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We were inspired by a comment a friend made about our last getaway into Nevada, "All adventures should start with a killer breakfast and include hot springs..............."
An early
launch from home, breakfast at the Roadrunner Café in Dayton, top off with gas
in Austin, and then the big surprise, finding our second favorite hot springs cattle
tank in the middle of Nevada empty and waiting for us. We had lunch and two
long soaks with a wonderful view of storm clouds spilling over the Toiyabe
Range.
Mid
afternoon we headed down the Big Smokey Valley and found the road up Ophir
Canyon to the ghost town of Ophir. Friends had told us of visiting Ophir about
18 years ago and walking up the road, commenting, “Maybe you can make in up in
your truck?"
At the mouth
of the canyon the clouds enveloped us; graupel and wind. After the second creek
crossing we elected to scout the road up higher on foot. Overgrown, narrow,
steep, and rough but we deemed doable in 4 low. A great flat spot for camping
was directly across from the mansion. We set up, had dinner, and a sunset walk
in the storm looking out at the clear Big Smokey Valley to the east. The
remains of the huge 20 stamp mill is in the center, incredible what 200,000
bucks could buy you in 1864.
Ophir is,
honestly, one of the neatest ghost towns we have visited. All the remaining
ruins of rock cabins show great construction, solid roof beams with rock and
dirt roofs. The fireplaces are the best, no cast iron wood stoves here. The
remains of the mill are huge with incredible rock work. The mansion ruins just
make you wonder how grand this was when new. And, all the way out in the middle
of nowhere up this rugged canyon.
A great
place to camp with exquisite solitude.
Examples of
the rock cabins. Remarkable that they date to the 1860's.
I'm not a
mining history buff, but I suspect this is the remains of the Stetefeldt
furnace. With the abundance of red bricks up slope, I believe there may have
been a large chimney.
Up country
from Ophir on this late spring day with clearing weather just could not have
been more beautiful.
Of course,
the Lady's preferred direction of travel is up.
"Might
as well climb to the crest of the Toiyabe Range, it's just right there!” The
Lady started up.
Life is
always better above 10,000 feet.
Coming down
from Ophir we stopped at the cemetery at the bottom of the canyon, and then
headed south down the Big Smokey Valley.
Keep this in
mind. The small town of Carvers has gas at the Shoshone Market. Gas was $3.25 a
gallon in Austin; $2.84 in Carvers. You might have to be a little patient
finding someone to operate the cash register.
We headed
over the south end of the Toquima Range through Manhattan - ATV festival going
on, we didn't stop - and continued through Belmont to find a spot to spend the
night to the north.
Just north
of Belmont on the Monitor Valley Road is the Black Buttes. The Lady said,
"Wow they look like the Alabama Hills, let's look for a spot for the night
there!" We turned off on an unsigned two track and had the place all to
ourselves. This was Memorial Day weekend. We love rural Nevada!
Cozy and
warm in our pop-up, the Lady always wakes with the first hint of dawn.
"I'll
start the coffee. You go take pictures. I'll bring out the coffee and find
you."
Yes, I do know how lucky I am.
We made a
morning stop in Belmont, a living ghost town. Belmont has to be the wood fired
hot tub capital of Nevada. Drive through early evening as they're heating 'em
up for the night soak. Hot tubs with stovepipes, it's great! Attractions are
the huge mill ruins just north of town and the old Nye County Courthouse. I bet
you folks who have a beer or two could have a great time in Belmont.
The old Nye
County Courthouse.
More of the
atmosphere of Belmont, it is worth a visit longer than our quick stop.
We headed
west to check out a spot we'd heard about, Fish Lake Hot Springs. Actually it
is a Hot Well. The story is they were drilling for a possible geothermal energy
source. The water they hit was not quite hot enough, but good for soaking. The
area was improved just a bit with a concrete tub and a CXT toilet by Esmeralda
County . Signage suggests that there have been problems here. This may be a
nice spot, but not on a weekend, especially a holiday weekend. Two big
encampments of RV's with ATV's and motorcycles and loud music. Not our cup of tea,
but at least we know where this is now. Fish Lake Valley is on the east side of
the White Mountains south of Highway 6. The springs are north of Dyer and then
seven miles east out Hot Springs Road.
We do love
the neat out of the way places we can find in Nevada. This was another great
trip.
