off the beaten path

Some of central Nevada’s best attractions await mere minutes off U.S. Highway 50.

By CHARLIE JOHNSTON | March/April 2011

As I traverse the western slope of central Nevada’s French Peak along the Toiyabe Crest National Recreation Trail, the silence that has been my only companion for more than two days is shattered as a pair of jets from Naval Air Station Fallon crack past the sound barrier during aerial maneuvers. I stop and watch them zig, zag, and zip overhead, marveling as much at the skill of the pilots as at the fact that this is the closest thing to human contact I will experience over the trail’s entire 72 miles.

If the words silence and solitude ever come up during your vacation planning, Nevada’s Pony Express Territory and its off-the-beaten-path attractions, such as the Toiyabe Crest National Recreation Trail and Spencer Hot Springs, should be your next destination.

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CARROLL SUMMIT—STATE ROUTE 722

When the original Lincoln Highway through Nevada was paved in the mid-1920s, its route crossed the almost 7,500-foot-high Carroll Summit over the Desatoya Mountains. Four decades later, the highway—renamed U.S. Highway 50 in the late ’20s—was rerouted north to New Pass Summit. At less than 6,400 feet and with easier approaches from both directions, the route, although less scenic, was faster and more dependable in winter. The old road was changed to a State Route, mercifully saving it from falling into disrepair.

Today, S.R. 722 stands as an option for motorists and cyclists looking for more solitude than even The Loneliest Road in America provides. East of Carroll Summit, the highway passes numerous ranches and picturesque fields of alfalfa through the Smith Creek and Reese River Valleys, climbs Railroad Pass, and rejoins U.S. 50 just west of Austin.

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GOSHUTE CANYON WILDERNESS AREA

Just off U.S. Highway 93 between Ely and Wells in the Cherry Creek Range is one of the state’s least-known wilderness retreats. The rugged Goshute Canyon Wilderness Area is home to thick piñon and juniper forests, towering limestone cliffs, and abundant wildflowers. Streams in the region support populations of native trout and myriad wildlife, and the highest reaches of the range sustain groves of bristlecone pines. The limestone Goshute Cave, accessible via an easy rock climb, is said to be a great cavern for beginning cavers to explore. Camping is permitted (but primitive), and motorized vehicles are not allowed in the confines of the wilderness area.

CONTACTS

Bureau of Land Management
Ely Field Office
702 N. Industrial Way, Ely
blm.gov/nv
775-289-1800

Friends of Nevada Wilderness
nevadawilderness.org
775-324-7667

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GRIMES POINT, HICKISON SUMMIT, HIDDEN CAVE, & TOQUIMA CAVE

Thousands of years ago, Nevada’s arid desert landscape wasn’t so hostile—or so dry. Many of the state’s parched valleys harbored vast shallow lakes, such as ancient Lake Lahontan. The state’s earliest residents hunted, fished, and lived along the shores of these lakes. Little evidence of Nevada’s first inhabitants remains today, which makes sites such as the petroglyphs at Grimes Point and Hickison Summit, artifact-rich Hidden Cave, and the pictographs at Toquima Cave so unique and precious.

The oldest and most easily accessed of central Nevada’s ancient sites is Grimes Point Archaeological Area. About 10 miles east of Fallon on U.S. 50, an easy, self-guided interpretive trail meanders among hundreds of boulders etched with ancient rock art. The spot, situated near the foot of a low bluff overlooking Lahontan Valley, was once the shore of ancient Lake Lahontan. It is assumed that hunters who stalked game onto the then-peninsula left the markings. The adjacent parking area has restrooms and a picnic area.

Hidden Cave, a short distance east of Grimes Point, was carved out by the waters of ancient Lake Lahontan about 21,000 years ago. As many as 3,800 years ago, humans started to use the cave. In the 1920s, four Fallon boys rediscovered the cave. The arrangements of the cave’s numerous artifacts have led experts to believe Hidden Cave’s primary use was for storage rather than as a shelter. Roundtrip tours of the site are offered by the Churchill County Museum in Fallon on the second and fourth Saturdays of every month.

Hickison Summit (pictured), about 20 miles east of Austin on U.S. 50, is the access point for another of central Nevada’s important prehistoric sites. A short dirt road leads to Hickison Petroglyphs Recreation Area, a collection of ancient carvings on rock faces along an easy, self-guided interpretive trail. The nearby campground has restrooms and 16 sites with picnic tables.

Toquima Cave is unique among central Nevada’s prehistoric sites in that its rock art is in the form of pictographs—painted markings—and not petroglyphs—carved markings. The volcanic rock shelter, about 30 miles southeast of Austin via U.S. 50, State Route 376, and dirt roads, is home to more than 300 painted images in pigments derived from gypsum (white), hematite (red), goethite (yellow), and charcoal (black).

