Travel brochures urge visitors to "Discover Both Sides of Nevada". The side of Nevada visitors usually see is Las Vegas, but a glimpse into the other side reveals a bit of the true heart of the old Wild West. These two sides don't make a likely pair, but extremes are what make Nevada what it is. Hot deserts, snowy mountain peaks. Highrollers and cowboys. Busy cities and sprawling ranches. Glaring neon lights and a clear blue desert sky. Nevada is the country's most arid state, so many people are surprised to find that it is so mountainous. The Sierra Nevada borders the west, and over thirty other mountain ranges criss-cross the state. While the southern region of Nevada, including Las Vegas, is a hot desert climate, the rest of Nevada has more moderate temperatures and four distinct seasons.
    A common misconception is that all of Nevada is a hot desert. Some parts of Nevada do get snow and water. Lake Tahoe is very beautiful and the camping and swimming is great in summer, and the ski resorts are great in winter.
    While Nevada is the United States fastest growing state, it is also one of the least populated. Nevada is almost as big as the entire country of Poland and over twice as big as the former area of Czechoslovakia. Nevada's population now is somewhere between 1.56 and 2 million. The population density is very small by European standards.
    Most visitors go to Las Vegas when visiting Nevada. It is recommended to visit Reno or Las Vegas to see what makes Nevada stand out as a state: its night life, lights, gambling, drinking and fun. However, sometimes the heat and glare of the Las Vegas lights can detract from the positive side of Nevada.
    When your luck or money runs out in Vegas, try traveling further north. To get a prosper perspective of Nevada, you would have to visit all parts of the state. In eastern Nevada you will find Nevada the way it used to be before the state began to grow. Lots of open range, beautiful mountain ranges, small towns, colorful canyons, and a friendliness tourists can expect without exception.
It this part of Nevada you will find the same world that was seen by the 19th century explorers, pioneers, ranchers, miners, railroad workers, homesteaders, and Mormon settlers who began seeping into the Great Basin and Mojave Desert. Even today you can taste the history of the untamed frontier. Explore the ghost towns (old, abandoned mining towns) nestled near dusty canyons, or attend a pow-wow of one of Nevada's Native American tribes.
    Nevada is another world. The mountains are magnificent when it snows. The sky is the bluest imaginable during the day, and contains the most stars at night.

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