Nevada General Information Nickname: Silver State State bird: Mountain Bluebird State flower: Sagebrush Capital: Carson City Date of admission to the Union: 31st Oct 1864 Population: 1,998,257 (2000) Population density: 7.0/sq km 2000 total overseas arrivals/US ranking: 2,364,000/5 Time: Pacific (GMT - 8). Daylight Saving Time is observed. The State: Explorer John C Fremont’s 1844/5 expedition with legendary scout Kit Carson opened up the region called Nevada, previously part of Mexico. The name ‘Nevada’, meaning ‘snow-capped’ in Spanish, was adopted in 1861 when the territory was established. The State has since been sectioned off into ‘territories’. The Cowboy Country to be found along the I-80 corridor across northern Nevada, was once the main trail across the State, used by thousands of pioneers on horseback and in covered wagons. The Reno-Tahoe Territory, situated on the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada, contains many of Nevada’s most scenic and historic sights. The Pony Express Territory, named after the famous riders, offers one of the last opportunities to experience the Old West. In the Pioneer Territory, which encompasses south central Nevada, visitors can trace the story of Nevada’s rich mining history. Las Vegas, Nevada’s largest city, is one of the major gambling and entertainment centres of the world. Luxury hotels, casinos and show venues line The Strip, a section of Las Vegas Boulevard South; a lower-priced, smaller version, is found at the Downtown Casino Center, which also features the Fremont Street Experience, a four-block canopied street mall with nightly light shows. Outdoor sports, top restaurants and nightclubs are also on offer. Las Vegas is probably the easiest place in the world in which to get married. Around 230 marriage licences are issued per day. Reno, another entertainment and casino city, is known for its quiet residential areas and surrounding historic and natural attractions. Travel - International Air: International airports: McCarran International Airport (LAS) (website: www.mccarran.com) is situated 1.6km (1 mile) from the Strip, 8km (5 miles) from central Las Vegas. Scheduled airlines include USAirways, American Airlines, United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, America West Airlines, American Trans Air and Virgin Atlantic. The Citizens Area Transit (CTA), a service of the Regional Transportation Commission of Clark County, operates bus services to and from the airport. Routes 108 and 109 have direct access to the airport and stop on Zero Level, directly outside the arrivals and baggage claim area. CAT Paratransit Services is a shared public transport service in small buses for persons with disabilities who cannot independently use the regular CAT bus. Taxis are available on the west side of baggage claim. A variety of shuttle/limo companies are located on the east side of baggage claim. Shuttle services to and from communities outside Las Vegas are also available. Car hire service booths are located in the centre of the baggage claim area. All off-airport hire car services may be accessed by a bank of free telephones also located in baggage claim. All car hire companies are located outside of the terminal area and provide their own airport courtesy shuttle to transport customers to/from their lots. Road: There is a total of 79,520km (49,700 miles) of streets and highways, of which 64,830 km (40,520 miles) are county roads. BUS: Greyhound Lines, Gray Line Tours of Southern Nevada, Citizen’s Area Transit, K-T Services and Ray & Ross Transport are available seven days a week. Cowboy Country The beautiful Jarbidge Wilderness Area and the surrounding forests, north of Elko, are excellent regions to sightsee by horse. Wildhorse and Southfork Reservoirs are known for their good fishing, as are the wetlands of the Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge. The Ruby Mountains, where visitors can try their hand at the sport of heli-skiing, also make excellent hiking ground. The Western Folklife Center in Elko, known for the Cowboy Poetry Gathering, is dedicated to the preservation of Western ranch culture. Thirty-two kilometres (20 miles) along on Highway 227 (a National Scenic Byway) are the Ruby Mountains, and Lamoille Canyon. On the edge of the Bonneville Salt Flats at the Utah-Nevada border is the resort of Wendover, and up near the Nevada-Idaho border is Jackpot. Winnemucca, once a stop on the emigrant trail, now entertains visitors in true cowboy