Sand Mountain
Fallon, Nevada
By Mark A. Rolland
If
you live on the East Coast, you may never picture yourself riding in sand. You’d
be selling yourself short if you never took the opportunity to do so.
If you ever see yourself taking a trip west, try to find the time to visit one of the many dunes in almost any of the western states.
Sand Mountain is located east of Fallon, Nevada, about 25 minutes along Highway 50 (about 100 miles east of Lake Tahoe).
The local federal Bureau of Land Management says the mountain itself is a mile wide and three miles long. They also say it stands 600 feet tall, which puts it in the top three highest dunes in the country.
The
total riding area is around 5,000 acres, but there is only one trail that runs
throughout the area. Otherwise, the main dune, along with an area behind the
mountain, is the main riding area.
There are three toilets, but no running water or electricity. A $20, seven-day pass (the price could go up for 2006) can be purchased onsite from a cash box.
The busy season is from March through June and again from September thru November. On Memorial Day Weekend, there is an ``unofficial'' event that attracts some of the biggest names in quadding and fastest hill climbers in the country.
This isn’t a good time to bring the kids, but it is a great time to see quads climb a 600-foot dune at speeds over 90 mph and check out the latest bling from local vendors.
If you visit in the early months of the year, it is possible to see a little snow here and there. Typically by the end of March/April, temperatures will be in the mid-60s to 70s and daytime riding can be enjoyed.
After the sun goes down, it cools off fast and can get very cold, quickly! The local BLM has started to enforce the ``no flag'' rule, which means you can be fined up to $100, if not more, for being seen riding without a whip flag.
For more information on Sand Mountain, and other popular sand dunes, visit www.duneguide.com, or be sure to read the February issue of ATV Rider for a listing of their top 10 dunes.
If you have time to kill and don’t have your own quad, check out the opportunities at Lake Tahoe Adventures (LakeTahoeAdventures.com) and take a guided tour on a quad in the summer or on the Rubicon Trail, or snowmobile in the winter.
Do you know a great riding area that you would like to share with your fellow ATVers? You can, and it's easy to do. Just write down everything you think a fellow quadder would want to know about the area, and e-mail it to editor@atvaonline.com, or send by mail to ATVA, 13515 Yarmouth Dr., Pickerington, OH 43147. Also, don't forget to send a photo or two from your ride.