Valley of Fire State Park

Know Before You Go

Simply put, Nevada’s a big place. As the seventh-largest state, the Silver State calls travelers to traverse thousands of miles of open highways and chase some dirt-road horizons. 

Naturally, with that much adventure waiting for you, there’s a bit to know before you go off exploring what Nevada’s known for. Get the ins, outs, overs, and in-betweens of exploring the Weirdest, Wildest West.

What to Know Before Visiting Nevada

So, what is Nevada known for? For starters, it’s one of the most iconic metropolitan areas on Earth. Then, of course, beyond that neon glow, there are all the can’t-believe-it’s-really a desert and mountainscapes, dotted with surreal parks and bubbling hot springs, lit up by the brightest stars in the darkest skies, and other unforgettable things that make this place so damn special.

black rock hot springs
Black Rock Hot Springs

Discover Nevada’s biggest pocket of parks and initiate some serious resting relaxation face at some of Nevada’s state and national parks, remembering to always leave these sensitive pristine places better than you found them—and to help keep ‘em that way by never geo-tagging them on social media.

Much like fuel stations, restrooms and drinking water, access to cell service can be a bit scattered in some rural parts of the state. Map out your #NVRoadTrip with gas stations, night stops, and be extra safe by letting someone know where you’re venturing, plus when you plan to come back. Basically, call your mom. Oh, and speaking of your parents… forget what they told you. Out here, one of the first things to know about Nevada is that talking to strangers won’t simply shape the way you experience the places you visit, it may just make your whole damn trip.

night sky at sand mountain recreation area
Sand Mountain Recreation Area

Fancy an off-grid dip? Before you head out to Nevada’s natural hot springs, be sure to brush up on what to know before you go soaking. What about checking out hundreds of Nevada ghost towns, or trying your hand at rockhounding as you sink your pick axe into natural gemstones like turquoise, garnets or black fire opal? When you ditch that pavement, abide by Nevada’s Dirt Road Code so you can get after that unfenced, backcountry action safely, legally, and while moving the Nevada story forward.

visitor at rhyolite ghost town
Rhyolite Ghost Town

What is Nevada Known For?

Mountains of Snow and Valleys of Fire

When you hear the word “Nevada,” what do you picture? The glitz and glam of the Las Vegas Strip’s five crazy, glowing miles? You bet. Maybe a few flying saucers whirring around Area 51. Sure thing. And the sublime, crystal-clear waters of Lake Tahoe? Of course. But dip beneath the surface and you’ll find some other intriguing sides of Nevada, like the side where Wild West history and 1870s opulence collide with rip-roaring races and rowdy saloons in Virginia City. Or a side that captivates boulderers and multi-pitch leaders with the kind of routes and scenery rock climbing dreams are made of. Maybe it’s the side marked by jagged, sky-high peaks tempting heli skiing with untouched lines through virgin powder. Whatever it is, And once you’ve gotten here, you’ll be on our side for good.

angel lake
Angel Lake

#TravelNevada

Wanna help us show off your side of Nevada? Use #TravelNevada and share your favorite discoveries. If we love your photo, look for it here.

Have you ever visited a ghost town? 

Nelson, site of the most successful gold mining boom in southern Nevada, housed Techatticup mine, famous for being one of the most lawless mining towns of its time, that even law enforcement avoided it completely. 

A spontaneous stop turned out to be one of the most exciting places we visited in Nevada. This stunner, North American T-28B Trojan/Bu, is not an actual crashed plane but stored dismantled at the mine, making this ghost town 100x cooler ✈️

#travelnevada #nevadacounty #usaroadtrip #roadtripusa #beautifuldestinations #sheisnotlost #mytinyatlas #journeysotgirls #womentravel #nevadaadventures #nevadahiddengems #artofvisuals #usatravel #usatrip #travelphotography #travelblogger #discoverunder20k #travelgram #traveldiaries #traveldeeper #escapecreate #thatauthenticfeeling #damestravel #ladieswhotravel #earthfocus #nevadastate #hiddengems
‘𝙵𝚊𝚛𝚖𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚍 𝙰𝚖𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚌𝚊’
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#nikon #nikonphotography #nikonz7ii #nikonphoto #nikonusa #nikonphotographer #nikontop #horse #horses #horsesofinstagram #horseriding #sunset #sunsetlovers #sunsetphotography #farmlife #farmlifestyle #farming #farmersfeedtheworld #farmers #lifeisgood #lifeisbeautiful #liveforthestory #lifeofadventure #lifeofadventures #adventureseeker #lifeiswhatyoumakeit #wanderlust #wanderer #wanderlusting #visitfallon
Textures of the Nevada desert. Ive been away from Instagram for a little while but I’m back now so you’ll be seeing a lot from my recent adventures across the Southwest

#southwestusa #nevadadesert #roadtrippers #desertvibes #hellofrom #texturesinnature #gameoftones #desertphotography #nikonz
Exploring the remnants of an old 1800s ghost mining town in Nevada with Granny. #nevada #travelnevada #ghosttown #mining
A beautiful morning with a few of my favorites.

