Located about 20 miles east of Fallon, NV along U.S. Route 50 (also known as “the loneliest road in America”), Sand Mountain Recreation Area is a singing sand dune that is two miles long and 600 feet high.

Image © Copyright Ken Lund. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

A singing sand dune, also called whistling sand or barking sand, is a sand dune that produces sounds described as “roaring” or “booming.” The sounds are created by wind passing over the dune or by people walking on or sliding down the sand dune. If you are interested in learning more about how these sounds are produced, you can watch this video made by National Geographic.

An estimated 35 sites worldwide are known to produce this booming sound, but only a handful are located in the United States. In addition to Sand Mountain, other singing sand dunes in Nevada include Big Dune in Amargosa Valley and Crescent Dunes near Tonopah.

The singing sand dunes at Sand Mountain can sometimes sound like a low-flying B-29 bomber. The sand originates from ancient Lake Lahontan and the wind is constantly changing the shape of Sand Mountain.

Image © Copyright Ken Lund. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

If you are looking for a desert landscape, a double for a Middle Eastern setting or maybe something unique that could be a great location for a Sci-Fi themed production, be sure to visit Sand Mountain. It’s also a huge attraction for hikers, ATVs, dune buggies, sand skiers, sandboarders, and other extreme enthusiasts, so filming some action sports at Sand Mountain could add extra excitement to your production.

Image © Copyright David Crowley. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

For more information, you can view the full Sand Mountain location details here and don’t forget to register your project!

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