Seeing Black Rock Desert from a plane
The playa where Burning Man is held each summer, and where Thrust SSC set the land speed record of 763 mph in 1997. Look for a huge, flat, pale lake bed, and in late summer the ring of Black Rock City.
3 of our routes pass it. Nevada · rated 6 of 10
The easy pick
Las Vegas to Seattle: sit on the right, 57 min after takeoff.
Which side, by route
| Route | Side | When |
|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas to Seattle | Right | 57 min after takeoff |
| Portland to Las Vegas | Left the other side is usually better on this route | 46 min after takeoff |
| Seattle to Las Vegas | Left the other side is usually better on this route | 62 min after takeoff |
From the real paths of every nonstop on these routes in the last 10 days, at the usual time of day.
Questions
Which side of the plane do you see Black Rock Desert from?
It depends on the direction: the left on most of our routes (2 of 3). The table lists each route's side.
When can you see Black Rock Desert from a plane?
Mid-flight: see the table for when on each route.
Do clouds matter?
Yes. These answers assume a clear day. Within 3 days of your flight, pick your exact flight in the app for the cloud forecast.
More
Alvord Desert Lassen Peak Lake Tahoe Mount Shasta Mono Lake Las Vegas (LAS) Seattle (SEA) Portland (PDX) All routes