Sand Mountain

About twenty miles east of Fallon on US-50, The Loneliest Road in America, there’s a very large dune called appropriately Sand Mountain. The dune is two miles long and stands 600 feet high. Where did all that sand come from? This giant sand pile sits at the edge of prehistoric Lake Lahontan. When that ancient lake dried up, about 9,000 years ago, it left behind sand. The wind piled most of that sand in one spot.

    Sand Mountain is a singing sand dune. Here’s why… Dunes are capable of producing sound; the sound has been described as either singing, whistling or barking. In order for there to be any sound, certain conditions must exist: the sand grains must be round and under a millimeter in size, the sand must contain silica, and the air must have a certain humidity. If all of those conditions are met, then the sound can be caused by the wind passing over the surface, or simply walking on the sand.

    Today, Sand Mountain is a recreational area managed by the Bureau of Land Management. It’s open to off-highway vehicles. But those ATVs have to be careful, not only for safety reasons, but also because the area is home to the Sand Mountain Blue Butterfly and it’s their only home, because unlike other butterflies, the Mountain Blue doesn’t migrate. The larva will only eat Kearney buckwheat, which grows on the dune. The BLM has closed several off-road trails in order to protect the species. There are strict rules and users must pay either a weekly or yearly fee.

    You can go there to test your dune buggy driving skills, observe butterflies, and/or walk the dune listening for singing silica. Whatever the reason, it’s still worth a stop just to see up close one colossal pile of sand.