Exploring Nevada’s High Desert After Burning Man

On the first Monday in September, Burning Man’s Black Rock City disappears as quickly as it arrived. The art comes down, streets vanish, and Nevada’s Black Rock Desert returns to silence. If you came for any part of the nine-day event, stay afterward to explore the scenic side of northern Nevada, gaze at star-studded night skies, and admire remote rural landscapes.

Starting in the post-Burning Man dry lakebed known as the Playa, head a short distance farther into the desert to reach Fly Ranch, a nature sanctuary protecting geothermal terraces, wetlands, and pockets of vivid green that create an oasis-like environment. Fly Geyser is the main draw, with its geothermal waters that have created a mound covered in colorful algae. Book a guided nature walk to see the impressive geyser and large-scale art installations along the way.

Less than a half hour away by car, the town of Gerlach can get crowded with Burners immediately after the festival. Despite this, it remains a practical place to refuel before driving deeper into Nevada’s open country.

If stargazing is on your list and you’re willing to commit to a long, empty stretch of road, keep heading north to Massacre Rim Dark Sky Sanctuary. The dark skies are best enjoyed by pulling off onto the public land, maintained by the Bureau of Land Management, for dispersed camping. Only do so if you can be fully self-sufficient—there are no guest services or visitor centers, potable water isn’t available, and the weather turns quickly. Yet if conditions line up, you’ll be watching the Milky Way brighten over a horizon that stays dark in every direction. For more structure, Massacre Ranch and Stevens Camp are first-come, first-served recreation areas. Each has a small public-use cabin and stripped-back campsites with basic vault toilets.

The Black Rock Desert–High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area allows hiking across its 800,000 acres. Depending on the path you take, you can see volcanic ridges or narrow canyons, or walk in the footsteps of early explorers. Camping is allowed in many areas, and it can be as simple as finding a flat spot with a view. If you’ve got four-wheel drive, high clearance, and extra time, aim for High Rock Canyon. The dramatic, nature-sculpted canyon is home to some of the best dark skies in the West, with cliffs that seem to frame the dazzling stars above. It is a reminder of how much the night sky can illuminate the world.

On your way out, consider a stop at one of the area’s four primary hot springs: Black Rock Springs, Double Hot Springs, Soldier Meadows Hot Springs, and Trego Hot Springs. All are picturesque, but the waters are generally too hot to enter.

Once you’re ready to leave Black Rock, drive toward Pyramid Lake, about 35 miles northeast of Reno. The blue water can look unreal against the surrounding sagebrush. Non-tribal visitors need a permit for day use or camping, available through Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe permit outlets, including the museum and visitor center.

While you can swim at the lake, it is best approached as a peaceful place to relax for the day. Score a camping permit to wake up to golden sunlight rising on the lake’s striking tufa formations.

In the late afternoon, continue to Reno, where you’ll trade rolling desert hills for blinking neon lights. After days of silence and solitude, travelers may appreciate the city’s hip bars and old-school casinos. But that doesn’t mean Nevada’s wide-open spaces are no more, as Reno can be your gateway to more of Nevada’s natural destinations, from the snow-capped Ruby Mountains to the dazzling ridgelines of Great Basin National Park.