What's here?

Northwestern Nevada is the greater region of the state that has a great deal of open, landable public land that is available for aircraft operations.

Pilots in this community have pioneered some unofficial airstrips in this BLM-owned area and logged them as landing zones, assigning subjective difficulty levels to each.

This is also the area that the popular High Sierra Fly-in takes place in the fall season, on a seasonally dry lakebed just west of Yerington.

A groups of pilots discusses how to keep playa dust out of their cockpits.

Landing zone guide

To give you a quick idea of the airstrips' locations, here's the map embedded, but you can click the link in the Resources section below to be take out to the full Google map.

Dead Cow Lakebed

New for 2015, this is the High Sierra Fly-in base of operations. 40° 8'25.3" N 119°54'46.2" W

3 Shot Gun Shells

Large dry lakebed. Caution: There is a 2-foot bank on runway threshold at West end. Power lines just north of runway below downwind. 39° 8'52.27" N 119°17'16.45" W

Hop, Skip and Jump

Caution of banks on both sides but your can land multiple times here prior to touching down at 3 SGS. 39° 8'38.61" N 119°17'54.82" W

The Gold Mine

Caution for concrete blocks at end of runway. Mandatory fly over, no go rounds, you must land on your spot! Strip is less than 700’. East winds create an updraft on landing. 39° 4'25.68" N 119°20'7.50" W

Gold mine #2

Cub only or very competent flyer. Very short and no go-around. Mandatory multiple fly overs prior to landing. 39° 4'17.72" N 119°20'15.55" W

Easy Street

(Fly over and look at road) can be bumpy…Pretty straight forward 39° 4'2.17" N 119°19'21.22" W

Training Wheels

(caution for dark dirt, can be mud) Very straight forward good for all types with lots of room. 38°56'10.89" N 119°21'25.96" W

Bumpy

(Cub like spot. Big tires only. Mandatory fly by first. Caution altitude and winds. Rocks can appear smaller than they are! 39° 8'49.46" N 119°29'13.41" W

Rosachi Dirt Strip

(caution weeds but good for all types) 38°50'33.77" N 119°20'0.88" W

Quinn’s Mesa

Big tires only, large rocks on far north end. You must land on your spot here! 39° 7'47.99" N 119°22'1.76" W

Powerline Lake Bed

(caution power lines) (Caution sink from down drafts) Good for STOL aircraft, small tires ok) 39° 8'33.99" N 119°23'51.40" W

Too Many Horses TMH

(Caution for wild horse here. Very smooth. One way only. No go rounds. Larger tires preferred. Straight forward. Lots of other landing in the area here. 39°11'42.14" N 119°24'36.80" W

Too Short

(Just off the NW corner of 3SGS) Cubs only unless you can stop in 300’ or less. You must nail your landing spot and then stop abruptly! Caution bushes. If you land here you know what your doing obviously. All tire sizes ok. 39° 8'57.99" N 119°17'37.56" W

Sail Park

(Caution land sails, and dirt mounds. Good for all types and all tire sizes) 39°20'4.76" N 119°23'6.87" W

Silver Springs Airport

39°24'9.86" N 119°15'8.67" W

Tire Shop

This is a road that’s very straight forward, almost an intermediate type strip given its length. Fly over is mandatory. All tire sizes good here. You must know where you're going to turn around prior to landing. 39°26'26.42" N 119°12'12.86" W

Ski Pond

(Do not try this unless you have experience doing such) (Caution for underwater obstacles) (Low water) 39°25'21.87" N 119° 5'40.47" W

Dory's Place

Caution: Slight side hill and various step-ups with loose sand. Big tires only. 39°24'5.08" N 119°10'19.68" W

Stump Alley

Caution for dark dirt but good for all types and tire sizes. Good for 50 planes at once! 39°24'42.48" N 119°10'12.95" W

Sand Point

(big tires only, Very sandy and can be deep) 39°24'13.96" N 119°10'58.21" W

Mooney’s Mud Hole

Dark dirt is danger but very straight forward and dry now with the large drought. Good for all types and size tires when dry. 39°22'27.30" N 119°10'28.86" W

3 Wagons

(Fun landing, caution bluff on left wing, slow landing right turn must be performed on roll out. Sand can be deep higher up on beach. Good for 850’s and larger the further you get away from embankment) 39°22'0.81" N 119°10'22.46" W

The Bowling Alley

(caution bluff on left, no go rounds, deep sand) 39°22'6.45" N 119° 9'34.31" W

Wild Horses

Caution for trees on final, wild horses, and random logs. Fly over is a very good idea first. Good for most tires sizes. 39°20'58.46" N 119° 7'54.24" W

Dory's Drop-in

Caution very tall trees on all sides of this one. Sand, short and not for the faint at heart. This one is REAL! Do not attempt unless you are 100% certain you can get out! This is one of the more beautiful landing spots on the circuit if you daring. 39°20'6.14" N 119° 8'30.29" W

Good for All

(Very self explanatory) great regroup spot while transitioning. Good for all tires sizes 39°17'35.11" N 119°10'58.81" W

