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Burning Man in the Black Rock

Burning Man Arts Festival is Annual Northern Nevada Event

Jun 18, 2008

If you're not familiar with Burning Man, it's one of the premier counter-culture, art, and social events in the world, and it's right here in Northern Nevada.

Just say Burning Man, and thousands of people conjure up images of a blazing desert covered with art, people, and celebration, and they wouldn't be wrong. Every year, the Burning Man Festival attracts nearly 50,000 or more free spirits who love art, speaking their minds, and the freedom to indulge their every whim for just one week every year. This year's festival takes place from August 25 through September 1, 2008.

Burning Man: The History

Burning Man has its origins in the San Francisco Bay area, where it began as a tiny seaside celebration in 1986. Created by Larry Harvey and Jerry James, a few artists and free spirits gathered on the beach each year to burn a "burning man" sculpture. It continued on San Francisco's Baker Beach until 1990, when police banned the burning. Instead, a group of about 100 artists transported their enormous burning man wooden structure to the Black Rock Desert in Northern Nevada over Labor Day weekend, and an enduring tradition was born.

Burning Man: The Art

One of the most spectacular aspects of the Burning Man Festival is the art. As participants arrive at the site, they bring incredible works of art with them. Pavilions rise from the desert to house multi-storied exhibits, and massive single art pieces spring up surrounding the site. One of the biggest treats of Burning Man is visiting all these wonderful exhibits, many of which go up in smoke on the final Saturday night of the event.

Burning Man: The Theme Camps

Another one of the highlights of this celebration are the many theme camps that make up the "Black Rock City," a transient city with almost all the amenities of home, at least during the Burning Man celebration. You'll find camps dedicated to green living, (the Alternative Energy Zone), the Oasis Zone (complete with water misters), and Garage Mahal, home of many of the playa's art cars. There are hundreds more to choose from, that cater to everything from art to mailing Black Rock mementos home.

Burning Man: Survival

Since the Black Rock Desert, home of Burning Man, is located literally in the middle of nowhere, you'll need to bring everything you need to survive for several days with you. That includes water, a generator if you need power, and food, along with your normal camping out equipment. It can be extremely hot on the desert's playa during the day (can reach 100 degrees +), but it can cool down 40 to 50 degrees by early morning, so you'll need some warm clothes, too. Plenty of "burners" as the participants are called rent motorhomes for the event, so if that's your plan, you'll need to make reservations early, because they sell out very fast. Organizers also require you to read the First Timer's Guide before you attend your first event.

That also means that you have to take everything you bring in back out with you when you leave, and that means everything. Burners are adamant about leaving the Black Rock better than when they found it, and they stage a massive clean-up campaign after the event, so don't even think about dumping anything on the playa when you leave.

Burning Man: How to Get There

The Black Rock Desert is located north of Gerlach, Nevada, which is about 108 miles outside of Reno. To get there from Reno take Interstate 80 east for approximately 30 miles. Exit on the Wadsworth/Pyramid Lake exit #43 to Nevada Highway 447. Follow that 1 mile to Wadsworth and turn left, staying on Highway 447 north. Follow that 75 miles to Empire, Nevada, where you'll find the last available supplies. Continue 3 miles to Gerlach where you'll find the last gas available.

From Gerlach, go northwest on Highway 447 for one mile to the fork. Take the right-hand fork, Highway 34, and continue 11 miles to the Burning Man entrance. Note: If you've used the 3-mile playa entrance (first turn-off) in previous years, please don't take it now. Also, the 12-mile playa entrance just beyond the Burning Man entrance will not take you to Burning Man and will be patrolled by BLM Rangers.

Burning Man: The Rest

If you've never been to Burning Man, you really cannot conceive of the enormity and joy of the event. You're apt to run into a nuclear physicist, a nude bicyclist, and a Bay-area artist all in the space of five minutes, followed by burners from around the globe. Remember that tickets sell out fast, so contact the Burning Man office at 415-TO-FLAME to make sure they're still available before you head off into the desert.

The copyright of the article Burning Man in the Black Rock in Nevada Travel is owned by Sherril Steele-Carlin. Permission to republish Burning Man in the Black Rock in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.