Destination Recreation: Sand Mountain

Start your engines for this installment of Destination Recreation! We’re visiting Sand Mountain before the summer heat arrives.


4,759 acres of awesome riding


Destination: Sand Mountain Recreation Area Adventurer: Jen Stockton
Chosen Activity: Riding my all-terrain vehicle (ATV)

Allure: My family travels to Sand Mountain for Thanksgiving where we spend the holiday speeding around on the sand, exploring the trails, and deep frying our turkey for dinner. Sand Mountain is nearly 600 feet tall, which may be intimidating to some, but there are riding options for all skill levels. You can venture to the top and ride in the super bowl (a giant bowl in the sand that you can circle at top speeds), stick to the lower and mellower dunes, or delve into the trail system that journeys into the high desert. I love visiting Sand Mountain, not only for the riding, but for the quality time spent with family and friends sitting around the fire, playing board games, and enjoying each other’s company. Recently, my brother and I turned our old snowboards into sandboards and tried boarding down the slopes. We still need some work…but let me tell you – if you sit on the boards like a sled they FLY! On that note, I would recommend a helmet for both sandboarding and riding ATVs – safety first!


The Super Bowl - Enter if you dare!


Other Activities: off-highway vehicle riding, hiking, sandboarding, camping, exploring the Pony Express station, photography, geocaching
Location: Central Nevada on US 50, 25 miles east of Fallon
Information: Bureau of Land Management – Sand Mountain Recreation AreaDune Guide – Sand Mountain

Visit the Nevada Outdoor School website – Destination Recreation page to explore the rest of our favorite places to play in Nevada.