Black Rock Desert - Vistas From The Granite Mountains

High up, the Black Rock Desert Playa is visible in the distance. The playa, split from the north by the Black Rock Range, is 1,000 square miles of silted lakebed. Treacherous in the rainy season, scorching hot in the summertime, the Black Rock Desert has a reputation. Today, BLM staff provides tips on enjoying the Black Rock-and surviving to talk about it!

From the Granite Mountain divide, the scenery is spectacular. Looking west across the Smoke Creek Reservoir and desert, the Sierra Nevada comes into view. Snow-capped at Memorial Day, the peaks stand out. On a clear day, Mount Lassen falls within site, just as it did for wagon trains headed into California.

Granite Peak comes to full view under a cloudy sky. In the background, far below, the Smoke Creek Desert remains another remnant of prehistoric Lake Lahontan. That desert lakebed curves toward Pyramid Lake, where today's recreationalists can fish, boat, and camp alongside the large body of fresh water.

Peaks still bear signs of winter. Though semi-arid, the Granite Mountains catch enough snow and moisture to provide ample sustenance for wildlife and livestock. Unless winter lingers, visitors comb these roads and trails from Memorial Day through October. By later deer season, the snowstorms begin.

Late afternoon and gathering clouds change the landscape. Colors shift with lighting and the time of day. Travel from the peaks to the Playa provides long vantages and constant changes. Just outside the BLM conservancy's boundary, the Granite Peak drainage is much a part of the Black Rock and its history.