Byway Significance Worksheet

1. Byway Recognition: Is the entire byway already recognized regionally or nationally? If so, how?  
Recognition could be in the form of designation by federal agencies, nonprofit groups, studies, or 
measurements performed at a regional or national level, or designations by other entities that have 
a regional or national presence.

2. Resource Significance: Explain how and why the combination of resources present along this byway 
are representative or distinctly characteristic of its region, or unique or irreplaceable within 
the region or nation.  Demonstrate that the frequency of sites and resources along the byway is 
sufficient to lend significance to the byway.

3. Quality of the Interpretive Story: Explain the regional or national significance of this byway's story.  
Demonstrate that the story will be relevant ad appealing to travelers and that the interpretive strategy 
for the story will be engaging, creative, and effective.

Use this space for additional information.












Byway Significance Worksheet Sample

1. Byway Recognition: Is the entire byway already recognized regionally or nationally? If so, how?  
Recognition could be in the form of designation by federal agencies, nonprofit groups, studies, or 
measurements performed at a regional or national level, or designations by other entities that have 
a regional or national presence.

Anaho Island is a National Wildlife Refuge for the white pelican.
  
Pyramid Lake has been studied extensively by biologists fir its fresh water fisheries and the pelican 
population and ecology and by the geologists for its unequal tufa formations.
  
We have attached a listing of the professional journal articles and books that reference and discuss 
Pyramid Lake.  In addition, we have attached references to the many journals and books that have 
discussed the Paiute culture and the issues surrounding the Pyramid Lake water treaties and settlements.  

2. Resource Significance: Explain how and why the combination of resources present along this byway are 
representative or distinctly characteristic of its region, or unique or irreplaceable within the region 
or nation.  Demonstrate that the frequency of sites and resources along the byway is sufficient to lend 
significance to the byway.

Pyramid Lake's scenery was evaluated be the Nevada Scenic Byway Program using the Nevada Scene Evaluation 
Method. The Pyramid Lake byway scored highly on that test (a score of 9 out of 10).

3. Quality of the Interpretive Story: Explain the regional or national significance of this byway's story. 
 Demonstrate that the story will be relevant ad appealing to travelers and that the interpretive strategy 
for the story will be engaging, creative, and effective.

For persons traveling through the Western United States, the experience of driving to Pyramid Lake will 
give them a variety of insights into issues that they will not be able to understand elsewhere.
  
First, this is one of the few high desert lakes in the world...  thus it is unique in the United States.
  
Second, Pyramid Lake is the historic home and gathering place for the Paiute Tribe. The combination of 
personally experiencing this place along with learning about the Tribe through the interpretive 
facilities is not available elsewhere.
  
Third, Pyramid Lake and the Tribe have a past that is closely interwoven with European settlers.  
The conflicts, differing natural resource philosophies, treaties, water management systems, and recent 
settlements in favor of the Tribe's longstanding rights to the lake provide an exceptional context for 
understanding the role of water in the West.

Use this space for additional information.










Several national magazines have featured Pyramid Lake in Travel articles.  Attached are the articles from the publications.