Fallon is located in the Lahontan Valley, about 60 miles east of Reno, and near the Stillwater Wildlife Refuge, part of the Pacific Flyway and home to hundreds of species of migratory birds. Because of the valley’s high volume of water, the area is often called the "Oasis of Nevada," and outdoor recreation is abundant in this lush playground. Visitors can hike, mountain bike, bird watch and ATV, or head out to Lahontan Reservoir for wakeboarding, fishing, swimming or waterskiing. The area is part of the State Parks system, so download the Nevada State Parks Brochure here to find out more about how to enjoy the great outdoors near Fallon.

Fallon was incorporated in 1908 after Theodore Roosevelt took office and created the Reclamation Act, an act designed to reclaim desert land by instituting canals and dams. Since then, this agricultural town has flourished from the production of alfalfa and cantaloupe. Be sure to check out the Hearts O’ Gold Cantaloupe Festival held every year at the end of summer. Heart O’ Gold cantaloupes are the sweetest, most succulent melons, but they are delicate and hard to ship, so you have to go to Fallon to experience them.

Celebrating agriculture and farm life is the always fun Lattin Farms, a real family farm with animals to pet, fruits and veggies to pick, homemade jams and pies to buy and a “cow train” for a leisurely cruise around the farm. In the fall, one of the top maze designers in the world sets to work on a three-acre life-size corn maze designed to puzzle adults and kids alike.

Fallon Naval Air Station
The Fallon Naval Air Station also fuels the economy in this area. It is home to TOPGUN, the United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor (SFTI) program, originally known as the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School. The film “Top Gun” was modeled after this specialized pilot training.

U.S. Highway 50
Fallon is on U.S. Highway 50, also known as “The Loneliest Road in America,” a name given by a Life magazine journalist more than 20 years ago who was not impressed by the long, desolate stretches of highway with few places to stop and rest. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and the droves of travelers who have braved this lonely road continue to return to see the West much like it was a century ago. You can download a Highway 50 Survival Guide here and take it with you on your journey across Nevada. Be sure to get it stamped at each town along the way to earn a certificate from the governor saying “I Survived!” If you start on the western end of the state, be sure to gas up in Fallon because your next town is 110 miles away.

As you drive east out of Fallon, you’ll see a giant sand dune rising out of the hillside – this is Sand Mountain, a two-mile long, 600-foot-high sand dune often buzzing with ATVs and dune buggies. Stay for the day or set up camp, but be sure to stay on the designated side of the mountain to protect the flora and fauna so vital to desert life.