Fly Geyser

The Fly Ranch was first homesteaded in the late 1800s by Fred Gerlach, son of Louis Gerlach, for whom the town of Gerlach was named.

The springs near Fly Ranch were referred to as Ward's Hot Springs in an 1886 geology report.

In 1916, a well was drilled and a travertine formation 5 meters high was created. This formation is known as "The Thumb." Today, there is very little, if any, water coming out of The Thumb.

In 1964, a well was drilled by Western Geothermal. This well started leaking and created the formation that is known as Fly Geyser. The red and green colors represent two different species of algae.

Fly Geyser sits on a dais of mud amidst ponds of warm water and thriving plants.

Fly Ranch was a part of the John Casey estate, until it was sold to Todd Jaksick (Bright Holland Corporation) in 1998. The property is generally off limits to visitors because of liability and vandalism concerns.

In September, 2010, there was a plan to buy Fly Geyser, see Archive.org: 13 May 2011 http://gotgeyser.com.

http://flyranchproject.org/ discusses Burning Man efforts at purchasing the land.

• 
  Fly Geyser, Feb 1965
• 
  Fly Geyser, 1975
• 
  March 24, 2007
• 
  March 24, 2007
• 
  March 24, 2007
• 
  2010 (Wikipedia)

See Also

• Fly Ranch
• Fred Gerlach
• March 24, 2007 Fly Ranch tour photos

Resources

• Wikipedia
• Google Map
• Las Vegas Sun, January 29, 2010 "Geyser on private land chosen as attraction to draw tourists to state."
• November 2001 Reno Gazette Journal article

Images

• University of Nevada, Reno Photography Collection
  • UNR Carpenter Collection Descriptions
    • UNRS-P1988-55-1095 "Reservoir fountain twenty-four miles north of Gerlach." (Includes online photo)
    • UNRS-P1988-55-737 "Reservoir Fountain" 24 miles north of Gerlach to east ¼ mile of Nevada 34 Highway. 18 May 1946." (Duplicate of 1095 above?)
    • UNRS-P1988-55-722 "Reservoir Fountain" 24 miles north of Gerlach to east ¼ mile of Nevada 34 Highway. 18 May 1946.
    • UNRS-P1988-55-78 "Reservoir Fountain" 24 miles north of Gerlach. East ¼ mile Nevada Highway 34, Washoe County. 18 May 1946.
  • UNR Thomas Woodnutt Miller: 2154 - 2158 "Geyser, northern Washoe County between Gerlach and Littlefield." (unknown)
• Nevada Historical Museum Photography Collection
  • Washoe Book 0105, 0109 Fly Geyser 1969
  • 8059 Black Rock: Fly Geyser Scott T. Smith "Copyrighted do not copy"
• Fly Geyser Nevada (cmdrmark.com)
  • pictures (cmdrmark.com)
• Online Fly Geyser Jigsaw Puzzle
• http://green.nationalgeographic.com/environment/wallpaper/blackrockgeysermineral.html
• Some older photos
• Nevada's Last Chance Scenic Places
• Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History: photography, "Nature's Best" Landscape Winner
• Virtual Reality views
• http://www.uga.edu/srel/Nevada_Hot_Springs/travel-4-2004.htm
• http://blog.visitrenotahoe.com/2006/06/14/fly-geyser-one-of-nevadas-little-surprises/
• http://planetoddity.com/a-geyser-not-like-any-other-geyser/
• http://www.kuriositas.com/2010/12/fly-geyser-not-quite-of-this-world.html
• http://www.pixelchrome.com/blog/?p=5369
• http://www.wonders-world.com/2011/02/fly-geyser-in-black-rock-desert.html

Geology

• Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology Geothermal slides including Fly Geyser
• Fly Ranch section of Larry J. Garside, John Harold Schilling, Mackay School of Mines, "Thermal waters of Nevada," Volume 91 of Bulletin (Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology)
  • Archive.org version of the above with working links to some of the images.
  • Washoe County chapter of "Thermal waters of Nevada"
• 2005 Public notice about a meeting to discuss injecting Portable Toilet water from Burning Man at Fly Ranch: Public Notice, Authorization to Apply Portable Toilet Fluid (Permit), Wiki version of the notice
• Albert Charles Peale, "Lists and Analyses of the Mineral Springs of the United States (A Preliminary Study)," p. 200, 1886. Mentions Ward's Hot Springs