When Does the Black Rock City Gate Open? The Answer May Shock You!

Gate road.
Gate road.

In 2014, through coordination with the BLM, we will be opening the Black Rock City Gate to participants earlier and closing it later in order to maximize use of daylight hours, minimize traffic impacts on local roads, smooth out traffic flow, and create a safer travel situation for everybody. This is a one-year experiment, and if it goes well, it could mean we continue it in the future.

INGRESS
This year we have approval from BLM to open the Black Rock City Gate for Burning Man participants at 10am on Sunday, August 24. NO early arrivals are allowed before that time without an Early Arrival Pass!

THE EVENT
The event itself officially starts at 6pm Sunday, August 24, and it’s expected that participants use the earlier arrival time as opportunity to set up their camp infrastructure during the day. The event ends at 6pm on Monday, September 1, 2014, after which people must limit their activities to breaking down camp, conducting Leave No Trace efforts, and preparing to depart the city.

EXODUS
This year we have authorization from BLM to allow Exodus to extend through Tuesday, September 2 at noon, allowing for a safe and smooth egress period. So if the line of cars in Exodus is too long, and your schedule allows, you may want to wait in your camp. Use the extra time to rest for the drive, secure your vehicle loads, MOOP your campsite, or your block. Plan accordingly so that you’re out of the city by Tuesday at noon.

Remember, this is one-year experiment by the BLM and Burning Man to help ease the traffic backups on entry and Exodus. If everyone works together and is off the playa by noon Tuesday, we will look at continuing the extended opening and departure in future years. Help us smooth out the traffic flow!

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Burning Man Project

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14 Comments on “When Does the Black Rock City Gate Open? The Answer May Shock You!

  • murmur says:

    this is incredible news!
    thanks for making this possible ♥

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  • G says:

    The changes in the opening schedule seem far more profound than the closing changes.
    Allowing people to get in in the daylight and get settled before dark, that makes sense.
    If memory serves me correctly, the event always ended at noon on Monday, so six additional hours on Monday is going to make some kind of difference? Doubt it.

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  • murmur says:

    @ G:
    the event ends at 6pm on monday, but exodus is allowewd until tuesday @ noon.
    that does make a difference :-)

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  • Greg Walljasper says:

    Huh? “Exodus is allowed” . . . . . I don’t get what you are saying, you are always allowed to leave, and I have heard that after tuesday, the org will, l shall we say, strongly encourage you to leave.

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  • Rando says:

    As I misunderstand it, back in the day staying a day or two after the event was not an issue (and still isn’t). At most you might be asked to help clean up other campsites. However sometime in the last decade as the population of BRC increased, BMorg was required to pay the BLM man a fee for every day each participant is on the playa.

    Therefore I suspect this is probably just another way for the BLM to fleece more money out of BMorg and it’s inhabitants.

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  • Mark Claws says:

    If all the cars tuck and vans and Rv, Big rig. do the Three sec rule. The line in would be smooth. Going in and out at the event.

    The 3-second Following Distance Rule.

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  • Rob says:

    Maybe next year the vehicle passes can have scheduled entry times.

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  • Pooh Bear says:

    Actually Mark, since the front of the line has to stop for inspections, you would need at least a 5 minute rule, which means the line would back up to Mexico City.

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  • Mark Claws says:

    Actually Pooh Bear Says, Oh your right. I forget the inspection at the gate.
    oops.

    The 3-second Following Distance Rule would be off the playa. From sign to Love Travel Stop, Nv

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  • Karma says:

    I dont get how an earlier arrival time will effect the line getting in ? Instead of 30000 ppl getting in line at 6pm, they’ll get in line at 10am. Whats the difference ? Getting stuck in your car in the evening seems like a better proposituon then getting stuck in your car during the heat of the day.

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  • Papa Urban says:

    This may have been answered but:
    We have usually held off arriving until Monday morning, but we are usually discouraged becasue so many have “saved” space for people that don’t show up until Thursday or at least much later in the week.
    This time, we are not planning the overnight in Reno and want to approach the gate near opening time on Sunday morning at 10 AM.
    Knowing I will not be able to get in early, but I do want to get in and through the line as early as posssible, what Time should I plan on getting into line? Or if I am not able to join the line at 8 AM and wait, where do I “hang out” until I am able to “Ingress”?

    Do I sit in Gerlach? Get to the Line at 6 AM and park? Earlier? I don’t mind waiting, I just wanted to know where. Even arriving Monday after 8 AMfor the last 4 years, I have had a multi-hour wait to reacher the Greeters. No problem, just wondering…How do I do it earlier and still do it right?

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  • Papa Urban says:

    Oh and a follow up…I have a Handicap Placard on my Bus. Most Festivals let me arrive early because I am pretty slow in setting up. I move slow. I am not too slow…

    But should i “apply” for earlier arrival? Like I said above, I just want to do the right thing.

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  • Gabriel says:

    If I have an early pass and plan on arriving late Saturday, will I get caught in the massive line for the new Sunday entrance?

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