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Information on Nevada
The state of Nevada in the United States is divided up into territories, including the Pony Express Territory, Cowboy Country and Pioneer Territory. This is the great American marketing machine putting a gloss on the fact that the majority of the state is a fairly desolate desert only capable of supporting snakes, lizards and cacti. The better land is used for grazing hardy cattle, while the least forgiving is used by the military for testing nefarious weapons like stealth fighter-bombers and atomic bombs.
Nevada leaves an image of dusty ghost towns, long empty roads and desolate deserts to the millions who pass through it on their way east to California. Lacking any natural assets, it is fortunate that 'Lady Luck' descended on this state to give hundreds of thousands of people a man-made reason for visiting. This is casino country, centred on the capital of kitsch, Las Vegas, and the other smaller towns where the main income earner is gambling. Carson, the sleepy state capital, has tree-lined streets and some handsome old buildings and hosts the Nevada State Museum, which covers the geology and natural history of the Great Basin desert: enough distraction for a few hours - but not much more. Reno is a smaller and less glitzy version of Las Vegas, packed with casinos and pawnshops, and has easy access to Lake Tahoe, over the border in California.
Scenic landscapes and attractions are sparse, but evident in the Region. Around Las Vegas, Lake Mead is popular with fishermen and water sports enthusiasts, while both the Red Rock Canyon and the Valley of Fire State Park have magnificent desert scenery, which has been used as the backdrop for many famous movies including Star Trek - The Next Generation. The sandstone has been eroded into wonderful shapes over millions of years and at sunset these great natural monuments turn every shade of red.
