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Nevada Landforms

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Nevada Landforms

Nevada Landforms

When most folks think of Nevada, they think of the barren desert with very little water or wildlife. Surprisingly, Nevada is home to a lot of gorgeous mountains, lakes, rivers, and so much more!!! Before I moved west I didn’t know much about Las Vegas or Nevada and I was disappointed that I was leaving “mountain country” to move to the desert. Much to my surprise, I learned that Nevada is home to over 300 mountain ranges scattered throughout our amazing state with 172 mountain summits.

Map courtesy of GISGeography | Nevada Lakes and Rivers Map

Nevada Rivers Shown on the Map:  Bruneau River, Carson River, Colorado River, Duck Creek, Humboldt River, Marys River, Meadow Valley Wash, Muddy River, Owyhee River, Quinn River, Reese River, Rock Creek, South Fork Owyhee River. Truckee River, Virgin River, Walker River, and White River.

Nevada Lakes Shown on the Map:  Carson Lake, Franklin Lake, Lahontan Reservoir, Lake Mead, Lake Mohave, Lake Tahoe, Pyramid Lake, Rye Patch Reservoir, and Walker Lake.

Nevada Landform Trivia

  • Nevada ranks second in the United States by the number of mountains, behind Alaska, and ahead of California, Montana, and Washington, which means Nevada is the most mountainous state in the contiguous United States.

We have compiled lists that make up our amazing landscape in Nevada and will be posting articles related to them as they are developed. Some may be listed more than once since the landforms span multiple counties.

Related Articles

Regions of Nevada

  • Great Basin
  • Las Vegas Valley
  • Northern Basin and Range ecoregion
  • Pahranagat Valley
  • Sierra Nevada Southern Nevada
  • Trout Creek Mountains
  • Western Nevada

Carson City, Nevada Landforms

Mountains in Carson City, Nevada

  • Snow Valley Peak

Churchill County, Nevada Landforms

Lakes and Reservoirs in Churchill County, Nevada

  • Big Water
  • Carson Lake
  • Cattail Lake
  • Division Lake
  • Dog Head Pond
  • Dry Lake
  • Dutch Bill Lake
  • East Alkali Lake Number One
  • East Alkali Lake Number Two
  • Foxtail Lake
  • Goose Lake
  • Lake Humboldt
  • Lake Lahontan (reservoir)
  • Little Soda Lake
  • North Nutgrass Lake
  • Pintail Bay
  • Scheckler Reservoir
  • Soda Lake
  • Stillwater Point Reservoir
  • Swan Check
  • Swan Lake
  • Tule Lake
  • West Nutgrass
  • Willow Lake

Mountains in Churchill County, Nevada

Churchill County, Nevada is home to 24 mountain ranges.

  1. Augusta Mountains
  2. Barnett Hills
  3. Blow Sand Mountains
  4. Broken Hills
  5. Bunejug Mountains
  6. Clan Alpine Mountains
  7. Cocoon Mountains
  8. Dead Camel Mountains
  9. Desatoya Mountains
  10. Desert Mountains
  11. East Gate Range
  12. Fairview Range
  13. Lahontan Mountains
  14. Louderback Mountains
  15. New Pass Range
  16. Pintwater Range
  17. Sahwave Mountains
  18. Sand Springs Range
  19. Stillwater Range
  20. Terril Mountains
  21. Truckee Range
  22. West Gate Range
  23. West Humboldt Range
  24. White Throne Mountains

Clark County, Nevada Landforms

Canyons in Clark County, Nevada

  • Black Canyon of the Colorado
  • Bootleg Canyon
  • Boulder Canyon 
  • Carpenter Canyon
  • El Dorado Canyon 
  • Grapevine Canyon
  • Lee Canyon
  • Pyramid Canyon
  • Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
  • Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area

Lakes in Clark County, Nevada

Lake Mead is a reservoir formed by the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River in the Southwestern United States. It is located in the states of Nevada and Arizona, 24 miles east of Las Vegas. It is the largest reservoir in the US in terms of water capacity. At maximum capacity, Lake Mead is 112 miles long and 532 feet at its greatest depth. Lake Mead has a surface elevation of 1,229 feet above sea level. The surface area is 247 square miles, and Lake Mead contains 28.23 million acre-feet of water. Click here to read more about Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

  • Boulder Wash Cove
  • Callville Bay
  • Dog Bone Lake (Nevada)
  • Hamblin Bay
  • Jean Lake
  • Lake Las Vegas
  • Las Vegas Bay
  • Lake Mead
  • Lake Mohave
  • Lakes in Douglas County, Nevada
  • Lake Tahoe
  • Topaz Lake

Mountains in Clark County, Nevada

Mount Charleston is home to Charleston Peak, which comes in at 11,916′ in elevation and is the highest mountain in both the Spring Mountains and Clark County.  This area has hiking, camping, picnic areas, snow-skiing, and more! Click here to read more about Mount Charleston. 29 mountain ranges are located in Clark County, Nevada.