tradition. In Elko, the North-eastern Nevada Museum is well worth a visit, featuring exhibits on mining, ranching, railroads, natural history and Native Americans. In Lovelock, the Pershing County Marzen House Museum has displays of mining equipment, home fixtures, Native American artefacts, and a Lovelock Cave exhibition. The Great Cowboy Cookout in Wendover offers a horse-drawn wagon ride and a cowboy-style cookout. SPECIAL EVENTS: Jan 2003 Cowboy Poetry Gathering, Elko. May Senior Pro Rodeo, Jackpot and Wells; Portuguese Fiesta and Parade, Lovelock. Jun Fiddlers Contest, Wells; Great American Road Race, Wells. Jul Hobo Rendezvous, Elko; National Basque Festival (includes dancing, parades, wood chopping and games), Elko; Silver State Stampede Rodeo, Elko; Frontier Days, Lovelock. Aug-Sep Elko County Fair, Elko; Tri-County Fair and Stampede, Winnemucca. Sep-Oct Great Basin Festival of the Arts, Elko. TRAVEL: Elko’s airport is the J C Harris Field. Scheduled air services are provided by Delta Connection-Sky West; chartered services by El Aero Services. All major facilties available, including Greyhound bus connections and car hire. CLIMATE: Temperatures reach a summer high of 94°F (35°C) in Lovelock, while winter temperatures can drop below 10°F (-12°C) in Elko and Wells. Pony Express Territory Scattered along US Highway 50 are the ruins of old Pony Express Stations, as well as the mining towns of Eureka and Austin. The road also passes through the town of Fallon and the lush Lahontan Valley – the site of the first reclamation project in America. The Forty-Mile Desert has been transformed into productive ranchlands. Also on US Highway 50 is the old mining town of Austin, founded by a former Pony Express rider. Eureka was a boomtown of the 1870s lead and silver mining period, and is well preserved to this day. Across nine mountain ranges lies Ely, gateway to one of the country’s least crowded National Parks, Great Basin National Park. Attractions here include the spectacular rock formations of the Lehman Caves; the East Ely Railroad Depot Museum, where visitors can learn of the mining and transport heritage of the region; the Eureka Sentinel Museum, located in the home of the town’s longest-running newspaper, with displays of the lead and silver mining era; Grimes Point Archaeological Site, with a trail through boulders covered with petroglyphs; and the Hidden Cave, an ancient storage site for local Native Americans, located near Fallon. SPECIAL EVENTS: May 2003 Spring Wings Festival, Fallon; Nevada Open Road Challenge (car rally and show), Ely. Jun Fallon Air Show. Jun-Jul Silver State International Rodeo, Fallon. Jul All Indian Stampede and Pioneer Days, Fallon; All-Indian Stampede and Pioneer Days (includes rodeo, parade, pow-wow, Native American hand games, arts and crafts), Fallon. Aug Eureka County Fair, Eureka; Arts in the Park (art and craft festival), Ely; White Pine County Fair and White Pine County Horse Races, Ely. Aug-Sep Heart of Gold Cantaloupe Festival, Fallon. TRAVEL: The regional airport is Yelland Field Airport in Ely which has good connections to destinations throughout the USA. CLIMATE: The summer weather is hot, reaching temperatures of 92°F (33ºC) in Fallon. In winter temperatures drop below 20°F (-7ºC). Reno Tahoe Territory The steep eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada rise up to contain Lake Tahoe. Carson City is only 14.4km (9 miles) away, but is nearly 500m (1500ft) below. The lake hangs over not only the State capital, but also the towns of Minden and Gardnerville, which are almost directly below it. Reno-Tahoe Territory is geographically compact and Carson City, Reno and Sparks all make good bases from which to explore. TRAVEL: Lake Tahoe International Airport (TVL), Lake Tahoe. Scheduled air services are provided by Trans World Express and Reno Air. Greyhound Lines and K-T Services operate scheduled bus services; Frontier Tours operates chartered services. Car hire is widely available. CLIMATE: Temperatures range from a high of 89°F (32°C) in the summer months to 30°F (-1°C) and below in the winter. Reno Reno was founded at Lake’s Crossing, where Myron Lake’s bridge crossed the Truckee River. Many gambling casinos are to be found downtown on Virginia Street including Harrah’s, Nevada Club, the Eldorado, the Golden Phoenix, Circus Circus, Silver Legacy, Fitzgerald’s and the Sands Regency. A River Walk follows the river east past the Hilton and through Sparks, and westwards past an