Hiking America - Nevada

If you're planning an ADT hike and thinking about "Nevada weather" as one thing, you're already behind. Nevada isn't one continuous mountain range—it's a complex series of north-south trending ranges separated by broad valleys, each with its own microclimate and weather patterns.

The ADT crosses multiple distinct ranges from west to east as it traverses Nevada:

The Sierra Nevada (the westernmost range near Lake Tahoe) is a major barrier range that captures moisture from Pacific storm systems. This is where you'll see the most dramatic weather and the heaviest snow accumulation. The Sierra creates its own weather patterns and can experience conditions completely different from what's happening 100 miles east.

The Shoshone Mountains (featuring Grantsville Summit) sit in the rain shadow of the Sierra but still receive moisture from winter storms. As you move east from the Sierra, you're beginning the pattern that will define your Nevada crossing—up and over one range, down into a basin, then up and over the next.

The Toiyabe Range (with Arc Dome) reaches elevations over 11,000 feet and represents some of the highest terrain in central Nevada. Snow is common here from late October through May, and the route can be challenging in winter conditions.

The Toquima Range (featuring Mount Jefferson) continues the high-elevation pattern, with exposed ridgelines and significant climbs that test both your conditioning and your route-finding skills.

The Monitor Range (including Ryegrass Canyon and spring) offers critical water sources in an otherwise dry section. Understanding the location of reliable springs like Ryegrass becomes essential as you move through these central ranges.

The White Pine Range (with Shellback Ridge and Bald Mountain) maintains the elevation challenges, and by this point in your Nevada crossing, the cumulative effect of constant climbing becomes significant.

The Shell Creek Range (with Cooper Summit) marks your final major Nevada range before approaching the Utah border.

For ADT hikers, this means you're not just crossing Nevada—you're crossing seven distinct mountain ranges, each separated by valleys that can be equally challenging. You can't just look at one weather report for "Nevada" and think you understand the full picture. You need to track conditions across multiple ranges, understand which range you'll be in on which days, and plan accordingly.

A hiker crossing the Sierra near Tahoe might be dealing with 10 inches of fresh snow while another hiker several ranges east in the Monitor Range is experiencing different conditions entirely. Both are in Nevada. Both need to understand their specific location within this complex geography.

This kind of geographic literacy doesn't come from guidebooks. It comes from watching real hikers navigate real conditions and understanding how the landscape actually works.

When should you hike Nevada? The answer depends entirely on which direction you're traveling and which ranges you'll be crossing when.

Typical Snow Timeline:

• First significant snow in the high country usually arrives around Halloween (late October)
• Snow can arrive 2-3 weeks earlier in some years (as we saw in 2025)
• Snow lingers in the Sierra and higher ranges well into May or even June
• Summer brings intense heat in the valleys (100°F+) but more moderate temperatures at elevation

Westbound Hikers generally hit Nevada in late summer or fall, which means dealing with heat in the eastern valleys and potentially early snow as they approach the Sierra. The window for comfortable Sierra crossing narrows significantly after mid-October.

Eastbound Hikers (or those flip-flopping like Steve Gefell in 2025) face the opposite challenge—timing the Sierra melt-out in late spring/early summer, then managing heat as they move east through the summer months.

The Reality: Nevada's weather is unpredictable year to year. What worked perfectly for one hiker might not work at all the next season. Build flexibility into your timeline and have contingency plans for both early snow and extended heat.

Let's be direct: water logistics in Nevada require more planning and attention than almost any other state on the ADT. The distances between reliable water sources can be significant, and what counts as a "water source" might surprise you.

Water Source Variety:

Our GPS data includes hundreds of waypoints for Nevada water sources, both common and uncommon:

Common sources: Springs, creeks, developed campgrounds, towns

Uncommon but viable sources: Cattle troughs, farm tanks, solar-powered wells, ranch infrastructure

Some hikers find this unsettling—drinking from a cattle trough isn't exactly what they pictured when they dreamed of hiking across America. But in Nevada, water is water, and these sources can mean the difference between a manageable day and a dangerous situation.

Always treat water from any source. Always verify current conditions when possible. Springs dry up, solar wells fail, and what flowed in spring might be dust by September.

Can You Go Unsupported?

