2021 Map of Crescent Dunes

About this map

Big Smoky Valley dominates this arid interior landscape, where the shifting sands of the Crescent Dunes rise against the western edge of the San Antonio Mountains. This portion of Nye County and Esmeralda County is defined by its isolation and the straight-line infrastructure necessary to navigate the Great Basin. Two primary desert thoroughfares, Poleline Rd and Gabbs Pole Line Rd, cross the valley floor, their routes dictated by the utility corridors that follow them through the sagebrush and salt flats. The topography here reveals a stark contrast between the alluvial fans of the mountains and the low-lying basin, where drainage is internal and the landscape is shaped by wind and intermittent water. This recent survey provides a precise accounting of the terrain at the border of these two counties, capturing the essential character of high-desert Nevada.