Blackrock Desert; a place we never heard about before and a place that was also not on our agenda at all. We would have never ended-up here if they would not have broken-up our car.
As we had to go to Reno in Nevada to pick-up our new camera backpack and even more important our credit cards we had some time around Christmas to be wasted. And while wasting time we stumbled across an absolute highlight; Pyramid Lake and Blackrock Desert. Now during winter we had it all for ourselves, that might be different especially when it is time for the Burning Man Festival in summer, but for us it was the perfect spot for Christmas.
Pyramid Lake
The night before Christmas Eve we spent at the Pyramid Lake, already that been a great start, or would you not like to wake up in the morning at a spot like this?
Deeper into the Blackrock Desert
But for Christmas Eve we decided that it is time to head further into the Blackrock Desert. Just driving through this amazing landscape was a great gift for Christmas.
And spending the afternoon by a warming campfire and later on a fantastic Christmas dinner; can it get any better?
After a cold night the best thing to warm up again is going for a short walk. Basically after every corner you can find another beautiful outlook…
Soldier Meadows Hot Springs
…but after a while time to move on, as we wanted to get deeper into the desert, to the Soldier Meadows hot springs. Getting there was not too easy during winter, but the landscapes remained amazing.
Well and then it happened, ten centimetres of ice is okay to walk on, but not to drive a 3,5 tons vehicle across. Getting stuck in the mud and the ice was hindering us to get out. So removing couple of larger pieces, turning diff-locks on front and rear on, and we were out again.
Whoever tells you that you do not need diff-looks on an overlanding vehicle, trust me the moment you need them you will love them. Especially when the alternative means digging your car out of mud in icy water. 😉
But there is always a rewards, in our case some hot springs at the Soldier Meadows. Somehow a strange feeling, laying in the bathtub-hot water while it is around zero degrees Celsius outside. Honestly the best and most exclusive spa you can imagine.
What a fantastic three-day trip through the Blackrock Desert, rewarded with wonderful experiences, amazing landscapes and plenty of wildlife.
More from the Blackrock Desert
Absolutely worth driving up here, but be aware during winter you will be alone out there and tracks are sometimes tricky, as you might have noticed. 😉 Perfect spot for Christmas, I would say. And what a last morning at a perfect campsite ones again…
And what a great surprise on this morning hike, a snake skin in front of an amazing landscape.
But now its time to head back to Reno, pick-up our credit cards and head back to California, Yosemite National park we are coming. So join us again…
