The Long Way
Mineral County
A shaded picnic table overlooks a large body of water and mountains.
Plate I. Picnic shelter at Walker Lake Recreation Area. From blm.gov
A high-angle view of a large blue lake surrounded by mountainous terrain.
Plate II. Scenic view, Walker Lake Recreation Area. From blm.gov
Campsite at Walker Lake Recreation Area.
Plate III. Campsite at Walker Lake Recreation Area. Photograph by BLM Nevada, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Walker Lake Recreation Area shoreline.
Plate IV. Walker Lake Recreation Area shoreline. Photograph by BLM Nevada, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Campground overlooking Walker Lake Recreation Area.
Plate V. Campground overlooking Walker Lake Recreation Area. Photograph by BLM Nevada, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Campsites at Walker Lake Recreation Area.
Plate VI. Campsites at Walker Lake Recreation Area. Photograph by BLM Nevada, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Walker Lake Recreation Area

Mineral County, Nevada. Recreation area.

Details

Where
Mineral County, NV. No street address stated. Directions
Getting there
From Fallon, take US Highway 95 south for 75 miles. Walker Lake is located along the highway.
Fees
Developed Camp Site: $6/night/vehicle $36/week/vehicle $2/night/vehicle Primitive Camp Area: $4/night/vehicle $22/week/vehicle America the Beautiful Senior and Access Passes are honored.
Access
There are multiple parking areas at the different beaches, all generally consists of compacted gravel or hard-packed ground.
Phone
775-885-6000
Website
blm.gov
Managed by
Bureau of Land Management.

The 30,000-acre, 12 mile long by 5 mile wide lake has a shoreline that varies from steep and rocky on the west side to sandy beaches on its east side.

Notable Events

  1. 1845In 1845 Fremont made an expedition across the Sierras and met at Trout Lake with lithographer Edward M. Kern, then named Trout Lake and the Walker River after the trapper Joseph Walker. walkerlakenv.org
  2. 1859In November of 1859, two reservations were proposed for the Northern Paiute, one at Pyramid Lake and the other at Walker Lake. walkerlakenv.org
  3. 1975The Lahontan cutthroat trout, the only species of trout found in Walker Lake, was listed as threatened in 1975. extension.unr.edu

People

  • Edward M. Kern, lithographer who met Fremont's expedition at Trout Lake (1845).
  • John Charles Fremont, captain of a United States government exploring expedition who named the lake (1845).
  • Joseph Reddeford Walker, fur trapper who passed by the lake; the lake and river were later named for him (1843).

Sources

  1. blm.gov/visit/walker-lake-recreation-area
  2. walkerlakenv.org/history.htm
  3. extension.unr.edu/publication.aspx?PubID=3930