Getaways: Black Rock Desert, beyond Burning Man

Although the Black Rock Desert in northern Nevada flaunts itself in glitzy international fame during the annual Burning Man festival at the end of summer, the rest of the year it quietly beckons savvy adventurers who prefer not to experience this unique landscape with 70,000 other people (“Burners”) who attend the festival each year.

As part of the 1.2 million acres of public land in the Black Rock Desert High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area, the Black Rock offers visitors a singular opportunity to immerse themselves in an environment largely unchanged from when the pioneers struggled across it in the 1800s.

“There’s something for everyone. It’s a beautiful area with the quintessential Nevada landscape,” says Michael Myers, executive director of the Friends of Black Rock-High Rock, an organization dedicated to preserving the area’s distinctive character. It’s also a treasure trove that showcases not only the geological formation of the area, but also the history of its various human inhabitants.

Sprinkled with hot springs, volcanic lava flows, rugged mountains, steep canyons, miles of off-highway vehicle roads along with an immense “playa” that is the remnant of Pleistocene Lake Lahontan, the conservation area is an unspoiled outdoor wonderland just waiting to be explored. Far from a regimented park that guides visitors through a variety of structured landscapes and experiences, it presents unblemished terrain in all of its aboriginal wildness.

You can ride or walk along 900 miles of primitive roads or strike out cross country along the numerous ridge lines and canyons. From April to August most years, you’ll be amazed by dazzling displays of hundreds of species of wildflowers such as rabbitbrush, desert peach, hop-sage, lupine, buckwheat and bitterroot.

For panoramic views that will take your breath away (along with the climb up), you can trek your way to the summits of King Lear, Pahute and Donnelly peaks, which rise between 8,500 and 8,920 feet in elevation. If rock hounding piques your interest, you’re almost assured of finding a tantalizing variety of geodes at the Black Rock Range Geode Mine along with fossils, jasper, opal, petrified wood and myriad more minerals in other locations.

And when the sun goes down, the real show begins as the heavens appear in an awe-inspiring exhibition found only in areas devoid of human light pollution.

For first-timers visiting the area, Myers recommends starting your visit at Soldier Meadows, which provides a great jumping-off spot because of its central location. Tucked between High Rock Canyon and the Black Rock Range 62 miles north of Gerlach, Soldier Meadows is a 500,000-acre working ranch whose first buildings date back to 1865. You can try your hand at panning for gold, fishing, climbing rocks and soaking in ancient warm springs in addition to exploring the surrounding wild country on foot, horseback, bicycle or in an SUV.

Accommodations include RV and camping spaces along with cabins and rooms in the lodge. The lodge offers two meals a day and use of the hot springs.

Myers also suggests driving through High Rock Canyon to Massacre Ranch if you have a dependable four-wheel-drive vehicle. And last, but certainly not least, he emphasizes the uniqueness of the playa.

“Weather permitting, you must drive out on the playa to experience the vastness of the area,” he says.

While accommodations can be found at Soldier Meadows and also in the tiny hamlet of Gerlach, the main gateway town, the majority of visitors are equipped to camp or bunk in an RV. In addition to Soldier Meadows, primitive camp sites can be found in High Rock Canyon, Steven’s Camp, Massacre Ranch and Chimney Reservoir. Many campers simply find random locations without any facilities, such as the middle of the playa, where solitude reigns.

Wherever you camp, it’s critical to be prepared with your own water, food, firewood and appropriate shelter. Because the conservation area is a vast, remote area where services are few and far between, visitors must be prepared to deal with unexpected emergency situations. Before heading into it, be sure you have a copy of the guidelines for camping, along with the Leave No Trace principles, which can be found online at blackrockdesert.org or at the office of Friends of Black Rock-High Rock, 320 Main St., Gerlach.

If you’d prefer a more guided approach to your first Black Rock experience, you can attend one of the many events held throughout the year that include an artist-in-residence reception, the Gerlach Chili Cookoff, a national public lands event and the Perseid Meteor Shower Campout. The Black Rock Rendezvous offers an especially family-friendly introduction to the area with tours, speakers and stewardship projects over the Memorial Day weekend.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

The general rule of thumb for safe travel in the national conservation area is meticulous preparation so that you have all you need to survive. Although space doesn’t permit listing all of the safety precautions, the following are some fundamental rules:

- Let someone know where you’re going and when you’ll be back.

- Be prepared for drastically changing weather conditions. Monitor the weather daily.

- Do not drive on the playa when it’s wet, or you will become stuck.

- Bring all the necessary supplies you need plus extra in case of an emergency.

- Be aware that there is no cellphone service.

- Drive a high-clearance vehicle, preferably four-wheel-drive, with off-road tires.

- Have maps of the area before setting out.

One of the best ways to be prepared for your Black Rock adventure is to take advantage of the plethora of information that’s available. You can get up-to-the-minute information about conditions by calling Friends of Black Rock-High Rock at 775-557-2900, checking their website or stopping by their office in Gerlach. Although much of the information on the Burning Man website, burningman.org, is geared to Burners, you can also find a lot of general details about the area that are useful to anyone who is planning to visit.

So now that you’re packed and ready to go, it’s easy to begin your Black Rock outing by starting from Reno, which is about 100 miles from Gerlach.

Go east on Interstate 80 for 28 miles and then take Exit 43 to Wadsworth and Pyramid Lake. From there, go north 1 mile to Wadsworth and turn left, staying on Highway 447 to Gerlach.

Once you leave I-80, let yourself sink into the primitive desert landscape as it unfolds on your journey north. By the time you reach Gerlach, you should have left your cares behind and prepared yourself to embrace the adventure that awaits.