Southern Nevada

Southern Nevada is a region of Nevada. Most famous for Las Vegas, this region is also home to Area 51 (the site of classified military research and the subject of UFO conspiracy theories), beautiful rocky canyons, and barren desert landscapes. It comprises Clark County, Esmeralda County, Lincoln County, Mineral County, and Nye County.

37°4′12″N 116°45′36″W

Map of Southern Nevada

Southern Nevada geographically speaking is where the high desert of the Great Basin meets the low terrain of the Mojave Desert, as evidenced by a transition from sagebrush/rabbitbrush covered topography in the north to a sparser ecozone of Joshua trees and creosote south of Hwy 6.

With the other regions of Nevada, it shares a sense of remoteness, until you reach Clark County anyway, which holds the biggest population center of the state, i.e. Las Vegas. Las Vegas rises out of the desert like an oasis, thanks to the Colorado River watershed and Lake Mead next door.

Southern Nevada has a little bit of everything, from ubiquitous desert country to urban city to mining history and extraterrestrial lore, even skiing not far removed from the glitz and glamour of the Las Vegas Strip.

A large portion of Southern Nevada is closed off and to the Nellis Air Force Range and Nevada Test site, used for military exercises, nuclear testing, nuclear waste and Area 51.

Nevada's main airports are Harry Reid International Airport (LAS ^IATA) in Las Vegas for commercial flights and Henderson Executive Airport^{[dead link]} (HSH ^IATA) in Henderson for VIP flights and general aviation use.

It's definitely good to have a car! Long barren distances in this large section of Nevada will make you appreciate that unless you are the hardiest of cyclists or walkers. Actually, people whose cars have become disabled or who have otherwise been stranded in the vicinity of Lake Mead have died from heat stroke and sun exposure, so one should not underestimate the extreme natural rigors of the region. Always make thorough preparations if traveling in isolated areas on unimproved roads.

• Inyo County - Lying across the border in California, Inyo County is a land of extremes, covering a massive 10,000 square mile expanse of the Eastern Sierra and California Desert. Inyo County is home to Mount Whitney, the highest mountain in the lower-48 states, as well as Death Valley National Park, the largest national park in the lower-48 states and host to earth's hottest temperatures and the continent's lowest elevation. In addition, ancient bristlecone pine trees can be found within the White Mountains, the oldest of which is estimated to be around 5,000 years old.