Fly Geyser Nevada: A Guide to Visiting the Coolest Spot in Gerlach NV
Fly Geyser Nevada is something I had not heard of prior to visiting last week with Travel Nevada. It is something so spectacular that had I not actually seen it with my own two eyes, I probably wouldn’t believe it is real.
But guess what? It does! And it’s amazing. In fact, all of Fly Ranch is. It was the highlight of my adventurous trip with Travel Nevada and a place I highly recommend checking out.
Fly Geyser Nevada is located in the Black Rock Desert-High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area (quite the mouthful, no?) which is also home to the annual Burning Man Festival each year. It is included in Travel Nevada’s Burner Byway itinerary which takes you on the same path the burners make annually and is a good way to get a sense of the Burning Man spirit year-round.
If you don’t have time to do the whole Burner Byway itinerary, no worries, below I have covered everything you need to know about visiting Fly Geyser in Nevada!
Fly Geyser: A Guide to Visiting the Coolest Spot in Nevada
About Fly Geyser Nevada
Fly Geyser is a geothermal geyser located on Fly Ranch, a privately owned area property in the Nevada’s Black Rock Desert. It was accidentally discovered a little over 50 years ago when someone was drilling for a well.
Unlike any geyser I have ever visited before, Fly Geyser releases water constantly, sometimes reaching up to five feet high. As the minerals continue to rise and build up the mound continues to grow as does the water’s eruption height! Often times the base is covered in algae which is why you’ll see green in some photos but unfortunately that was not present when we were there.
It is definitely a sight to be seen!
How to Get Permission to Go to Fly Geyser
As mentioned, Fly Geyser is located on Fly Ranch which is privately owned by Burning Man in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada. However, Friends of Black Rock-High Rock, in partnership with Burning Man Project, now offer guided nature walks! These Fly Geyser tours are the only way to visit this Nevada geyser.
To get to Fly Geyser and Fly Ranch you will first need to acquire a ticket. Your ticket will have a specific meeting time on it.
How to Get to Fly Geyser Nevada
Once you have acquired your tickets, you will head to the Black Rock Desert Nevada. The meeting location is the Friends of Black Rock-High Rock Visitor Center Store in Gerlach. The exact address is 320 Main Street, Gerlach NV 89412. From the meeting location you will carpool to Fly Ranch NV.
If you are coming from Reno, the drive will take you around 2 hours. Many times during the drive I lost service so it might be a good idea to download an offline map of the area prior to heading there in case you get lost. More detailed directions on how to get there can be found here. You can also use the Fly Geyser map to the right.
Just to reiterate: The ONLY way to get Fly Geyser access is via this above mentioned guided nature walk. Please do not trespass.
Fly Geyser Tour - the Fly Ranch Nature Walk
The nature walk at Fly Ranch Nevada is a guided 3 hour walk around the property. During this walk you get to see a portion of the 3,800 acre property which includes dozens of hot springs, cold springs, three geysers, wetlands, and more.
Our walk started with a visit to a dock that is actually an art piece. We got to learn about how they acquired it, why it’s there, and some future plans they have for the property (like how they are looking to acquire additional art pieces).
From there we explored the property more as we made our way over to Fly Geyser itself. The property has a tented area which is a nice far away view point and also a good place to rest from the strong sun. We also brought lunch with us so this is where we had a picnic.
At Fly Geyser there is a wooden path and structure that you can walk along to get a closer look. Do not skip this!
Also near the Fly Ranch geyser is one of the hot springs. You aren't allowed to go in for insurance and liability reasons, but it is beautiful and if you're lucky your guide might at least let you put your feet in for a minute :)
Other Things to Know Before You Go
THE WALK IS DEVICE-FREE. You will not be permitted to take photos during the walk so that you can connect with the land and each other without distractions. At the end of the walk you’ll have time to get your camera and snap some photos, but not during the walk.
PUT ON BUG SPRAY. And make sure it’s the kind that works on ticks, too! While we were there people were pulling off ticks left and right. They recommend you wear pants, which I did not, and I was actually better off than people in pants because they didn’t have bug spray on. If you’re going to wear pants, put bug spray on before you put on your pants!
PUT ON SPF. You are in the middle of the desert and there is very little shade on the property.
BRING LOTS OF WATER. Again, you are in the middle of the desert!
WEAR CLOSED TOE SHOES. The property is flat so they don’t need to be hiking boots, but you will want them to be closed toe.
THE WALK IS DONATION-BASED! When you reserve your spot they’ll place a temporary hold on your card which you can later choose to donate or get refunded. Please donate it!
NEED SOUVENIRS OR TO PICK UP A GIFT? Planet X Pottery, also located in Gerlach, is a solar-powered pottery studio with three art galleries. There are tons of beautiful things and it’s a unique experience! Make sure to call ahead to be sure they are there.
For more information on visiting Fly Geyser at Fly Ranch, please visit the Friends of Black Rock-High Rock site or the Fly Ranch Burning Man Project site.
This post was done in partnership with Travel Nevada. Everything above is my own opinion, as always!
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