Yes. The current Nevada route has been completed unsupported by multiple hikers using the water sources we've mapped. But "unsupported" doesn't mean easy—it means careful planning, realistic daily mileage based on water availability, and the flexibility to adjust if sources are dry.

Water Caching:

If you're uncertain about your ability to manage the water carries, or if you're hiking during a particularly dry period, pre-buried water caches are an option. We've identified locations where caches have been successful—places where they won't be stomped on by cattle or have holes chewed in the jugs by rodents (yes, both happen).

The American Discovery Trail's Utah Coordinator, Bob Palin, also provides a water cache service for a fee. This can be especially valuable for hikers who don't have the ability to pre-position their own caches or who want the assurance of professionally managed water placement.

Resupply Towns:

Nevada towns along the ADT tend to be small, with limited services. Don't expect full grocery stores in every resupply stop. Plan your food carries accordingly, and consider mail drops for sections where you'll need more than basic convenience store options.

In October 2025, thru-hiker Steve Gefell was about halfway across Nevada, hiking eastbound after flip-flopping from Moab, Utah to Limantour Beach, California back in August. He was pushing to finish his thru-hike before winter fully set in.

Snow arrived early that year—about 2-3 weeks ahead of the typical Halloween timeline. Here's what Steve faced as he approached the Toiyabe Range and Arc Dome:

"Well nevermind about Arc Dome. That trail is not maintained, and if the Reese River was flooding the other day (per folks in Gabbs) there was no doubt it would be hellish after it rained all night again. Mike Crawford might be an animal, but I'm made a little softer. Within a mile the snow started falling. Nevada is the driest state, but it didn't seem that way this week. I left my rain pants at home like a fool feeling they would just be extra weight. Now I was soaked and cold."

Steve made the smart decision to adjust his route, avoiding the unmaintained Arc Dome trail in deteriorating conditions and instead cutting through the Reese River Reservation. As he gained elevation in the Toiyabe Range, conditions intensified. Snow drifts reached 12 inches deep, which he was postholing through in shorts and sneakers.

At the top of the pass, freezing and worried about worsening weather, Steve found an unmarked, abandoned miner's shelter—unlocked and mostly intact.

"It had some holes, but was mostly dry. My left hand was super swollen and my feet felt like dirt filled garbage bags, but after an hour under my quilt I was done shivering and basically back to normal."

The next day brought stunning views of the Shoshone Mountains standing tall and proud to the east—the next range in his Nevada crossing. Steve continued his hike and is still making progress across Nevada as of this writing.

What This Story Teaches:

1. Weather windows can shift year to year. Don't assume "typical" timing will hold.
2. Route flexibility matters. Steve avoided a dangerous situation by changing his plan when conditions demanded it—skipping the unmaintained Arc Dome trail for a safer alternative.
3. October/November Nevada hiking is possible but unpredictable. Steve is succeeding, but he's also dealing with conditions that require experience and good judgment.
4. Gear assumptions can bite you. Even experienced hikers sometimes leave critical items behind based on "typical" conditions.
5. The ranges compound. By the time you're in the Toiyabe Range, you've already crossed the Sierra Nevada and Shoshone Mountains. Each range adds to the cumulative challenge.

Nevada will test your preparation, your flexibility, and your ability to manage complex logistics. Here's what successful Nevada hiking looks like:

Don't underestimate the timeline. Nevada is longer and more challenging than it looks on a map. Crossing seven mountain ranges with constant up-and-down adds significant time and effort compared to flatter trail miles.

Water planning is non-negotiable. Study every water source, understand your daily capacity, and have backup plans. This isn't the place to "figure it out as you go."

Weather literacy matters. Learn to read conditions across multiple ranges. Understand that what's happening in the Sierra might tell you nothing about what you'll face in the Toiyabe Range or Monitor Range several days from now.

Resupply strategy requires thought. Small towns mean limited options. Plan your food carries carefully and don't count on finding exactly what you need in every stop.

Flexibility is a survival skill. The hikers who succeed in Nevada are the ones who can adapt their plans when conditions change—different routes, different timing, different daily mileage targets.

Real-time information changes everything. Conditions shift constantly. Having access to current waypoints, recent hiker reports, and updated route intelligence isn't a luxury—it's essential.