Nevada includes a geographic area called “basin and range,” characterized by narrow mountain ranges separated by dry valleys, called basins. This topography results in Route 50 views such as those in these photos.
One explanation of basin and range topography is that the crust of the earth in this area is gradually expanding and therefore thinning. This type of geologic change proceeds very slowly, so you have plenty of time to decide whether you agree.
Much of Nevada is also in an area called the Great Basin, which includes parts of Utah, Oregon, and California, as well as, of course, Great Basin National Park. Because of the geography of the Great Basin, water that falls out of the sky and into it can not reach any ocean.