  1. Arrow Canyon Range
  2. Bird Spring Range
  3. Black Mountains
  4. Castle Mountains
  5. Dead Mountains
  6. Desert Range
  7. Dry Lake Range
  8. Elbow Range
  9. Eldorado Mountains
  10. Frenchman Range
  11. Gale Hills
  12. Highland Mountains
  13. Highland Range
  14. Hiller Mountains
  15. Las Vegas Range
  16. Lucy Gray Mountains
  17. McCullough Range
  18. Muddy Mountains
  19. New York Mountains
  20. Newberry Mountains
  21. North Muddy Mountains
  22. Piute Range
  23. Ranger Mountains
  24. River Mountains
  25. Sheep Range
  26. South Virgin Mountains
  27. Spotted Range
  28. Spring Mountains
  29. Virgin Mountains

Rivers in Clark County, Nevada

  • Boulder Wash 
  • California Wash
  • Callville Wash
  • Colorado River 
  • Gypsum Wash 
  • Halfway Wash 
  • January Wash 
  • Las Vegas Wash 
  • Muddy River 
  • Piute Wash 
  • Toquop Wash 
  • Virgin River 
  • West End Wash 
  • White River 

Douglas County, Nevada Landforms

Mountains in Douglas County, Nevada East Peak is a mountain in the Carson Range of western Nevada and at 9,595′, East Peak is the highest point in Douglas County.

  1. Buckskin Range
  2. Carson Range
  3. Pine Nut Mountains
  4. Mountains in Elko County, Nevada
  5. Ruby Dome

Elko County, Nevada Landforms

Canyons in Elko County, Nevada

  • Carlin Canyon 
  • Lamoille Canyon
  • Maverick Canyon 
  • Right Fork Canyon
  • Seitz Canyon

Lakes in Elko County, Nevada

  1. Angel Lake
  2. Box Lake 
  3. Castle Lake
  4. Cold Lakes 
  5. Deep Creek Reservoir
  6. Dollar Lakes
  7. Echo Lake
  8. Favre Lake 
  9. Franklin Lake
  10. Griswold Lake 
  11. Hidden Lakes 
  12. Island Lake 
  13. Jarbidge Lake
  14. Lamoille Lake
  15. Liberty Lake 
  16. North Furlong Lake 
  17. Overland Lake 
  18. Robinson Lake 
  19. Seitz Lake 
  20. Snow Lake 
  21. Snow Water Lake Soldier Lakes
  22. South Fork Dam 
  23. Verdi Lake 
  24. Wild Horse Reservoir
  25. Willow Creek Reservoir 
  26. Wilson Reservoir

Mountain in Elko County, Nevada

Ruby Dome has an elevation of 11,388 feet and is the highest mountain in the Ruby Mountains and Elko County with it being the highest mountain in the area for over 90 miles. It is the 27th highest mountain in the state and also ranks as the 13th most topographically prominent peak in the state.

  1. Adobe Range
  2. Antelope Range (White Pine County, Nevada)
  3. Bone Mountains
  4. Bruneau Range
  5. Buck Creek Mountains
  6. Bull Run Mountains (Nevada)
  7. Cherry Creek Range
  8. Copper Mountains (Nevada)
  9. Delano Mountains
  10. Dixie Hills, Nevada
  11. Dolly Varden Mountains
  12. East Humboldt Range
  13. Elk Mountains (Nevada)
  14. Elko Hills
  15. Fox Creek Range
  16. Goose Creek Mountains
  17. Goshute Mountains
  18. Granite Range (Elko County)
  19. H D Range
  20. Ichabod Range
  21. Independence Mountains
  22. Jarbidge Mountains
  23. Kinsley Mountains
  24. Leach Range
  25. Leppy Hills
  26. Mallard Hills
  27. Marys River Range
  28. Medicine Range
  29. Peko Hills
  30. Pequop Mountains
  31. Pilot Range
  32. Pinon Range
  33. Ruby Mountains
  34. Salmon River Range
  35. Santa Renia Mountains
  36. Snake Mountains
  37. Snowstorm Mountains
  38. Toana John Mountains
  39. Toano Range
  40. Tuscarora Mountains
  41. Wild Horse Range
  42. Windermere Hills
  43. Wood Hills

