Reno-Tahoe Territory

Reno-Tahoe Territory covers the western edge of Nevada, the high mountain-and-valley country between the Sierra Nevada and the Great Basin’s eastern interior. The terrain is dramatic — Lake Tahoe at 6,225 feet sitting in the granite-walled basin to the west, the Carson Range running north-south, and the broad Truckee Meadows opening east toward the Great Basin. The region holds the bulk of northern Nevada’s population. Four counties cover the region. Washoe holds Reno (the largest city) and Sparks; Carson City is its own consolidated municipality holding the state capital; Storey holds Virginia City (the Comstock Lode silver-boom town); Douglas holds Minden, Gardnerville, and the Nevada side of South Lake Tahoe at Stateline. Lake Tahoe (the largest alpine lake in North America) anchors the western edge; the Mt. Rose Wilderness and Pyramid Lake reservation cover the surrounding mountains and the largest remnant of prehistoric Lake Lahontan. Most trips here split between Tahoe and Reno. Lake Tahoe draws the largest single-stream visitor traffic — skiing at Heavenly, Mt. Rose, and Diamond Peak in winter; lake recreation and hiking in summer. Reno handles the casino-and-special-event itinerary (the National Championship Air Races, Hot August Nights, the Reno Rodeo); Virginia City runs the historic-mining-camp itinerary year-round.