Just north of the Sparks/Reno metropolis lies Pyramid Lake. Almost like a mirage, this freshwater lake nestled between the Virginia Mountains to the southwest and Lake Mountains to the northeast is named for a pyramid-shaped island that juts dramatically 800 feet straight out of the lake. Pyramid Lake is fed by the overflow of Lake Tahoe via the meandering Truckee River, and is a true oasis in the middle of the Nevada desert, free from development and protected by the Piute people of the Pyramid Lake Reservation.
Known to the Piute as Ku-Yui Pah, in reference to the now endangered sucker fish that calls this lake home, Pyramid Lake is teeming with an impressive amount of wildlife, harboring on Anaho Island the largest winter population of American White Pelicans in the nation and providing a rich habitat for the trophy-sized Lahontan Cutthroat trout. Visitors to the Pyramid Lake area will be impressed by the amazing scenery and excellent recreational opportunity to be found here.
Pyramid Lake is best accessed via car from the Reno/Sparks area on State Route 445. There are several small outposts, most on the Piute/Numa reservation, that visitors can utilize for dining and supply options, though coming prepared with rations from the Sparks/Reno area is probably the best way to go. On the same token, visitors should consider the Reno/Sparks area for accommodations if they require something other than either RV or tent camping, which are the standard accommodations around the Pyramid Lake area.