Nevada’s mountainous desert landscapes are made for adventure

Just beyond the dazzling city lights of Las Vegas and Reno lie Nevada’s wide-open landscapes, outdoor playgrounds that beckon adventure-lovers of all ages and activity levels.

Nevada is a high desert region of the western United States with vistas that seem to stretch to infinity. Rugged snow-capped mountains, towering alpine forests, deep blue lakes, rocky cliffs, dramatic canyons, unexpected sand dunes and wild, raging rivers comprise the terrain of America’s seventh largest state.

A surprise to many is the fact that Nevada is the most mountainous state in America with at least 314 mountain ranges and peaks. Mountain ranges crisscross the state, many accessible by smooth, uncrowded highways that take the traveler over mountain passes and through deep valleys.

Adventures in Nevada are sky-high, including hang gliding, parasailing, sky-diving and bungee jumping. Backcountry adventures offer horseback riding, snowshoeing and snowmobiling, heli-skiing, hunting and fishing, including ice fishing; and watching wild horses and burros roam the range, an exciting activity that nearly anyone can enjoy.

Las Vegas offers spectacular rock-climbing — with or without a guide — at Red Rock Canyon within sight of resorts on the famous Strip skyline. The area is also a popular mountain-biking and hiking destination, with more than 30 miles of trails ranging from beginner to advanced difficulty. Valley of Fire State Park is another breathtaking destination near Las Vegas. The bright red desert sand and dramatic geologic formations are stunning sights, easily accessible by hiking and biking trails.

In Reno, Nevada’s second largest metropolitan area, kayakers can slalom race on the whitewater rapids of the Truckee River as it flows through the brightly lighted downtown hotel-casino district. Mountain-bikers can explore Peavine Mountain, a popular spot to explore the hundreds of miles of trails only a few minutes from Reno.

Reno is only an hour’s drive from Lake Tahoe, one of the world’s deepest alpine lakes and a world-class ski and snowboarding area with more than two dozen alpine and cross-country ski resorts, snowmobiling, snowshoeing and other winter sports. Lake Tahoe, nestled in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, straddles the border of Nevada and California, with ski resorts in both states and resort hotel-casinos on the Nevada side.

Lake Tahoe is also home to hiking and biking trails with some of the most stunning views of the lake and surrounding mountains visitors will find in Northern Nevada. The Tahoe Rim Trail that circles Lake Tahoe high above the lake level at 16,000 feet is a 165-mile loop with many easily-accessed trails of all difficulty levels.

Most of Nevada’s 70.2 million acres are sparsely populated or uninhabited, and the state has only two metropolitan areas, Las Vegas and Reno, separated by 446 miles, which is why the state is known as a wide-open wilderness with countless adventures and exciting vacation destinations.

To find out more, visit TravelNevada.com.