone, iPad. POTUS landmarks, oddities. ...More

Nevada Latest Tips and Stories

Latest Visitor Tips

Sight of the Week

Sight of the Week

Easter Island Moai in America (Mar 25-31, 2024)

SotW Archive

USA and Canada Tips and Stories

More Sightings