amphitheatre. The Sierra Nevada Museum of Art is located in two sites: the E L Weigand Museum, with a variety of travelling exhibitions and shows by local artists; and the neo-Georgian Hawkins House, which exhibits 19th- and 20th-century American art. The Stremmel Gallery is a thriving showcase for leading artists, as is the University of Nevada Reno campus. The Nevada Historical Society Museum is excellent for those wishing to learn about Nevada’s history. There is also a museum at the Fleischmann Planetarium, which features star shows and SkyDome films. The National Automobile Museum has exhibitions of classic cars throughout the year. SPECIAL EVENTS: Jan 2003 Martin Luther King Celebration, Reno/Sparks. Mar 17 St Patrick’s Day Celebration, Reno. Apr Reno Jazz Festival. Jun Annual Reno Rodeo (world-class athletes compete in the ‘Wildest Rodeo in the West’), Reno. Jul Artown Summer Arts Festival, Reno; Big Easy (Cajun festival), Reno. Jul 4 Skyfire (fireworks display), Reno. Jul-Aug Hot August Nights (a celebration of the USA’s love affair with cars and rock ’n’ roll), Reno. Aug Nevada State Fair, Reno. Sep The Great Reno Balloon Race, Reno. Sep National Championship Air Races, Reno/Stead Airport. Oct 22nd Annual Great Italian Festival, Reno. Nov-Dec Festival of the Trees and Lights, Reno. Dec 1 Sparks Hometown Christmas. Carson City & Surroundings The town of Genoa began as a log cabin trading post and was Nevada’s first white settlement: today, it is a village and a State Park. The once-wealthy Comstock mining district comprising Dayton, Silver City, Gold Hill and Virginia City was founded by prospectors from California. The period of the Civil War dominates Carson City, the State capital; the silver-domed 1894 Capitol Building, the State library, the Nevada State Museum (all close to each other), and the Nevada State Railroad Museum are well worth a visit. Lake Tahoe is a top-class skiing resort with a vibrant nightlife, and is home to the Shakespeare at Sand Harbor Festival, which takes place in the summer. The spectacular scenery can be seen from the lake’s excursion boats. Another lake, noted for excellent fishing, is the Pyramid Lake north of Reno, part of the Paiute Native American Reservation. SPECIAL EVENTS: Jan 2003 Winter, Wine & All That Jazz, Carson City. Mar Spring Awakening Pow Wow, Carson City. Jun 20th Annual Carson City Rendezvous. Jun-Jul 11th Annual 4th of July Cavalcade of Spectaculars, Carson City. Oct 18th Annual High Desert Jazz Festival; Nevada Day Celebration (including Nevada Day Parade), Carson City. Dec Silver and Snowflake Festival of Lights, Carson City; Victorian Home Christmas Tour (selected homes decorated and open for viewing), Carson City. Pioneer Territory To the north of Pioneer Territory, mountain ranges and long narrow valleys rise high above the timberline of Pinon pines. Further south, however, the land descends into the Mojave Desert, with its distinctive Joshua trees and creosote. The Toiyabe Range in the Basin and Range Country provides spectacular mountain scenery (over 3000m/10,000ft). Walker Lake, the remains of an ancient inland sea, is now a popular resort for boating and fishing, and nearby Hawthorne makes a good base for exploring this region. Beatty is the gateway to the famous Death Valley National Park, where visitors will witness unique geological features in the extremes of the desert. Scotty’s Castle is a popular, if slightly odd, century-old desert guest ranch. Amongst Nevada’s own parks in Pioneer Territory is the Berlin-Icthyosaur State Park, home to the well preserved and greatly detailed ghost town of Berlin. The Cathedral Gorge State Park, towards the east, is worth visiting to see the spectacular spires and grottoes carved into the clay by natural erosion. The mining town of Goldfield was founded in 1902, and contains the beautiful Goldfield Hotel and the Esmeralda County Courthouse as well as the old mining district. The Lyon County Museum in Yerington has displays of a kitchen, sheriff’s office, barbershop, mining artefacts, schoolhouse, blacksmith shop and a 100-year-old general store. The Belmont Courthouse State Historic Site is located in the ghost town of Belmont, and was the county seat of Nye until 1905. Visitors to the Pahrump Valley Winery in Pahrump can look forward to free tours, tasting, and Saturday evening concerts, as well as a gourmet restaurant. In Hawthorne, the Mineral County Historical Museum houses animal, bird and fossil exhibitions, mining and