#justagirlandhercamera #nikon #women_photographyworldwide #throughthelookingglass #rebels_united #nikoncreator #dianebedellphotography #worldshares #travelnevada #desertcompanion #valleyoffire
https://nvtami.com/2024/01/23/northern-washoe-county-ghost-towns-Spring is the prettiest time to visit ghost towns. 
Camp Denio was my favorite stop on last spring's trip to northern Washoe County. 
William “Billie” Denio homesteaded in this remote location. It is known as Camp Denio and Billie Denio’s Place.
I love it when I find little treasures. I didn’t expect to find an old photo of Denio Camp, but I came across it at the Library of Congress. The title is “Camp Denio, 5 Miles From Scene of Murder, 1911.” The photo was part of a series depicting the Battle of Kelley Creek between Native Americans and law enforcement.
Gorgeous scenery, historic buildings and a murder? One I finish my current project, this is on the top of new articles to write!
Gorgeous scenery, historic buildings and a murder? Once I finish my current project, this is on the top of new articles to write!

Learn more information at the link below under Northern Washoe County Ghost Towns. 

#nvmag #travelnevada #nevadaghosttown #ghosttownsofnevada #nevadaghosttowns #wildnevada #abandonednevada #nevadaghosttownsandbeyond #explore_nevada #nevadabackroads
#nevada #explorenevada #homemeansnevada #lostnevada #nevadaexploring #nevadamines #silverstate #nevadahistory
#ghosttowns #ghosttownsofamerica #roadlesstraveled #ghosttown #mines
@ramonasfly image
Officially survived my first week in McGill, Nevada. Small town living has been quiet and relaxing so far. There are 847 people in this town. My job with Schellraiser Festival keeps me busy and I've got to meet some of White Pine Countys movers and shakers! I've compiled a list of things you must love in order to thrive in rural Nevada living:
1. Must love rocks
2. HOT SPRINGS (photoed is only 1.5 hours from my place 😈)
3. Hiking
4. Off-roading
5. Arrowheading (catch and release of course)
6. Hunting/fishing 
7. Ghost towns 
8. Camping 
9. Dark skies and bright stars
10. You really have to love rocks.

Can you think of anything else to add??

#canonrebelt6 #exploretocreate #howtonevada #adventureon #picoftheday  #naturegram #naturalnevada #picoftheday #onlyinnevada #girlswhoexplore #howtonevada #adventuregram #exploretocreate #lovewhereyoulive #nevadaisboring #dfmi  #nvhotsprings#nevada
Wrapping up #NationalParkWeek with an incredible lesser-known park that we visited for the first time last year.

📍Great Basin National Park (Nevada)

Great Basin isn't a national park that you hear a whole lot about, but we were so impressed!

⛺We visited in August 2023 and camped in Wheeler Peak Campground within the park. The campground is at the top of Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive, sitting at 9,500 feet above sea level. This has been one of our all-time favorite camping experiences. The sites were well-spaced, and the views were incredible! We also liked that we could walk from our campsite to the trailhead for several of the Wheeler Peak area trails. 

🥾During our visit, we went on two hikes in the Wheeler Peak area. We hiked the Alpine Lakes Loop trail the afternoon/evening we arrived and enjoyed some sunset views on the trail. The next morning, we hiked the Glacier Trail, which also took us past Bristlecone Grove.

🔦Great Basin NP is home to Lehman Caves. The only way to tour the caves is by purchasing a ticket for a ranger-led tour. Two tours are offered. We chose the longer one, which was 90 minutes long. While it's not the biggest or the longest cave we've been in, I felt like it had some of the most impressive cave formations!

Photos
1) Hiking the Glacier Trail
2-3) On our Lehman Caves tour
4-6) Hiking the Alpine Lakes Loop Trail
7-9) Hiking the Glacier Trail and Bristlecone Grove
10) Our campsite at Wheeler Peak Campground
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#greatbasinnationalpark #wheelerpeak #wheelerpeakcampground #themountainsarecalling #bristleconepine #nationalparkgeek #national_park_photography #travelnevada #explorenevada
There are good dogs, and then there’s Olive… Fish spotter extraordinaire.
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