The Black Rock Desert in Northern Nevada is traditionally known as the location of the annual Burning Man celebration, which takes place at the end of August. While nearly 75,000 people travel to the event each year, the rest of the time the desert and its stark but beautiful surroundings are essentially empty of any crowds.
RVers will find the desert and the mountains around the flat playas both intriguingly private and infuriatingly difficult.
Most roads in the area are not paved, there are very few fuel and food stops, and the terrain can be rugged and impassable in parts.
Bring your OHV (off-highway vehicle) for ultimate exploration into the area’s mountains and canyons, and give yourself plenty of time to navigate the backroads.
However, once you get out there, you will most likely be the only person around. Here are a few places you can visit that run the gamut from lonely to social without meeting up with 75,000 of your closest friends.
1. Black Rock City
Black Rock City is where Burning Man is built and then torn down every year. This 400-mile flat stretch of ancient lake bed is totally surreal and a great place for stargazing.
Camping is allowed anywhere on the playa during the year, but you must bring everything with you and minimize any impact on the desert floor. Be careful after rain or snow; the Playa becomes a sticky mud pit that can trap a vehicle.
The Playa is also a great place for some speed tests in your own vehicle. The land speed record of 763 miles per hour was set here in 1997.
2. Planet X Pottery
If you want a little more civilization in this dusty land, visit Planet X Pottery just outside the town of Gerlach. This private residence, event space, and artist community is located in an oasis near the Smoke Creek Desert.
Planet X is totally off the grid and serves as a social center for the vast desert area. Pottery and original paintings can be purchased here all year, and in the summer, the gardens are full of flowers, birds, and art made from leftover items like the satellite-dish-turned-shade-structure shown above.
3. Iveson Ranch
This dude ranch located on Highway 34 features ranch accommodations and RV and tent camping for intrepid travelers who make their way to this remote area. You can bring your own food and eat a communal meal in the ranch’s kitchen. Enjoy horseback riding, hunting, and hiking.
4. Vya and Old Yella Dog Ranch
Vya is a ghost town that closed down in the 1920s. There’s not much to do out here, but the Old Yella Dog Ranch is a great place to enjoy the wide-open Nevada skies. The ranch has a two-bedroom log cabin for rent, and RV parking includes hookups.
Discover More Beyond the Playa
As vast and mysterious as Nevada’s Black Rock Desert may be, the adventures it offers go well beyond the ephemeral cityscapes of Burning Man. Whether you’re testing the limits of speed on the ancient lake bed, exploring the artistic oasis of Planet X Pottery, riding horses at Iveson Ranch, or stargazing at Old Yella Dog Ranch, the desert is a canvas waiting for your personal touch.
