Lahontan State Recreation Area
Lahontan State Recreation Area is a state park unit of the U.S. state of Nevada, surrounding Lake Lahontan on the Carson River. Lahontan became a Nevada State Recreation Area on July 1, 1971. The recreation area is open all year, and includes the Lahontan Dam, a 162-foot-high (49 m), 1,700-foot-long (520 m) dam completed in 1915.
The park is about 45 miles (72 km) northeast of Nevada's capital, Carson City, and 18 miles (29 km) west of Fallon. A corridor known as Carson River Ranches connects Lahontan with Fort Churchill State Historic Park.
History
As part of the Newlands Reclamation Act in 1905, the Lahontan Dam was constructed along the Carson River between Fallon and Carson City. The reservoir was named after ancient Lake Lahontan which covered much of Nevada during the ice age. Submerged beneath the water were parts of stagecoach routes which existed during the 1800s including Williams Station, the scene of the Battle of Williams Station, a minor skirmish during the Paiute War.
The park
Most of the park lies below 4,000 feet (1,200 m) in elevation, and is dominated by high desert sagebrush, although cottonwoods and willow trees can be found along the shore of the lake. The reservoir features 69 miles (111 km) of shoreline and 10,000 acres (4,000 ha) of water when full. The park is accessed through two primary entrances. One entrance along U.S. Route 50 is near the dam. The other entrance is off of U.S. Route 95 in the town of Silver Springs. The main activities at the park include boating, water skiing, fishing and camping. Primitive camping is allowed on all beaches except day-use areas and boat ramps. Silver Springs Beach campground #7 has developed campground facilities.