Rail Road Crossing

(Caution very limited turn around area on east end. Fun spot and beautiful but keep in mind turning around can be very tight and you may need to perform a tail up turn around. Good parking on west end for 3-4 planes only) All tire sizes ok. Must fly over and have a plan for all involved prior to landing. Parking, take offs and wind. Can hold a sink here from east winds. 39°16'11.83" N 119°16'47.72" W

Stacy's

Caution rocks can be bigger than they look here. Go in with someone that knows the landing. Very straight forward, but not a beginner's spot. Mandatory fly-over to sight LZ touch down. 39°14'29.69" N

Look Out

(caution rocks can get big here) Slight up hill landing. Know your touch down spot. Mandatory fly over first. 39°14'45.89" N 119°11'27.70" W

Short Road

(Good for all tire sizes) The road is short. Mandatory fly over. Can hold sink in here from winds. Turn a rounds are limited but really fun spot. Also fun a spot to explore river bottom. 39°11'19.56" N 119°18'59.14" W

Big Meadow

(almost and expert landing area given elevation and terrain) mandatory fly over for touch down spot. Bigger tires a must. 39°10'13.63" N 119°26'35.49" W

MTB

(this one is short and sweet) A good place to drop off mountain bikers for the trail down to the valley. Hence its name. It is short but can accommodate most tire sizes. Know your touch down. Caution for power lines. 39° 7'23.23" N 119°24'19.25" W

One Time

(Very short and one way!) Very limited go round. Rocks, trees, steep terrain, you name it. Cubs only! This Skywagon flier will not be going back…well maybe 38°59'51.08" N 119°26'32.21" W

Tailwheel Ridge

Not a real hard strip, but short and sweet. Larger tires are preferred. You need at least 8.50’s up here. You must hit your landing spot. We have blown 3 tail wheels up here, hence the name. Very cool approach! Make certain to go for the hike to he peak west. 10 minute hike up. Mandatory fly-over. Left traffic pattern. 38°52'12.50" N 119°29'45.29" W

High Boy

(Not for the faint at heart! About as real as it gets. Fly over is mandatory. Winds must be calm! Touchdown must be precise. Touchdown on top of wave in road. Length is about 400 ### and uphill. No go round!!!! 850’s ok but the larger tire is much better here. Do not go in alone our without knowledge!!! 38°48'37.15" N 119°31'55.82" W

Topaz Overlook

Uphill landing, Short, bigger tires preferred. Nice spot to have a look around. 38°42'26.74" N 119°31'17.59" W

Big Beach

(Topaz has hard dirt but holds rocks. Landing here requires a fly over and a spot landing. Know your LZ and what it holds. Very straight forward.) Most tire sizes ok…Right traffic 38°41'14.16" N 119°31'15.45" W

Antelope

(all tire sizes) Caution terrain…nice spot, Most aircraft. Not for beginners 38°34'21.29" N 119°17'45.24" W

Quick Shot

(Caution terrain and down drafts here. No go around. Fun spot to explore and hike. Flyby and must for touch down spot. Most tires ok here but larger preferred. 38°35'10.62" N 119°16'46.13" W

Short Bread

(as the name says, its short. Maybe 600’ at best. Very easy strip but intermediate given the terrain and length. All tire sizes ok here. 38°34'7.26" N 119°16'50.92" W

Sweet Water

(Marine corps strips. Dirt. All planes and tire sizes. Do not land here if active with military training. Horses can be on strip as well often. 38°30'44.27" N 119°12'59.25" W

Never Again

(I wont be going back here but a great little spot for a cub. Much shorter than one would think and high!!! The up hill landing saves you but not for the faint at heart! Big tires a must! Cubs only! 38°29'44.91" N 119°17'49.05" W

Bridgeport Airport

(All planes and tires. Great breakfast or lunch spot!) 38°15'40.08" N 119°13'22.50" W

Paulson Ranch

(look for teepee) Great hot springs here! Mandatory fly over. Watch for power lines. Bigger tires preferred! 38°13'24.26" N 119°12'55.09" W

Solitude

(All tires and planes. Dark is danger but drought conditions should make this one great! Fly over first! 38°13'3.72" N 119° 9'32.37" W

South End TPZ

(Good for most) Must do a fly over for landing spot. Most tire sizes ok here. Look first prior to landing. 38°39'46.12" N 119°31'40.43" W

Minden Airport (KMEV)

(30 Right..is dirt. Good for all tires and planes. Great breakfast spot. They are holding a fly in on Saturday the 11th. ) 38°59'52.59" N 119°44'43.38" W

Broken Bottles

Good for all types. 1500’ in length. Must fly over first to look for debris on strip. This is an old airstrip. 39° 1'22.85" N 119°39'32.03" W

Carson Airport (KCXP)

(Fuel Discount here) 39°11'35.15" N 119°43'58.10" W

Far East

(Good for all types and tire sizes.) Can feel short but its really not. 39°19'41.06" N 118°59'26.82" W

Wide Load

(Fun spot, very straight forward) All types and tire sizes 39° 6'50.04" N 119° 6'41.16" W

Yerington Airport

(Fuel spot…Good for all) 39° 0'2.89" N 119° 9'34.35" W

Desert Big Horn Flat (DBH)

(Great spot for all. Mandatory fly over for landing smooth landing spot.) Cool hiking up valley 38°56'29.11" N 118°58'41.26" W