Rivers in Elko County, Nevada

  1. Bruneau River
  2. Death Creek 
  3. Goose Creek
  4. Humboldt River 
  5. Jack Creek
  6. Jarbidge River 
  7. Little Owyhee River
  8. Maggie Creek 
  9. North Fork Humboldt River
  10. Owyhee River 
  11. Rabbit Creek 
  12. Salmon Falls Creek 
  13. Sheep Creek 
  14. South Fork Humboldt River 
  15. Susie Creek 

Esmeralda County, Nevada Landforms

Lakes in Esmeralda County, Nevada

  • Dry Lake

Mountains in Esmeralda County, Nevada

Boundary Peak is a mountain in Esmeralda County, Nevada, United States. With a peak elevation of 13,147 feet (4,007 m), it is the highest natural point in the state of Nevada.

  1. Cedar Mountains
  2. Cucomungo Mountains
  3. Cuprite Hills
  4. General Thomas Hills
  5. Gold Mountain Range
  6. Goldfield Hills
  7. Grapevine Mountains
  8. Monte Cristo Range
  9. Montezuma Range
  10. Palmetto Mountains
  11. Paymaster Ridge
  12. Silver Peak Range
  13. Slate Ridge
  14. Sylvania Mountains
  15. Volcanic Hills
  16. Weepah Hills
  17. White Mountains

Eureka County, Nevada Landforms

Mountains in Eureka County, Nevada

Not to be confused with Diamond Peak (ski area) near Lake Tahoe, Diamon Peak is 10,631′ and is both the highest and most topographically prominent mountain in both the Diamond Mountains and Eureka County, in Nevada. It is on public land administered by the Bureau of Land Management and thus has no access restrictions.

  1. Antelope Range
  2. Cortez Mountains
  3. Diamond Mountains
  4. Dry Hills
  5. Fish Creek Range
  6. Mahogany Hills
  7. Monitor Range
  8. Mountain Boy Range
  9. Roberts Mountains
  10. Shoshone Range
  11. Simpson Park Mountains
  12. Sulphur Spring Range
  13. Whistler Range

Humboldt County, Nevada Landforms

Lakes in Humboldt County, Nevada

  1. Continental Lake
  2. High Rock Lake
  3. Hot Lake 

Mountains in Humboldt County, Nevada

Located within the Santa Rosa Ranger District of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest with an elevation of 9,736′, Granite Peak is the highest mountain in both the Santa Rosa Range and Humboldt County and is the highest mountain for over 80 miles in all directions.

  1. Ararat Hills
  2. Battle Mountains
  3. Bilk Creek Mountains
  4. Black Rock Range
  5. Bloody Run Hills
  6. Calico Hills, Humboldt County
  7. Division Range
  8. Double H Mountains
  9. High Rock Canyon Hills
  10. Hot Springs Range
  11. Idaho Canyon Range
  12. Jackson Mountains
  13. Kamma Mountains
  14. King Lear Peak
  15. Martin Creek Mountains
  16. Montana Mountains
  17. Osgood Mountains
  18. Pine Forest Range
  19. Pueblo Mountains
  20. Sage Hen Hills
  21. Santa Rosa Range
  22. Sentinel Hills
  23. Slumbering Hills
  24. Sonoma Range
  25. Trout Creek Mountains

Lander County, Nevada Landforms

Lakes in Lander County, Nevada

  • Alkali Lake 

Mountains in Lander County, Nevada Bunker Hill is the highest mountain in Lander County, within the Toiyabe Range of central Nevada, United States. It is the twenty-second highest mountain in the state. The peak is located within the Austin Ranger District of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, about 17 miles south of the small town of Austin and just northwest of the small town of Kingston.

  1. Augusta Mountains
  2. Battle Mountains, Nevada
  3. Fish Creek Mountains
  4. New Pass Range
  5. Sheep Creek Range
  6. Shoshone Range
  7. Simpson Park Mountains
  8. Toiyabe Range

Lincoln County, Nevada Landforms

Canyons in Lincoln County, Nevada

  • Rainbow Canyon 
  • White River Narrows

Lakes in Lincoln County, Nevada

  • Delamar Dry Lake
  • Dog Bone Lake
  • Groom Lake (salt flat)
  • Papoose Lake

Mountains in Lincoln County, Nevada

Mount Grafton is the high point of the southern section of the Schell Creek Range in southern White Pine County, in eastern Nevada in the western United States. The summit is located 39 miles south of the community of Ely. The south ridge crosses into Lincoln County, making it that county’s highest point at 10,640′.

