Getting There
Edit ThisBurn pit, Black Rock City
www.settingyear.com/burningman2003
From the west: From Reno, Nevada, take Hwy 1-80 east for approximately 30 miles. Take the Wadsworth/Pyramid Lake exit #43 to Hwy 447. Go north one mile to Wadsworth and turn left, staying on Hwy 447. It's 75 miles to Empire where gas and supplies are available. Continue 3 miles on Hwy 447 to Gerlach where gas is also available. Get gas when you arrive if you'll need it when returning home -- the lines on Sunday after the burn are horrible! See Local Directions below. From the east: There are two routes from Winnemucca: I-80 is the primary route to follow for 130 miles to exit 43 then follow the same directions as above from Reno. The alternative short cut is about 100 miles shorter but is a rough dirt road with easy-to-miss turns, mining vehicles and a couple of treacherous dips. If you are into this and prepared to be self-reliant in the event of a flat tire or breakdown, here are the directions for the Jungo Road. From I-80 take exit 178 to the main drag, Winnemucca Blvd. Gas, groceries, etc are all available here. Take US Hwy 95 towards Boise - in town this is Melarkey Road. Proceed past the Riverside Liquor and Grocery, under I-80, over the river and railroad and take the first left onto Jungo Road towards Jungo and Sulphur. Bear left on a down-slope along the guardrail. (Jungo and Sulphur are not towns, just names on the map!) Note: There are several turns that are easily missed at night; it's advisable to do this drive in the daylight. Generally, you bear right at crossroads. When you reach pavement, turn right towards Gerlach, about 100 miles from where you left pavement. See Local Directions below.
From the north: Begin at the town of Alturas located in northeast California along Hwy 395. This is the last opportunity to fill up on gas and the last services for a hundred miles. Take Hwy 229 east about 25 miles, then turn south onto Hwy 447 and proceed about 75 miles to Gerlach. Get gas when you arrive if you'll need it when returning home.
To Black Rock City from Gerlach, NV: From Gerlach, go northwest on Highway 447 for one mile to the fork. Take the right-hand fork, Hwy 34, and continue 11 miles to the Burning Man entrance. Note: The 3-mile playa entrance used in previous years will be closed. The 12-mile playa entrance beyond will not take you to Burning Man and will be patrolled by law enforcement.
Traveler's Advisory
The state highways leading to Gerlach (the closest settlement to Black Rock City) and all other roads in the area are patrolled by the Nevada Highway Patrol. 25 MPH, as posted in nearby towns, means exactly that. Local kids and pets play in the road -- be careful. Outside of town, be prepared to share the road with livestock and wildlife. Most vehicle accidents in which participants are injured occur on Hwy 447/34 on the final approach to Black Rock City. It is sadly ironic that people have often made it across the country only to have a serious injury in the last few miles. Please be cautious! Tired? Then stop to rest! Be alert for cattle and deer that will dart into the road in front of you, especially at night. A note about jackrabbits - there is an overabundance of them and they are "kamikaze." It is not worth jeopardizing your safety to swerve in an attempt to avoid them. Stop and look carefully at all train crossings. Estimating the speed of trains is misleading in the broad desert expanse. Always wait for any oncoming train to pass before crossing railroad tracks.
WARNING!
Be advised that the Nevada Highway Patrol have been known to make random stops and conduct unwarranted searches of vehicles with out-of-state license plates. Do not park alongside Highway 34. The county Sheriff will ticket any vehicles that are parked by the roadside. The road to our encampment is your only access to Black Rock City. There are no other routes. The federal Bureau of Land Management has declared an off-road closure throughout a two-mile area around our city. It will be patrolled by law enforcement agencies. Anyone attempting to enter the playa off-road will be subject to substantial fines. Furthermore, the margins of the lakebed are saturated with water flow. You will get stuck. Mired vehicles may remain stranded for days or weeks.
