By Charlie Pankey | Sierra Rec Magazine
For most people, when you say “Nevada,” one image comes to mind — flashing lights, crowded casinos, and the non-stop buzz of Las Vegas. But for those of us who live along the Sierra Front, we know a different Nevada — one filled with wide-open basins, wild mustangs, and starlit skies that seem to stretch forever.
This week on the Sierra Rec Now Podcast, I sat down with explorer, photographer, and author Sydney Martinez, who has spent nearly two decades traveling every dusty road, alpine trail, and ghost town in the Silver State. Her new book, Finding Nevada Wild, published by Schiffer in 2025, captures that Nevada — the one few people take the time to see.
🎧 Listen to the full episode on Spotify:
👉 Finding Nevada Wild — Sierra Rec Now Podcast
📺 Watch the full video interview on YouTube:
👉 Watch on YouTube
“Nevada Isn’t Just Vegas” — Rediscovering the Silver State
“The Nevada I know,” Sydney told me during our conversation, “is a big old desert basin with massive mountains everywhere you look, wild mustangs roaming the plains, and night skies that are second to none.”
That’s a vision most outsiders never get to see — and part of the reason she wrote Finding Nevada Wild. As a journalist and photographer, Sydney spent 20 years documenting the terrain, culture, and people of Nevada, exploring what she calls the state’s “quiet, magical corners.”
From the dark skies at Massacre Rim in the northwestern corner of the state to the alpine lakes of the Ruby Mountains, Sydney’s travels reveal a Nevada that rivals any Western landscape for beauty and solitude. “It’s out there,” she said, “you just have to look a little bit closer and try a little bit harder.”
Chasing Darkness and Hot Springs
One of the most memorable stories in our discussion came from a night at Massacre Rim, one of the darkest places on Earth.
Sydney laughed as she recalled the moment she and her husband, Johnny, realized what they had stumbled upon:
“We had been fooled into thinking there was an actual rim, like a plateau,” she said. “We were ready to give up when the moon dropped and the Milky Way came up. Suddenly, the sky just exploded — stars everywhere. You could literally see the Milky Way with the naked eye.”
That sense of discovery runs throughout her work. Whether she’s searching for elusive natural hot springs (“Rule number one,” she jokes, “is don’t ask anyone where they are!”) or exploring backcountry roads across the Great Basin, her approach is all about curiosity and respect.
Her book includes more than 300 color photos — but not a single GPS coordinate. “The adventure,” she said, “is in finding them yourself.”
The Ruby Mountains: Nevada’s Hidden Alpine Paradise
When we turned to talk about hiking, Sydney described one of her favorite wilderness experiences — through-hiking the Ruby Crest Trail near Elko.
“It’s a glacial-carved canyon, full of alpine lakes that look like little Tahoes,” she said. “We hiked 43 miles and saw maybe five people the whole time. Every night, we were completely alone under the stars. It’s incredible — and it’s Nevada.”
That solitude, she added, is what keeps her exploring. “People think Nevada’s empty, but it’s not empty — it’s just free. It’s one of the few places left where you can pull off the road, set up camp, and have an entire canyon to yourself.”
Basques, Buckaroos, and the Living Culture of Nevada
Beyond the landscapes, Finding Nevada Wild dives deep into the cultural fabric of the state. Sydney spoke passionately about the Basque and Buckaroo heritage that still thrives across rural Nevada.
“The Basque people came here to herd sheep and carve out a life in the mountains,” she explained. “Their arborglyphs — carvings in the aspen trees — are like living history. You can still find them in places like the Jarbidge Wilderness and around Mount Jefferson.”
She encourages travelers to experience Nevada’s Basque culture firsthand at family-style boarding houses like the JT Basque Bar & Dining Room in Gardnerville, the Martin Hotel in Winnemucca, or the Star Hotel in Elko — places that serve up rich meals, lively conversations, and the state’s official drink, the Picon Punch.
“There’s no better way to celebrate the end of a long day in the desert,” she said with a laugh.
Mysteries Beneath the Desert — and the Sounds of Silence
As our conversation wound through Nevada’s high deserts, we landed on one of the state’s strangest and most fascinating places: Devil’s Hole, home to the endangered Desert Pupfish.
Sydney described the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge as “a true desert mirage — bright blue water in the middle of nowhere, connected by underground rivers that might reach all the way to Death Valley.”
Her favorite chapter in the book, however, might surprise people. It’s not about a place, but about sound.
“People know about Nevada’s darkness,” she said, “but they don’t realize how powerful its silence is. When your eyes can’t process what you’re seeing, and your ears can’t process what they’re hearing — that’s when you really feel the wild.”
More Than a Guide — A Love Letter to Nevada
Finding Nevada Wild is more than a travel book. It’s a story of connection — to place, to people, and to self.
“When you go out there,” Sydney told me, “you might find a version of yourself you haven’t met before.”
Her perspective mirrors what so many Sierra Rec readers and listeners already understand: the best adventures aren’t always marked on a map. They’re found on the edges of comfort — in the quiet canyons, under vast skies, and in the moments of wonder that remind us how small we really are.
Watch or Listen Now
📺 Watch the full interview on YouTube:
👉 https://youtu.be/UOyyOx7xsv8?si=tz-oQ3lFTSMW44NH
🎧 Listen on Spotify:
👉 https://open.spotify.com/episode/0DMWyk71OaAaw0xgGxLgPu?si=wipdM5BQRV-LflQ1KjMZNw
📘 Learn more about Sydney Martinez and her work:
Visit FindingNevadaWild.com
About the Sierra Rec Now Podcast
The Sierra Rec Now Podcast celebrates the people, places, and passions that define life in the Sierra Nevada and the Great Basin. Each week, host Charlie Pankey talks with explorers, writers, outdoor brands, and community leaders who share a love for the wild.
Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode.