  1. Black Canyon Range
  2. Bristol Range
  3. Buried Hills
  4. Burnt Springs Range
  5. Cedar Range
  6. Chief Range
  7. Clover Mountains
  8. Delamar Mountains
  9. Desert Hills
  10. East Desert Range
  11. East Mormon Mountains
  12. East Pahranagat Range
  13. Ely Range
  14. Ely Springs Range
  15. Fairview Range
  16. Fortification Range
  17. Golden Gate Range
  18. Groom Range
  19. Highland Range
  20. Hiko Range
  21. Jumbled Hills
  22. Limestone Hills
  23. Mahogany Mountains
  24. Meadow Valley Mountains
  25. Mormon Mountains
  26. Mount Irish Range
  27. North Pahroc Range
  28. Pahranagat Range
  29. Papoose Range
  30. Pintwater Range
  31. Pioche Hills
  32. Quinn Canyon Range
  33. Seaman Range
  34. Sheep Range
  35. South Pahroc Range
  36. Tikaboo Range
  37. Timpahute Range
  38. Tule Springs Hills
  39. West Range
  40. White Rock Mountains
  41. Wilson Creek Range
  42. Worthington Mountains

Rivers in Lincoln County, Nevada

  • Delamar Wash 
  • Halfway Wash 
  • Meadow Valley Wash 
  • Toquop Wash 
  • White River 

Lyon County, Nevada Landforms

Canyons in Lyon County, Nevada

  •  Wilson Canyon

Lakes in Lyon County, Nevada

  • Lake Lahontan (reservoir)

Mountains in Lyon County, Nevada

Middle Sister is a mountain in the Sweetwater Mountains of Mono County, California, United States. It is located within the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. The northeast ridge crosses into Lyon County in Nevada, making that location the Lyon County’s highest point at about 10,565 feet.

  1. Cambridge Hills
  2. Desert Creek Mountains
  3. Desert Mountains
  4. Fernley Hills
  5. Gray Hills
  6. Pine Grove Hills
  7. Pine Nut Mountains
  8. Singatse Range
  9. Sweetwater Mountains
  10. Terril Mountains
  11. Virginia Range

Mineral County Nevada Landforms

Lakes in Mineral County, Nevada

  • Mineral Lake

Mountains in Mineral County, Nevada

Mount Grant, named Ulysses S. Grant, is both the highest and most topographically prominent mountain in both the Wassuk Range and Mineral County in Nevada, United States. It ranks thirteenth among the most topographically prominent peaks in the state. Since the peak is located within the Hawthorne Army Depot, public access is very limited.

  • Anchorite Hills
  • Bodie Mountains
  • Candelaria Hills
  • Cedar Mountains
  • Excelsior Mountains
  • Gabbs Valley Range
  • Garfield Hills
  • Gillis Range
  • Huntoon Mountains
  • Pilot Mountains
  • Rawhide Hills
  • Sinkavata Hills
  • Terril Mountains
  • Wassuk Range
  • White Mountains

Nye County, Nevada Landforms

Canyons in Nye County, Nevada

  • Titus Canyon
  • White River Narrows

Mountains in Nye County, Nevada

Mount Jefferson has an elevation of 11,949 feet and is the tallest mountain in the Toquima Range and all of Nye County. Mount Jefferson is the highest mountain in both the Toquima Range and Nye County in Nevada, United States. It is the sixth highest mountain in the state.

  1. Amargosa Range
  2. Antelope Range
  3. Bare Mountain Range
  4. Belted Range
  5. Bullfrog Hills
  6. Cactus Range
  7. Cedar Mountains
  8. Devils Hole Hills
  9. Eleana Range
  10. Gap Mountains
  11. Grant Range
  12. Grapevine Mountains
  13. Halfpint Range
  14. Horse Range
  15. Hot Creek Range
  16. Johnnie Range
  17. Kawich Range
  18. Last Chance Range
  19. Lodi Hills
  20. Monitor Hills
  21. Monitor Range
  22. Monte Cristo Mountains
  23. Needle Rang
  24. Pancake Range
  25. Paradise Range
  26. Park Range
  27. Quinn Canyon Range
  28. Reveille Range
  29. Royston Hills
  30. San Antonio Mountains
  31. Seaman Range
  32. Shoshone Mountain
  33. Shoshone Mountains
  34. Specter Range
  35. Toiyabe Range
  36. Toquima Range
  37. Wellington Hills

Rivers in Nye County, Nevada

  • Amargosa River 
  • Tongue Wash 
  • White River 

Pershing County, Nevada Landforms

Lakes in Pershing County, Nevada

  • Alkali Lake
  • Lake Humboldt
  • Rye Patch Reservoir
  • Winnemucca Lake

Mountains in Pershing County, Nevada

Coming in at 9,840′, Star Peak is both the highest and most topographically prominent mountain in both the Humboldt Range and Pershing County in Nevada, United States. It is the sixth-most topographically prominent peak in Nevada. The peak is on public land administered by the Bureau of Land Management and has no access restrictions.

