As part of Nevada Sports Net’s “Exploring Our Backyard” series, NSN personalities with share their excursions in Northern Nevada this spring, summer and fall. Today, we look at Shannon Kelly's journey UTVing at Sand Mountain. This series is present in sponsorship with LT Automotive and Michael Hohl RV.
The excursion
Sand Mountain is home to the Great Basin's largest sand dune, so we explored the roller coaster-like thrills with UTV Addiction.
The location
Sand Mountain is located 25 miles east of Fallon on U.S. 50, or the Loneliest Road in America. UTV Addiction is located at 2695 Mill Street in Reno.
How to get there
From the Reno-Sparks area, the easiest way to get to Sand Mountain is to head East on Interstate-80 toward Fernley and Fallon. From 80 East, you'll get off on exit 48, US-95 S, then turn right and head straight for about half a mile. Once you've reached the roundabout, take the third exit toward U.S. 50 East and Fallon. You'll stay on that road for roughly 50 miles. If you plug in "Sand Mountain Recreation Area" into your GPS, that will take you straight there.
Our adventure in short
Owner of UTV Addiction, BJ Ritter, showed us the ropes at Sand Mountain, and it was quite a thrill. I've driven an ATV before, but this was unlike anything I've experienced. It felt like we were on a roller-coaster in the sand. Ritter compared flying through the sand to skiing in powder. Although I don't ski, I can see why this is a good comparison because the ride felt so light, fluffy and smooth, which was partially because of the paddle tires on the UTV. We soared through the sand for a while and the view near the top was pretty awesome.
"You don't need paddle tires to drive on Sand Mountain," Ritter said. "You can pretty much go anywhere. But once you do that, the enjoyment level goes notches higher."
Ritter added: "There's nothing around but just a giant sand pile, which is basically sand haven. It's three-and-a-half-miles long, about 600 feet tall. Just the structure of it, which basically every time you come out here, it does not change each. Each bowl and hill basically stays exactly how it is. So it's pretty predictable, which is good for fun and driving. Definitely one of the coolest places around here to camp and have fun."
My favorite part
My favorite part was flying through the sand and riding to the top of the hill to see a one-of-a-kind view of the Nevada desert. Growing up in the Silver State, Sand Mountain was another reminder how unique our backyard truly is. I've always seen signs for Sand Mountain when driving from Las Vegas to Reno but was amazed how massive the Sand Mountain Recreation Area is. Per the Bureau of Land Management, Sand Mountain welcomes 50,000 to 70,000 visitors a year, which is wild to think about since it was pretty deserted — and hot! — when we visited the area.
Rating
5/5 — I would definitely go back. It was a thrill of a lifetime, and I didn't think we had a roller-coaster in our backyard, but Sand Mountain proved me wrong! UTV Addiction is a full-service shop that offers service, repair, parts, modifications and insurance work for UTVs. They offer single-day rentals to long-term rentals and private tours at Virginia City, Moon Rocks and Sand Mountain. For more info, visit their website or their Instagram page @utvaddiction.
Exploring Our Backyard is a summer feature on Nevada Sports Net that gives locals insight into some of the coolest places to visit in and around Reno.