Along the Way

Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Museum and Visitors Center

Located in Nixon on the Pyramid Lake Paiute Reservation, this museum offers an opportunity to learn about the history, culture, and living traditions of the Numu (Northern Paiute people), whose relationship with Pyramid Lake stretches back thousands of years. Exhibits explore the cultural significance of the lake, tribal history, wildlife, and the unique ecology of this extraordinary place. It is one of the best introductions to understanding the region through the perspective of the people who have called it home for generations. (pyramidlake.us⁠)

You can also view the Haba (shade in paiute) Structure that was built during the 2023 BWB Summit and the Kanee seasonal structure) bult by the Ripple team in 2025.

Friends of Black Rock-High Rock

While going through Gerlach, stop by the Friends of Black Rock-High Rock Visitor Center. Friends works to preserve, steward, and share the stories of the Black Rock Desert–High Rock Canyon region. Their visitor center offers maps, local knowledge, information about public lands, regional history, recreation opportunities, and current conditions. 

Burning Man Live: In Paiute Country: The Numa of Pyramid Lake

Produced by Burning Man LIVE, this episode offers an introduction to the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe and the deep history of the Numu people, whose ancestral lands include Pyramid Lake and the Black Rock Desert. Through conversations with tribal leaders, cultural practitioners, elders, and community members, the episode explores the history, culture, and living relationship between the Paiute people and this landscape. We especially recommend listening as you travel along Highway 447 through Pyramid Lake Paiute lands on your way to Fly Ranch. 

Listen here: In Paiute Country: The Numa of Pyramid Lake⁠

Burning Man Live: Coyote and the Book Built to Burn

Want to understand the rough-and-tumble origins of Black Rock City? In this episode of Burning Man LIVE, Tony “Coyote” Perez—co-founder of the Department of Public Works (DPW), longtime Black Rock City Superintendent, and author of Built to Burn—shares stories from the early days of Burning Man and the people who helped shape it. The conversation explores the challenges, characters, and unlikely adventures that transformed a small desert gathering into a city built through grit, creativity, and communal effort. It’s a colorful and deeply human glimpse into the culture and history that continues to influence Burning Man today. 

⁠Listen here: Built to Burn