The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake struck around 4:03 a.m. about 35 miles outside Tonopah, east of the Sierra Nevada range and roughly three hours from Las Vegas.
The quake's depth was estimated to be 4.7 miles deep.
The USGS also reported several aftershocks in the western Nevada area, including a 5.1 temblor and several others measuring between 4.0 and 5.0.
People in California and Salt Lake City, Utah tweeted that they felt the quake.
The Esmeralda County Sheriff's Office in Nevada released photos showing massive cracks in Highway 95, a section of which was shut down as a result of the quake damage.