Black Rock Rendezvous, May 23 – 26, 2025

Stewards of the Black Rock Desert will be out in the Black Rock Desert 17 miles north of Gerlach for this event on the playa over Memorial Day Weekend! Join us and other active groups for a series of talks and tours of the region. Stewards will conduct as tour of Guru Road on Saturday, May 24, 12:30 pm – 3:30 pm.

We will conduct a historical tour on Sunday, May 25, 9 am – 4 pm to include Black Rock Hot Spring, Hardin City, the Lassen-Clapper murder site, and Double Hot Springs along the Applegate Lassen Emigrant Trail and the path of John C. Fremont’s 2nd Expedition. The event officially ends on Sunday morning, but we will stay through Memorial Day. Download the Emigrant Trail Tour Guide.

Some things to consider:

• The Black Rock playa (dry lake surface) is not drivable when wet. Always check for current conditions and exercise caution;
• Check your vehicle before engaging in desert travel: oil level, coolant, spare tire (or 2!), jack and lug wrench are essential;
• Have plenty of water, food, and protection from the sun.
• Make sure someone responsible knows your travel plans. No one can come look for you if they don’t know where you are.

For more general desert travel information, visit Travel Nevada.

Here is the BLM Press Release.

Friends of Nevada Wilderness requires a signup for their conservation events: https://www.nevadawilderness.org/2025_black_rock_rendezvous

Cassidy Mine Location Playa Camp Location

Here is a nice page about Cassidy Mine. Another page here created by Bill Carson.

Erin made this lovely Orientation Video!

FRIDAY – MAY 23

12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
● Partner groups arrive and set up camp
● Camp on the playa near the base of Cassidy Mine Rd.
○ Alternate Camping site (if playa is too wet): top of Cassidy Mine
● 2:00-Sunset?: Welcome Table: early sign-up for stewardship projects and tours. Answer questions. Guide people to good camping spots, etc

SATURDAY – MAY 24

7:00 am – 8:00 am
● Breakfast provided for participants: served by FNW
9:00 am – 11:30 am
Presentations (10-30 minutes each)

1. Welcome & Camp Housekeeping –15 min
   a. Schedule, quiet time, stew projects, tours, where to sign up, dog poop etc
2. Introductions from organizations – 5 min each (20 min total)
   a. BLM, FBRHR, FNW, SBR
3. Camp safety
4. Erin- BLM
5. Ellen- BLM
6. David Smith-USGS
7. Rocket Launch Presentation – 20 min
8. Peter Clay, Aeropac group: Join us for a presentation on rocket launching in the Black Rock Desert by Peter Clay of AeroPac (the Association of Experimental Rocketry of the Pacific).

12:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Afternoon Tours/Project: Departure from Camp (bring lunch, hat, water, sunscreen, and comfortable, sturdy shoes)

1. Plant Tour/Hike- Olivia/Ellen
2. Rocket Launch
3. Replace wilderness stickers-Meg/Michelle
4. OHV talk
5. USFS ornaments???
6. Guru Rd.-Metric/Erin (start at Guru Road/Ground Zero, near Rte. 34 mile marker 2, at 1 pm)
7. FBRHR mural tour
8. Replace sign at station- Amber

6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
● Dutch Oven Cook-off – Potluck & Community Gathering
● Enter the cook-off or bring another dish to share
● Dishes on the table by 6:30

10:00 pm
Quiet Camp

SUNDAY – MAY 25

7:00 am – 8:00 am
● Breakfast provided for Volunteers. Served by FBRHR/SBRD
Mid-morning – BLM/FNW Camp teardown

9:00 am – 4 pm: Emigrant Trail Tour with Metric, Stewards of the Black Rock Desert.

Download the Emigrant Trail Tour Guide

This tour will begin from and return to the Stewards of the Black Rock Desert camp location on the playa. Stewards’ board member Metric (Matthew Ebert) will provide a short trip orientation, sign in participants, and then lead the tour. We will drive from camp to the Black Rock Hot Springs on the playa, then along the Applegate – Lassen Emigrant Trail stopping along the way at Double Hot Spring, Hardin City, the Lassen – Clapper murder site, and Mud Meadow, Soldier Meadows Hot Spring, then back to the playa entrance near Mormon Dan peak along Soldier Meadows Road. Here’s a link to the route on Google Maps.