CONTACTS

Grimes Point & Hidden Cave
Bureau of Land Management
Carson City District
5665 Morgan Mill Rd., Carson City
blm.gov/nv

Hidden Cave Tours
Churchill County Museum
1050 S. Maine St., Fallon
ccmuseum.org
775-423-3677

Hickison Summit
Bureau of Land Management
Battle Mountain District
50 Bastian Rd., Battle Mountain
blm.gov/nv
775-635-4000

Toquima Cave
Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest
Austin Ranger District
100 Midas Canyon Rd., Austin
fs.fed.us/r4/htnf
775-964-2671

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PONY EXPRESS MEMORIALS & STATIONS

The short-lived Pony Express Trail (1860-61) left an impression on the West and all of America far greater than its 18-month lifespan would allude to. In stark juxtaposition to the indelible stamp it left in the nation’s collective memory, most of the stations that dotted the route have all but disappeared, dismantled by later settlers or reclaimed by the harsh environments they once occupied.

Some of the Pony Express’s former stations are within Nevada’s cities and towns—memorials in Carson City, Dayton, Stateline, and other communities commemorate the trail. Other former stations retain some of the original structures and provide an idea of what the rugged route might have looked like more than 150 years ago. Substantial rock walls stand at Sand Springs Station near Fallon, and the best-preserved station in Nevada, Cold Springs, about midway between Fallon and Austin, includes part of the original outpost and an interpretive center.

Some adobe and rock walls mark the site of Smith’s Creek Station west of Austin, and plaques memorialize the former sites of Dry Creek Station (midway between Austin and Eureka north of U.S. 50) and Diamond Springs and Ruby Valley Stations (northeast of Eureka). The Schell Creek Station, north of Ely, is home to two log structures and other building ruins, but it is uncertain whether they were part of the original station.

CONTACT

National Pony Express Association
xphomestation.com
916-332-8382

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SPENCER HOT SPRINGS

If there’s one thing that is a true treat to me, it’s hot springs. There’s something about soaking in natural mineral water that was heated below the Earth’s crust that I love. Throw in the fact that getting there usually involves a weekend, good friends, and some outdoor enjoyment, and you can pretty much count me in on any hot-springs road trip.

When I first saw Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce’s ad touting Spencer Hot Springs, I knew we would go. Having said that name practically a million times since November 2007 (our son Spencer’s arrival), the springs and surrounding area seemed like a destination of destiny.

The pools are just outside of Austin, easy enough to find but remote enough to provide for privacy and a chance to take in the expansive views of central Nevada. As with most hot springs, you’re likely to come across some interesting characters, and Spencer is no exception. In our case, it was a weary mineworker, coming to soak during his days off.

Located in the same general area as Toquima Cave, the steaming mineral dunk is well worth the drive. Be sure to bring the necessities, and don’t forget to test the waters before getting in.—CARRIE ROUSSEL

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WARD MOUNTAIN RECREATION AREA

Sitting practically right under the nose of one of eastern Nevada’s largest cities is among the state’s finest mountain playgrounds. Just six miles from Ely, Ward Mountain Recreation Area is an oasis of outdoor activities. Winter and spring visitors can enjoy backcountry skiing and snowboarding, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing in the shadow of 10,963-foot Ward Mountain. When the snow melts, the recreation area’s 30 miles of trails are great for hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, and nature watching.

A campground provides cooking grills, fire pits, drinking water, picnic tables, and restrooms, and its volleyball court, baseball field, swing sets, and amphitheater ensure that the fun continues well after campers have left the trails for the day. The recreation area is also popular among sportsmen during hunting season.

CONTACT

White Pine County Tourism and Recreation Board
150 6th St., Ely
elynevada.net
800-496-9350

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TOIYABE CREST NATIONAL RECREATION TRAIL

Most would agree that taking the figurative high road is a rewarding course of action. In central Nevada, the literal high road is just as gratifying. The 72-mile Toiyabe Crest National Recreation Trail traverses the spine of one of the state’s highest and longest mountain ranges.

Not for the faint of heart, the route climbs steeply from either end to gain the crest and requires advanced fitness and route-finding skills on the often-nonexistent path. Long waterless stretches necessitate careful budgeting of resources, and the trail’s high elevations (much of it is above 10,000 feet) mean there are very few trees to protect backpackers from the desert sun.

For those tough enough to endure the hardships, the rewards include breathtaking solitude in a beautifully uncluttered, untrampled alpine environment. Highlights along the trail include the optional side trip to the top of Arc Dome—at 11,773 feet, it’s the tallest mountain in Nye County and among Nevada’s loftiest peaks—and the canyons of the upper Reese and South Twin Rivers.

CONTACT

Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest
Austin Ranger District
100 Midas Canyon Rd., Austin
fs.fed.us/r4/htnf
775-964-2671