Nevada’s Public Recreation Resources
With more than 87% of the land designated for public/recreational use in the state (with some restrictions), Nevada provides “a rich diversity of natural resources and offers a variety of outdoor recreation opportunities,” [pg. II-1].
Not only are our public lands rich in resources and beauty, but there’s also a rich cultural heritage to our state.
The report touches on the importance of recognizing the stewardship of these lands by indigenous nations long before the region was settled, and the 27 tribal nations represented in Nevada continue to play an integral role in the stewardship of these lands today.
Nevada presents a perfect mix of low population density and high levels of public access to these areas, combined with such large areas of public land. This results in the boundless opportunity for outdoor recreation in the state.
National Parks
Within Nevada, the National Park Service manages two parks: Great Basin and Death Valley.
Though not in the state, national parks like Zion, Bryce Canyon, the Grand Canyon, Joshua Tree, and Yosemite, among others, are all within five hours of either Las Vegas or Reno, making these cities hubs for eco-tourism.
In addition, the NPS manages the Lake Mead National Recreation Area – the first and oldest recreational area in the country. According to the report, Lake Mead is also one of the NPS’s most visited sites and is ranked amongst the top ten, [pg. II-1].
National Conservation Areas
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages several popular recreation areas, such as the Red Rock National Conservation Area, just west of the Las Vegas Strip. Those familiar with the area know of its beautiful scenic views, stunning red sandstone rocks, and deep canyons just beckoning to be explored. It’s no wonder that people from all over the world come to see this amazing landmark in our own backyard.
In addition to Red Rock, BLM also manages the Black Rock Desert – High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area. This area covers 0.8 million acres and is known for its hot springs, canyons, and large salt flats, [pg. II-3].
National Forests
Nevada is home to two national forests – the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest and the Inyo National Forest, which includes the John Muir Wilderness in western Nevada. The Humboldt-Toiyabe NF is especially notable as it is the largest national forest of the lower 48 states, covering 6.3 million acres spanning across Nevada and into Central/Northern California in a non-contiguous fashion., [pg. II-3].
National Wildlife Refuges
In addition to housing the largest national forest of the lower 48 states, Nevada also claims the title for largest national wildlife refuge – the Desert National Wildlife Refuge.
This area covers 1.6 million acres, an area larger than Rhode Island. It was created to conserve habitat for many species, including several endemic to the state. It and the other state wildlife refuges are managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), [pg. II-3].
The second-largest refuge area in Nevada is the Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge, located in the Great Basin, and created to protect pronghorn sheep. Another refuge in the Great Basin includes the Ruby Lake Wildlife Refuge.
Lastly, the Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge near Reno provides an important stop for migratory birds as well as bird watchers who flock to the area.
National Monuments
Three national monuments can be found in our state: Gold Butte, Tule Springs Fossil Beds, and the Basin and Range National Monuments; all located in Southern Nevada.
Gold Butte protects priceless petroglyphs, habitat, rock pillars, and ancient homestead sites across almost 300,000 acres of land. Located west of here and recently created in 2014, Tule Springs covers 22,650 acres and protects newly discovered fossils of animals that lived between 7,000 and 250,000 years ago. Also relatively new, the Basin and Ridge monument was created in 2015 and “contains resources of significant ecological, cultural, and historical importance,” [pg. II-3].
Federally Recognized Tribal Areas
According to the report, all land in Nevada is part of the ancestry of the original indigenous nations occupying the area before settlers arrived. In particular, federally recognized tribal lands play an important role in our outdoor recreation economy, [pg. II-4].
For instance, Pyramid Lake – one of Nevada’s largest natural lakes covering 125,000 acres – is managed by the Pyramid Lake Paiute tribe, who offer visitors recreation activities like world-class fishing. In addition, the Walker River Paiute Tribe hosts its own fisheries and offers many opportunities for visitors.
State, County, and Municipal Land
Across the state, other areas of public land offer a variety of opportunities to people seeking to recreate outdoors. According to the report, the Nevada Division of State Parks manages 24 parks throughout the state. One such park well known by Las Vegas residents is Valley of Fire State Park, located northeast of Lake Mead. Other state parks include the Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park in northern Nevada and Sand Harbor State Park is located along the coast of Lake Tahoe, [pg. II-4].
Moreover, county and municipal governments manage regional and local parks as well to provide recreation opportunities within local communities.
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Visitation Statistics to Nevada and Our Public Lands
Visits to Nevada in General
Regardless of what brings people to the state, the Nevada Commission on Tourism recorded more than 56.5 million visitors in 2018, who stayed an average of four days in the state during their visit. While most trips to Nevada are brought in by gaming and entertainment, our public lands draw a lot of this influx, [pg. II-4].
Recreational Visits
According to a survey conducted by the NVCT, 10-23% of people (5.6 – 12.9 million) reported scenic driving while visiting; 13-15% (7.3 – 8.5 million) visited a lake or reservoir; and 13-20% (7.3 – 11.3 million) reported that mountains were a top experience while visiting, [pg. II-4, 5].
In particular, 8-13% (4.5 – 7.3 million) visitors to the Reno and Las Vegas areas reported that outdoor recreation and visiting parks was “a top experience”, while 6-9% (3.4 – 5.1 million) people responded that their top experience involved outdoor recreation.
When it comes to visiting our public lands, data from Nevada Industry Partners shows that approximately 14 million people visited national parks, recreation areas, and state parks in Nevada in 2019. The spring and summer months tend to be the busiest time of the year for visitation, [pg. II-5].
Regarding visitation, Lake Mead accounted for the largest share of visits, accounting for more than 57% between July 2018-2020. The next largest share of visitation goes to Nevada State Parks with 26%, followed by Death Valley with 10%, Hoover Dam Visitor Center with 5%, and Great Basin National Park with 1%.
Per the report, this data isn’t a comprehensive accounting of park visits in the state but does signify how ease of access and proximity impacts visitation, especially to more remote destinations, [pg. II-6].
Local Recreational Visits
Tourism from out of the state or even the country isn’t the only major factor in our outdoor recreation economy. Of the 3.1 million estimated Nevada residents, per the US Census, about 57% participate in “some form of outdoor recreation each year (NDSP DCNR, 2016),” [pg. II-7].
According to the report, “local trips taken within 50 miles of a person’s home are the most important source of economic activity in Nevada’s outdoor recreation economy.”
This is because when locals recreate outdoors, they spend money within the local community, like buying groceries for a picnic or gear for their bikes. They may also buy equipment and apparel at a store nearby or pay the entrance fee to get into a park.
Due to the proximity and ease of access, residents are more likely to recreate more frequently, especially within a 50-mile radius. Over time, as participation increases, this further increases the amount of money going into the outdoor recreation economy, which increases job opportunities and promotes even more ease of access. Altogether, this showcases the value of these resources we manage in our state.
This is especially true after the pandemic, which has impacted most industries and parts of the economy in Nevada – including outdoor recreation.
