We just drove from Carson City to Las Vegas and man, what a bunch of nothing out there. Other than the few towns along the way, we got to wondering who owns all this land. Can you provide a rundown of what belongs to the federal and state governments and who else might hold title to all the desert?
It's no surprise that when people take a road trip across the state, they become curious about the seemingly endless trackless wilderness.
Nevada, at roughly 70.2 million acres (110,567 square miles), is the seventh largest state in the nation.
The feds claim 81.1% of Nevada ground, the highest percentage of federal land of any state. That translates to roughly 57 million acres.
The vast majority of fed lands within the boundaries of Nevada are controlled by the Bureau of Land Management; its 48 million acres add up to 84%. That's followed by the U.S. Forest Service (10%), Department of Energy (5%), and the remaining 1% by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
The state, believe it or not, owns less than 2% of the land. This includes state parks (27 of which occupy just under 100,000 acres), wildlife management areas, and property in the capital Carson City and other cities and towns.
Another 2% is owned by Native American tribes (under federal trust).
The rest, 14% or so (slightly more than 1 million acres), is privately owned, the large majority by mining companies, agribusiness and large ranches, and private parties large and small.
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Dan McGlasson
May-28-2024
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Hoppy
May-28-2024
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Tim Clark
May-31-2024
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