Fuel the entire weekend in Fallon
There is no fuel at Sand Mountain. Everything that burns gasoline over the weekend gets filled in Fallon, or at Harmon Station on the way past, and that includes the trip home.
AAA publishes no metro average covering this area, so the figures here are Nevada statewide. They are useful for budgeting a tow, not for choosing a pump.
Yesterday, a week ago, and a month ago load here, which is what tells you whether the market is moving before a long tow.
Source: AAA Gas Prices, cached and refreshed periodically. The posted price at the pump is the only number you actually pay, and stations in Fallon can sit well either side of a state average.
Trip fuel calculator
The estimate combines highway fuel with the extra gallons you expect to burn in machines, approved cans, or a generator. Fallon is about 25 miles from the dunes, so most of the haul is getting to Fallon.
Enter a price per gallon, or let the Nevada statewide average fill in.
About 25 miles west of the dunes on U.S. 50, with the best selection of stations and prices you will see on this trip. Fill the tow vehicle here even if it is not empty, because topping off in town costs nothing and running short in the Great Basin costs a great deal.
The last stop on U.S. 50 as it turns from east to south. Fuel, a deli, Wi-Fi, and Sand Mountain passes over the counter. Useful as the backup if you skipped Fallon, and useful as the last place with reliable signal to finish anything online.
If you are approaching from the east rather than through Fallon, Middlegate is the nearest fuel. Worth confirming hours before you rely on it, because a single-station town on a remote highway is not the place to discover a closed pump.
Estimate on trailer weight, headwind across open basin, idling in camp, and the return leg, not on the number the truck normally gets. Great Basin headwinds are real and a loaded toy hauler in a crosswind will surprise you. Add margin, then add some more.
Fill the machines and any approved containers in town rather than planning a mid-weekend run. Transport fuel only in approved containers, secure them properly for a rough road, and keep transfer and storage well away from generators, campfires, and anything else with an ignition source.
Station hours change, card readers fail, and a holiday weekend can empty a small-town station. Know your second option before you leave pavement. This matters more here than most places because the next alternative may be a long way in the wrong direction.
Price context on this site is for planning the budget. What is on the sign at the pump is what you are paying. Prices in Fallon and out along U.S. 50 can differ by a meaningful amount, so if you are filling several tanks it is worth a look before you pick a station.
Verify before travel. Conditions and regulations can change. Use the responsible agency's current information for final decisions.
Open the official BLM source →