Northeast of Reno, along Pyramid Way, this lake makes the perfect daytrip destination

Marnie McArthur, reno.com, tahoe.com
November 9, 2007

Looking for wide open spaces? Follow Pyramid Way from northeast Reno and escape for a day to one of the largest high-desert lakes in the world.

The scenic 35-mile drive passes through ranges of rabbit brush and sage, framed by soft pastel hills spanning the horizon like a watercolor painting in tan, cream, pink and gray. Atop a final rise, the lake appears, a shimmering sheet of blue across a vast valley. The scene is heart-stopping. Pyramid Lake and the surrounding lands exude a unique calmness and otherworldly beauty.

About the Lake
The Paiute Indians have inhabited this land for centuries and the lake is completely contained within their nearly 500,000-acre reservation. The Truckee River ends here after leaving Lake Tahoe, winding through Reno along Hwy 80, entering the reservation at Wadsworth. The lake, which has no outlet, is approximately 27 miles long, 11 miles across, and has a maximum depth of 356 feet.

Day passes
Reasonably priced visitor permits are required for day use, boating, camping and fishing. No hunting or ATVs are allowed on the land. From Pyramid Way (Hwy 445), stop at the Pyramid Lake Store for permits, maps, fishing gear, food items, and a chat with Wilber Smith, a personable old Paiute who knows the land and loves to share its history and stories with visitors. Permits are also available in the Nixon Store and the Visitor’s Center Museum at the south end of the lake.

Depending on your interests, the time of year, and time you have to spend, there are many ways to enjoy Pyramid Lake.

Fishing
From Oct. 1 through June 30, avid anglers come in search of the famous Lahontan Cutthroat Trout, sometimes reaching as much as 40 pounds. For those who wish to stay on dry land, a well-paved road along the west shore north to Warrior Point and south to Nixon is a good way to view the lake, stopping at several scenic pullouts along the way. Many small dirt roads lead to the water’s edge. If you take these, a four-wheel drive vehicle is advised and drivers should be careful of sandy shoulders and deep sand along the beaches.

For more information on fishing at Pyramid Lake, see our Secret Stash here.

Recreation
Most of the shoreline is accessible for walking. An open-range, no-fence policy puts visitors on the honor system to respect the land. Some areas, including the hot springs at the north end of the lake, are now closed except for tribal members. Beaches along the west shore are perfect for swimming, picnicking, and camping in summer, and at least one is designated as a family beach, meaning no alcohol allowed. Boat rentals and fishing charters are available at the Sutcliff Marina.

Services
Bathrooms and trash containers are found at the public beaches but a majority of the land surrounding Pyramid Lake is wilderness. The time-honored standard of pack-it-in, pack-it-out applies, leaving no trace except footprints and taking nothing but photos will protect this beautiful, ancient landscape for all to enjoy.

Museum
The Pyramid Lake Museum on Hwy 446 just outside of Nixon is must-see for most visitors. Even those who come strictly for fishing will learn a lot about the Cutthroat Trout and Cui-ui (koo-yoo-ee), a prehistoric fish found only in Pyramid Lake. The museum houses displays of Native American history and culture, geology, birds and other wildlife, in particular the American White Pelicans that flock in season to Anaho Island near the southeast shore.

Wildlife Refuge
The Anaho Island National Wildlife Refuge is one of the only pelican-nesting sites in North America. Every spring and summer, 8,000 to 10,000 of these magnificent birds make their home on the island. In winter or early spring, you’ll also see many other birds, including California seagulls, double-crested cormorants, great blue herons, golden and bald eagles and more. Visit the Lahontan Audubon Society website for more on birding at Pyramid Lake. www.nevadaaudobon.org

Be sure to bring binoculars for viewing the pelicans from the Sutcliff Marina on the west shore. Or, for a closer look, take a winding and scenic dirt road off of Hwy 447 eight miles east of Nixon. The turn-off, just past Duck Hill, is marked with a sign to the wildlife viewing area. Although it is only seven miles, the drive at 20 miles per hour can take at least an hour round trip.

Tufas
Should you chose this adventure, the destination is a pristine beach nestled in a cove with an up-close-and-personal view of the huge tufa pyramid for which the lake was named. The pyramid stands just a few hundred yards off shore and is a magnificent, awe-inspiring sight. Among many fascinating tufa formations in this area, Stone Mother sits on shore with her basket just south of the pyramid. According to Paiute legend, the lake was formed by her tears as she grieved for lost children and then turned to stone.

Legends aside, the tufa deposits date back 13,000 to 26,000 years to when the entire area was part of the pluvial Lake Lahontan water body that covered much of the northeastern Nevada desert. The tufa mounds, composed of large interlocking spheres, are some of the most spectacular on earth and are thought to have been formed on the bottom of the lake with a combination of calcium from springs and carbonate from lake water.

At sites along the west shore, and particularly near the pyramid, you can view many forms of tufa that resemble heads of broccoli, cauliflower, drip sand castles, and bee hives. The public is asked not to climb, remove, or deface these ancient geological wonders. The Paiute tribe does its best to protect them but the area is so vast that each visitor needs to be a steward of the land. Ben Aleck, collections manager at the Cultural Museum, puts it this way:

“At what other large lake do you have such free access to the shores? We have no fences here and we welcome people to visit. We hope they will respect the lake and the land.”

The two stores where permits are purchased open at 6 a.m. The Visitors Center Museum is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and during the summer on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call (775) 574-1088 for information on educational programs.

Visit the tribal website www.plpt.nsn.us for recreation regulations and detailed information on tufas from the United States Geological Survey.

VIEW THE GALLERY >>