Rising from the floor of the Great Basin— the vast expanse between the Rocky and the Sierra Nevada Mountains where creeks and rivers flow inward rather than to the ocean—the steep green mountains of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest provides critical water, wildlife habitat, relief from heat, and “accessible isolation” for visitors and valley residents. Ghost towns and historic mining cabins dot these vast, remote, largely undiscovered sky islands that offer freedom, solitude, and a sense of discovery and adventure for self-reliant visitors. Although mostly remote, the forest also borders some of the busiest urban areas in the country—Las Vegas and Reno.