A geologic trough is a linear structural depression that extends laterally over a distance. Although it is less steep than a trench, a trough can be a narrow basin or a geologic rift. These features often form at the rim of tectonic plates.

In this instance when the geologic trough is found in a larger basin, such as this trough is found within the Great Basin desert, the geologic trough is usually the bottom of the larger basin and is composed of multiple dry lake beds, often which lake beds are alkali lakes.

The Walker Lane geologic trough is a narrow depression that elongates along both sides of the California-Nevada border beginning in the north near where these two states meet the state of Oregon and continuing southward to Death Valley.

This geologic trough includes several basin lakes and valleys along this two state border, which include in:

California: Goose Lake, Upper Alkali Lake, Middle Lake, Lower Lake, Moon Lake, Eagle Lake, Honey Lake, Mono Lake, Long Valley Caldera, Owens Lake and Death Valley.

Nevada: NW Nevada volcanic field, Pyramid Lake, Carson Lake, Walker Lake, Mud Lake, Amargosa Valley, Yucca Mountain

After leaving the eclipse viewing, I drive back west on SH 140, then south on US 395 through Lakeview, across the state line into California and continue south to Alturas where I gas up. Then, I drive east on SH 299 to Cedarville, turn south on CR 1 and follow it over the Warner Mountains, across Cedar Pass and then down into Nevada.

When the highway crosses into Nevada, it then becomes SH 447, which traverses south, first past Black Rock Desert (Location of the Burning Man) and then south along the Walker Lane.

Methinks, this drive through this interior drainage basis will take me two or more days of driving time alone. Further, I plan on stopping first in Fernley, Nevada. Also, before I arrive in Arizona, I plan on stopping again somewhere before I drive around Las Vegas.

Upon arriving in the basin, I turn south and begin my photo tour. Here, I find some of this land has been tilled for farm land. However, the lake beds seem to have been bypassed by the plow. Maybe this is due to much of the lake beds being alkali bottoms. An alkali lake, also known as a soda lake, is a lake on the strongly alkaline side of neutrality, typically with a pH value between 9 and 12. They are characterized by high concentrations of carbonate salts, typically sodium carbonate which give rise to their alkalinity. High pH and salinity often coincide, because of how a soda lake develops.

This will be the first time that I am driving this route, which will be along SH 447 above Fernley.

Still, along this highway route, because I am traveling within the Basin and Range geographical region, the highway will at times, veer from the trough only to follow a path up and over a mountain, then down through its canyons only to return to the basis where the highway will bottom out once again.

All day, I watched how this happened, sometimes up from the elevation of about 4000 feet to the high upon one mountain just over 6000 feet.

Upon arriving in Fernley, I located a w-mart where I go to have some ice water to drink as well as an air-conditioned cafe to sit in. Afterwards, I retire to the jammer once again for a couple of nights rest.

After my stop to rest in Fernley, I plan to then drive south on US Alternate 95 to Schurz, Nevada where I will continue southward on US 95. All along this route, I will continue to take photos of the dry lake beds that are found in the bottom of this drainage basin.

Upon arising, I drive to the ff-mart for a cup of coffee and a breakfast burrito, after which, I drive south out of town on US Alternate 95 hoping to stop at the Lahontan Reservoir which is a location that I have stopped at on a previously journey.

After finding the area to have changed completely, I then continue south on US A-95, cross the Walker River and soon after arrive at US 95, on which I turn south and continue along the Walker River to Walker Lane.

Yucca brevifolia (also known as the Joshua tree, yucca palm, tree yucca, and palm tree yucca) is a plant species belonging to the genus Yucca. It is tree-like in habit, which is reflected in its common names.

This monocotyledonous tree is native to the arid Southwestern United States, specifically California, Arizona, Utah, and Nevada, and, according to some reports, also to northwestern Mexico. The Joshua Tree is confined mostly to the Mojave Desert in areas with and elevation between 2,000 and 6,000 feet.

It thrives in the open grasslands of Queen Valley and Lost Horse Valley in Joshua Tree National Park. Other regions with large populations of the tree can be found (1) northeast of Kingman, Arizona, in Mohave County along U.S. 93 between the towns of Wickenburg and Wikieup, a route which has been designated the Joshua Tree Parkway of Arizona; (2) in Nevada along US 95 south of Walker Lake through to Goldfield, Nevada; and also (3) in California, the trees are abundant in Saddleback Butte State Park only 85 miles north of Downtown Los Angeles in Los Angeles County′s Antelope Valley.