fire-fighting equipment, buggies, and a 1907 drugstore display. SPECIAL EVENTS: Apr 2003 Annual Loon Festival, (celebrates the return of the loons each year and includes guided boat tours), Lake Walker, Hawthorne. Jun Portuguese Celebration (dance parade and ‘Sopa’), Yerington. Jul 4 Fourth of July Celebrations, Walker Lake, Yerington. Aug Spirit of Wovoka Days Pow Wow, Yerington. Dec County Christmas, Yerington. Las Vegas Territory Las Vegas is becoming an increasingly elaborate holiday destination. Each new hotel-casino tries to outdo the last for sheer spectacle. Laughlin, on the Colorado River, has become the second most popular holiday destination in Nevada, owing largely to the reasonably priced accommodation and restaurants, and the fact that it has unusually sunny summers and mild winters considering its location. Mesquite and Primm, on the Nevada border with Utah and California respectively, are also becoming popular new resort towns. CLIMATE: The average temperature is 66°F (19°C ) and the average yearly rainfall is 10.7cm (4.2 inches). There are 212 clear days annually, 82 partly cloudy days and 71 cloudy days. Las Vegas Las Vegas is Spanish for ‘The Meadows’. ‘Vegas’, as seen today, began after World War II when the idea of large hotels along the brand new Strip was developed. Tourism and gaming are the two major employers. Manufacturing, the Nellis Air Force Base and other government agencies, warehousing and trucking are secondary industries. The city proper is an 135,618 sq km (84,272 sq mile) enclave surrounded by Clark County. The Las Vegas Strip is best seen at dusk when it is all lit up in neon lights. Children will enjoy Wet ’n’ Wild, a water park on the Strip, and the Lied Discovery Children’s Museum. Fremont Street Experience is a pedestrian mall dominated by gaming with a spectacular light show every night. For something different, the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Natural History houses exhibitions of the archaeology and natural history of the Mojave Desert, whilst the Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort Historic Park is the site of the first settlement of Las Vegas, and the Nevada State Museum and Historical Society explains southern Nevada’s history. The Liberace Museum contains memorabilia from the world-famous pianist. The Guinness World of Records Museum is an interesting exhibition based on the famous book. The Circus Circus – Grand Slam Adventuredome theme park provides circus acts daily from 1100-2400 (free of charge) and thrilling theme park rides. Not to be missed, is the stunning display of over 1000 fountains, choreographed with light and sound at the Bellagio Resort (daily, every 15 minutes, after dusk). HOTEL-CASINOS: The 3044-room Mirage Hotel-Casino displays a man-made volcano. Nearby, the Treasure Island features Buccaneer Bay with a full-scale pirate ship and British frigate engaged in battle. The MGM Grand Hotel & Theme Park is the largest resort hotel in the world. The recently opened New York, New York duplicates the Big Apple’s skyline while the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel & Casino offers an interactive Star Trek experience with virtual reality stations, a themed bar and Star Trek memorabilia. There is also The Excalibur, with 4008 rooms, built in the style of a medieval castle, and the Egyptian-themed Luxor, a full-scale pyramid watched over by a sphinx. GETTING MARRIED: More than 45 wedding chapels operate throughout the metropolitan area including some in the major hotels. The Little White Chapel, 1301 Las Vegas Boulevard South, where Joan Collins was married, has a 24-hour drive-through window. FOOD & DRINK: Las Vegas is becoming world-renowned for its restaurants and every conceivable taste is catered for, whether it’s for a seven-course gourmet meal or a custom hamburger. Diners can choose from seafood, steak, southwestern, Continental, Italian, Mexican, Chinese, Japanese and Brazilian cuisines. The ultimate eating experience is the Las Vegas buffet: the Golden Nugget Buffet, the Las Vegas Hilton, the Palatium Buffet at Caesars Palace, the Grand Evening Buffet, Maxim and the World’s Fare Buffet at The Riviera are all worth a visit. Picasso at the Bellagio and Renoir at The Mirage both received the prestigious Mobil 5-star rating in 2000, ranking them among the top 17 restaurants in the world. Roxy’s Diner is a 1950s-style diner, serving thick milkshakes in tall, frosted glasses, sandwiches, burgers and a selection of