Desert and steppe, but also mountains shape the landscape in the US state of Nevada. Most of the time it is sunny and hot here, so that sun-hungry holidaymakers in particular come to Nevada.
Particularly worth seeing in Nevada are the various ghost towns that arose in the gold rush. Nevada has very extensive gold and silver deposits. The abandoned cities where the gold diggers lived are now an attraction for tourists.
A visit to the Great Basin National Park is also very interesting. With a very large lake, numerous smaller forests and an impressive landscape, it is a breathtaking piece of nature where you can find peace and relaxation.
According to ebizdir, Nevada is always worth a visit and is still reminiscent of “old” America and the eventful history that the USA looks back on.
Climate in Nevada
The climate in the state of Nevada is a typical desert climate : it is dry and very hot in summer. The temperature hardly falls below 10 degrees Celsius during the day, even in winter – except at high altitudes. However, it can get frosty at night. In summer, the temperature in Nevada rises to at least 30, often well over 40 degrees Celsius. As is characteristic of desert areas, the day / night fluctuations are also considerable in summer. Even between June and August, the temperature drops to around 10 degrees over the course of the night.
The climate in the state of Nevada is extremely low in precipitation. The annual precipitation is 100 to 200 mm per year. Most of the precipitation falls between November and February, at high altitudes also as snow. Between June and September, on the other hand, there is often no rain in many places for weeks. Due to the heat, the evaporation rate is so high that the soil cannot absorb the precipitation. The resulting very low humidity makes the hot climate somewhat more bearable than in tropical regions of the world.
In the northwest of the state of Nevada lies the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. In the quasi-alpine region, more precipitation falls, rivers and streams do not dry up. At these altitudes, such as Lake Tahoe (1,899 m) on the California border, it is significantly cooler than the rest of Nevada.
Best time to travel to Nevada
The best times to visit Nevada are spring and fall. However, skiers can find absolutely snow-sure winter sports centers near Reno, on Lake Tahoe and even less than an hour’s drive from Las Vegas, in the Canyon.
Las Vegas has economically saved itself from the desert situation in which it has become the world-famous Mecca of gambling and entertainment. Tourists cavort here all year round. Although the city optimistically derives its name from the Spanish word for “meadows” or “floodplains”, the oasis situation is artificial and ecologically rather questionable. 90% of the drinking water has to be obtained from far away, the drinking water situation in Las Vegas is not considered secure in the medium term.
Nevada Landmarks
Nevada has a multitude of different sights and attractions to offer its visitors.
The absolute highlight is a visit to the Hoover dam. The dams are located exactly on the border between Arizona and Nevada, where they dam Lake Mead. The wall itself is 221 meters high and is just as wide at the lowest point. At the top it is only 16 meters thick.
The dam was built at the beginning of 1930. Annual electricity output of 2000 megawatts is generated here.
The Bellagio Fountais is something very special. This is a three hundred meter long water organ right in Las Vegas. The organ sprays fountains up to 152 meters high to classical music or modern pieces from the more than a thousand water jets. The whole thing is accordingly illuminated with several thousand spotlights, which are controlled according to the beat of the music.
A visit to the Stratosphere Las Vegas will certainly be just as interesting. This is a group of hotels and casinos in the city. The most famous building there is the Stratospheren Tower with a height of 356 meters. The Tower is the tallest free-standing building in the United States west of the Mississippi. The Nevada State Capitol is worth seeing. The Nevada State Museum, which is located in the same city, is also worth a visit. In the museum you can learn everything about the history of the state.
Nevada has three interesting national parks to offer. These would be the Great Basin National Park, the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, and the Valley of Start. Each park has its own unique flora and fauna.