Nevada Geographical Miscellany Quiz

Answer: Great Basin National Park

Established in 1986, Great Basin National Park is located in White Pine County and is adjacent to the Utah border. It includes the Lehman Caves National Monument, established in 1922. The park also boasts extensive stands of bristlecone pine trees, with some as old as 5000 years. There are twelve different hiking trails to suit both novices and experienced hikers.

Answer: Boundary Peak

Boundary Peak is located in the White Mountains. The tallest mountains in that range are located in California. However, Boundary Peak is located just inside Nevada's border.

Answer: True

The Humboldt River starts in northeastern Nevada, in Elko County. It runs west and southwest through most of the state, for approximately 300 miles, ending at the Humboldt Sink, near Lovelock. It is also the largest river in the United States that does not reach the ocean.

Answer: Lander County

The geographical center of the state is located near Wallace Canyon in northern Monitor Valley. Battle Mountain replaced Austin as the county seat in 1979. Austin dates from the 1860s and was a prominent silver mining town. It is well-known for its many vintage churches.

Answer: -50

San Jacinto, located in northern Elko County, was a ranch that began operations in the 1890s. Later, in 1925, the Oregon Shortline Railroad was constructed and a passenger and freight depot was built. This was primarily used for shipping cattle. The railroad tracks were pulled up in 1978, although the ranch remained in operation.

Answer: Groom Lake

Groom Lake is a dry lake located about 40 miles south of Rachel, home of the Alien Inn and base camp for many Area 51 enthusiasts. Area 51 is a military base that the U.S. government does not publicly recognize. The Area 51 complex is located on the southern edge of the lake.

Answer: True

Every county in Nevada has hot springs, and many throughout the state have been developed for the public. However, many hot spring enthusiasts seek out the more remote ones to enjoy the solitude. Among the more popular of the developed springs are Bailey Hot Springs, located just north of Beatty, and Arizona Hot Springs, on the lower Colorado River in the southern part of the state.

Answer: Carson River

During the 1860s-1870s heyday of the Comstock Lode in Virginia City, the Carson River around Dayton was home to about 75 mills. These mills used mercury as their primary way to extract silver from the ore. The mercury eventually found its way into the river system.

A Super Fund site was established in 1990. The flood of 1995 churned up the contaminated mud and required a relocation of the clean-up area.

Answer: Carole Lombard

Carole Lombard had been participating in a war bond drive. She was on a military DC-3 plane which, due to pilot error, crashed into Mount Potosi on January 16, 1942. The plane missed clearing the mountain by a matter of feet. Lombard's husband, actor Clark Gable, spent days at the base of the mountain until it was confirmed that she was dead.

Answer: Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe is considered the largest alpine lake in the United States. At 1,645 feet, it is also the second deepest lake after Crater Lake in Oregon. The lake is a major recreational area, and the surrounding land provides some of the best skiing venues in the country. Despite its high altitude and frigid winters, the lake has never frozen over.