blue-plate specials. The Stage Deli of Las Vegas is at the Forum Shops at Caesars. Speciality items are flown in from the world-famous New York Stage Deli, offering a full line of breakfast, lunch and dinner. Spago features celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck’s ‘California Cuisine’, which emphasises fresh, locally produced ingredients incorporating the cuisines of Europe, the Orient, Latin America and the USA to create an eclectic menu. The themed Harley-Davidson Cafe, Star Trek: The Adventure and Motown Cafe, provide a fun atmosphere for dining. SHOPPING: Vast malls display a wide range of products: the Forum Shops at Caesars, the Fashion Show Mall, the Desert Passage at the Aladdin Resort, the Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian Resort (includes a reproduction of Venice’s Grand Canal – complete with gondolas), the Boulevard Mall (the largest shopping centre in Nevada), the Meadows Mall (with 140 shops and restaurants), and the Belz Factory Outlet World are all popular. The Fashion Outlet Stores (south of Belz Mall) recently opened in Primm. SPECIAL EVENTS: Mar Big League Weekend (baseball tournament), Cashman Field. Apr Laughlin Rodeo Days, Laughlin; Clark County State Fair and Rodeo; Las Vegas Senior Classic (golf tournament), The Canyons. May EA Sports Supercross Series National Finals (motorcycle race), Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas; Cinco de Mayo (food festival), Sunset Station Hotel. Jun Laughlin River Days Formula 1 Racing, Laughlin. Jul 4 Rockets over the River, Laughlin. Sep Las Vegas Triple – A World Series, Cashman Stadium. Oct Invensys Invitational Golf Tournament. Nov Laughlin Western Celebrity Party, Riverside Resort. Nov-Dec National Finals Rodeo, Thomas and Mack Center, Las Vegas. Dec Billboard Music Awards, MGM Grand Garden Arena. TRAVEL: The Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (LAS) (website: www.mccarran.com), with slot machines in the terminal, is 1.6km (1 mile) from the Strip, and 8km (5 miles) from central Las Vegas. There are more than 965 cabs, 325 limousines, and 16 bus and/or charter firms serving the district. The Citizen Area Transit (CAT) is a public transportation company that operates 31 routes throughout the Las Vegas metropolitan area, and one route in Laughlin. Outside the city There is plenty to see in the Las Vegas Territory outside of the town itself. The Spring Mountains offer back-country adventure while Mount Charleston is good for winter sports and is home to the Las Vegas Ski and Snow Board Resort. Lake Mead and Lake Mohave are contained in the vast (600,000ha/1.5 million acre) Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Hoover Dam has a new visitor centre, where tourists can see right over the edge of the Black Canyon precipice. At the north of Lake Mead is the Valley of Fire State Park, with its fascinating landscape of naturally carved red sandstone. The nearby Moapa Valley was the site of Nevada’s first city. In Boulder City, the Black Canyon River Raft Tour is a 19-km (12-mile), rapid-free raft trip, beginning at Hoover Dam. Hoover Dam itself was completed in 1935, and is the highest dam in the western hemisphere. The Hoover Dam Museum houses historical artefacts relating to the workers and construction of the dam and Boulder City. The River Mountain Hiking Trail is an 8-km (5-mile) round-trip route with spectacular views of Lake Mead and Las Vegas Valley. The Ethel M Chocolate Factory & Cactus Garden in Henderson shows how chocolates are made; the cactus garden includes 350 species of cactus. The Davis Dam in Laughlin is a 61-m (200-ft) high earth-filled dam. The USS Riverside is a luxury casino cruiser which has been designed to pass under the Laughlin Bridge. Bonnie Springs in Old Nevada is an old Western town. The Lost City Museum in Overton houses exhibitions featuring the Anasazi Indians and early Moapa Valley settlers. SPECIAL EVENTS: May Spring Jamboree and Craft Fair, Boulder City. Jul 4 Annual Fireworks Display and Boulder City Damboree, Boulder City. Climate Nevada is basin and range country, with about 250 mountain ranges running north–south. Base elevation ranges from 1365m (4500ft) to 1880m (6200ft); altitudes vary from over 3945m (13,000ft) to less than 152m (500ft). The climate in Nevada is arid with abundant sunshine, light rainfall and snow. Average temperature varies from about 70°F (21°C) in the south to 45°F (7°C) in the north. Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.