July 14 - Black Rock Desert & Pyramid Lake

Saturday morning, I drove south along the road that lines the west edge of the east "Y" branch of the playa, and then back southwest over empty playa which is the bottom of the "Y", for a total of 35 miles back to pavement. On the way, I went past one of the only 3 small groups of people I saw my entire time in this desert.

Leaving the playa, I filled up in Empire (just south of Gerlach), and headed south along Nevada 447 to Pyramid Lake, named (I believe) for its pyramid-shaped island. Because the lake is on a reservation, I had to first pick up a $5 access permit in the town of Nixon. Along the east coast of the lake are large rock formations that look just like giant cow turds.

I spent the rest of the day heading east on the "Loneliest Highway" (it even says so on the street signs) through central Nevada on Route 50, to Ely, where I spent the night.