Black Rock City Airport (88NV), Nevada
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Black Rock City Airport (88NV) is a private, unattended dirt-runway field near Gerlach, Nevada. It sees very light annual traffic concentrated in a short seasonal window, with the nearest customs facility at Reno (KRNO), about 80 nautical miles away.
Runways
Black Rock City Airport has two unpaved runways. The longest, 05R/23L, is 6,001 ft long and 75 ft wide, with a dirt surface.
Runway geometry from published threshold coordinates. Not for navigation.
Runways are listed longest first.
Source: FAA Form 5010.
Fuel and airfield services
The airport has no control tower.
Source: FAA Form 5010 / NASR.
Customs
Black Rock City Airport does not clear customs. The nearest port of entry is Reno / Tahoe International (KRNO), 80 NM away.
Source: CBP list of ports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
Black Rock City Airport recorded 177 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in August. Business aviation traffic at 88NV is heavily concentrated in August, according to FAA TFMSC data.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month August, 154 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
Black Rock City Airport averages 22.2 days above 90°F in July, 27.3 freeze days in December and 1.6 snow days in December. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 94.8°F, and December the coldest, at 42.7°F.
Weather station is 9.4 NM from the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
Black Rock City Airport has published operating constraints in three categories: access, runway notes and other notes.
Preregistration and prior permission required for use.
Runway 23L is the calm wind runway.
This runway end is the preferred departure runway.
Runway markings use unlighted cones.
Current conditions are available on UNICOM frequency WLAV.
Skydiving and tour operations are active on and in the vicinity of the airport.
Contact Oakland ARTCC for clearance delivery.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Nearby airfields
Black Rock City Airport has one airfield within 13 NM. The closest is Empire, 12.69 NM southwest.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at 88NV
We arrange catering, fuel and trip support here. Supplier prices reach you unchanged; our coordination fee sits on its own line.
The same order, priced two ways.
$600.00 catering order at 88NV.
Unchanged.
What the kitchen invoices us is what your quote reads.
One line, fixed.
The $75 minimum applies below $862.50.
At cost.
Passed on at the exact amount the processor took.
Market practice figures are industry averages, not a specific competitor.
Frequently asked questions
Is fuel available at 88NV (Black Rock City)?
No fuel type is confirmed for Black Rock City Airport (88NV) in current data. Pilots planning a visit should arrange fuel at a nearby airport and treat 88NV as unfueled for dispatch purposes.
What are the runway conditions at Black Rock City Airport?
Black Rock City Airport (88NV) has two dirt runways, 05R/23L at 6,001 feet and 05L/23R at 5,500 feet, both 75 feet wide. Neither is paved, and 23L is marked as the calm wind runway with unlighted cone markings.
When does traffic peak at 88NV?
Traffic at Black Rock City Airport (88NV) is concentrated almost entirely in August, with 154 business aviation operations that month against 23 in September per FAA TFMSC data. Operations outside this window are minimal.