05 Pyramid Lake and museum_02

Peaceful at Pyramid

Visit the Public Beaches at Pyramid Lake Just Outside of Reno Nevada

05.14.2025
A woman takes a photo of Pyramid Lake with her phone

About 40 minutes beyond downtown Reno, Pyramid Lake Scenic Byway leads to one of the world’s largest oases. Pyramid Lake is the end point of the Truckee River, and it’s an absolute marvel.

A woman looks through binoculars at Pyramid Lake

A woman walks happily along a beach shore at Pyramid Lake in Nevada

It’s also a national wildlife refuge, as a breeding ground for American white pelicans in numbers so big there’s something called the Popcorn Binocular Viewing Site (the popcorn is the teeming island of pelicans in the distance).

A woman wanders along a beach shoreline at Pyramid Lake in Nevada

Pack a picnic and plan to spend some time at one of the public access beaches alongside the lake, which is world-renowned for fishing, thanks to the revered Lahontan cutthroat trout.

A woman is walking a pathway towards Pyramid Lake Museum and Visitor Center in Nevada

A woman is looking at a museum exhibit of a taxidermy bald eagle at the Pyramid Lake Museum and Visitor Center

You can pick up a map of the area at the Pyramid Lake Museum and Visitor Center (the map marks the public beaches). The museum is excellent, filled with all variety of information and exhibits sharing the history of Pyramid Lake and the Paiute Indian Tribe. There’s no museum fee, though donations are welcome. From the museum, it’s a short drive to the lake.

PERMIT NOTE: You will need a permit to spend time at one of the public beaches around the lake. Get one ahead of time online.

Public places at Pyramid Lake are dog-friendly!

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