  • Antelope Range
  • Augusta Mountains
  • Blue Wing Mountains
  • Calico Hills
  • East Range
  • Eugene Mountains
  • Hannan Range
  • Humboldt Range
  • Kamma Mountains
  • Majuba Mountains
  • Nightingale Mountains
  • Poker Brown Mountains
  • Selenite Range
  • Seven Troughs Range
  • Sheephead Mountains
  • Sonoma Range
  • Stillwater Range
  • Tobin Range
  • Trinity Range
  • West Humboldt Range

Storey County, Nevada Landforms

Mountains in Storey County, Nevada

Mount Davidson is both the highest and most topographically prominent mountain in both Storey County, Nevada and the Virginia Range at 7,868′. The mountain forms a backdrop for the mining boomtown of Virginia City which was built above the Comstock Lode silver strike.

  • Flowery Range
  • Virginia Range

Washoe County, Nevada Landforms

Geysers in Washoe County, Nevada

Fly Geyser

Fly Geyser Fly Geyser, also known as Fly Ranch Geyser is a small geothermal geyser located on private land in Washoe County, Nevada, about 20 miles north of Gerlach, NV. Click here to read more about Fly Geyser. Steamboat Springs Steamboat Springs is a small volcanic field of rhyolitic lava domes and flows in western Nevada, located south of Reno.

Lakes in Washoe County, Nevada

  • Alkali Lakes
  • Massacre Lake
  • Pyramid Lake
  • Squaw Valley Reservoir
  • Lake Tahoe
  • Washoe Lake
  • Winnemucca Lake

Mountains in Washoe County, Nevada

Part of the Carson Range, at 10,785′ in elevation Mt. Rose is an extinct volcano that is located between Lake Tahoe and Reno and is the highest mountain in Washoe County, Nevada. It ranks 37th among the most topographically prominent peaks in the state. It is also both the highest and most topographically prominent peak of the greater Sierra Nevada range within the state of Nevada, and the third most topographically prominent peak in the Sierra Nevada overall.

  1. Badger Mountains
  2. Buffalo Hills
  3. Carson Range
  4. Curnow Range
  5. Diabase Hills
  6. Fort Sage Mountains
  7. Fox Range
  8. French Mountains
  9. Granite Range
  10. Hays Canyon Range
  11. Hog Ranch Mountains
  12. Home Camp Range
  13. Junction House Range
  14. Lake Range
  15. Little High Rock Mountains
  16. Lost Creek Hills
  17. Massacre Range
  18. Mosquito Mountain
  19. Nightingale Mountains
  20. Pah Rah Range
  21. Painted Point Range
  22. Petersen Mountain
  23. Pinto Peak Range
  24. Sand Hills
  25. Sand Range
  26. Smoke Creek Mountains
  27. Terraced Hills
  28. Truckee Range
  29. Virginia Mountains
  30. Yellow Hills

White Pine County, Nevada Landforms

Lakes in White Pine County, Nevada

  • Stella Lake
  • Teresa Lake

Mountains in White Pine County, Nevada

Located in the Snake Range, Wheeler Peak is located within the Great Basin National Park and has an elevation of 13,065′, which makes it the second-highest peak in Nevada, just behind Boundary Peak.

  1. Antelope Range
  2. Butte Mountains
  3. Cherry Creek Range
  4. Diamond Mountains
  5. Duck Creek Range
  6. Egan Range
  7. Kern Mountains
  8. Maverick Springs Range
  9. Ruby Mountains
  10. Schell Creek Range
  11. Snake Range
  12. South Mountains
  13. White Pine Range
  14. White River Range

Resources Used:

  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevada
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest_points_in_Nevada_by_county
  • https://geology.com/lakes-rivers-water/nevada.shtml
  • https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Lakes_of_Nevada
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Regions_of_Nevada

Nevada Landforms

By Author Billie Hillier

Posted on  - Last updated:

Categories Landforms

Nevada Landforms