Black Rock Desert June 2009

[DirtyDog]

I've been wanting to check out the Black Rock Desert for some time. It's about 6.5 hours from Bend to Gerlach so it's not that far - it's just so far off the beaten path it's really not on the way to anywhere - so until now I just haven't made it happen. Well enough of that, its time to see what the Black Rock is all about. To start I want to highlight 4 important issues I discovered that will help those thinking about taking a trip to this area:

1. Yes this is a desert, but its best to visit during the Summer and Fall. I always look for desert areas to visit during the Winter and Spring - this is not one of them. When the Black Rock Desert is wet - its one giant mud pit. Go during dry season.

2. I stopped in Gerlach at the Friends of Black Rock office and picked up a copy of Chuck Dodd's Guide to Getting Around in the Black Rock Desert and High Rock Canyon - this is an invaluable book. Get it! It would be better to order it in advance to help in trip planning and can be ordered online here:

http://www.19thcenturypublications.com/bkBlackRockHighRockGuide.html

3. The Black Rock Desert is an immense area that is very far from civilization, and very primitive. There are not a lot of signs, points of interest can be difficult to find, and navigation can be difficult. Do your research, bring a GPS, be prepared. Don't pull a Ted!

4. Don't drive on the Playa when its wet at all! Don't be tempted!

So to get this started on my way from Bend to Gerlach I decided to take a shortcut from New Pine Creek on Highway 395, on Forest Service road 2, through the Warner Mountains to Fort Bidwell. This road was a lot steeper and gained a lot more elevation than I anticipated. I was driving through a lot of snow and mud until I got to the summit. The next leg of the journey looked like maybe it wasn't a good idea to proceed. Plow through the snow and mud, or visit Dismal Swamp? Choices.......

 

[DirtyDog]

There were old mines along the road, so of course the drive was completely awesome:

 

[DirtyDog]

Emerging on the desert side of the mountains was a dramatic change of scenery:

Closed? Now you tell me.......

 

[DirtyDog]

Got to Gerlach and headed out Soldier Meadows Road. Ted had said he would be in the area and would have beer for me so I was determined to find him. Neither of us knew much about the area so we couldn't set a meeting spot so it was on a "see you if I see you" basis. But Ted had beer so I wasn't going to give up. Soldier Meadows Road was often a mudpit and it took a very long time to get to the Soldier Meadows Hotsprings - where I though Ted would likely be. Here's a shot of a better part of the road:

Finding the campgrounds at Soldier Meadows proved difficult as the map showed a complex network of roads in the area and what signs there were were pretty ambiguous. At one point I ended up at some springs that I at first thought were the campgrounds I was looking for, but then figured out I was in a private part of the meadows so I moved on. Couple shots from a Private Part of the Hot Springs area (which is too bad cuz it's sure a nice spring):

 

[DirtyDog]

I think I ultimately drove all over Soldier Meadow for almost an hour before I found the campground Ted was at. At one point, I could see what looked like a FWC way out there, but the place was a labyrinth and I just couldn't get from A to B. But at long last, I am reunited with the Tedster and the beer he promised me:

What goes good with some good brew after a long day of driving? How about some duck confit:

 

[DirtyDog]

Weather was improving drastically the next day which was good news. The campground at Soldier Meadows is pretty nice but its very limited at less than 10 sites total. Couple shots of the springs at our campground:

 

[DirtyDog]

Lots of leeezards in the area (not just lounge lizards either):

 

[DirtyDog]

So Ted and Donna have to go home on Sunday and Ted is feeling daring so he plots a route on the map that will be a "shortcut" of sorts out of the Soldier Meadows area. Now this is the route that the camp host said "yeah.... uhm don't think so" - but this is the famous Tedster and he knows he can do it.

I have to admit I was a little worried about his plan when he had trouble finding his way out of the outhouse:

Ted was determined though so off he went (cue the Gilligans Island song):

 

[DirtyDog]

Now myself, being captain leisure, just chillaxed for about 2 hours then leisurely broke camp and headed over to the cabin at soldier meadows to check that out. This is a user built and maintained cabin with quite a history it seems:

 

[DirtyDog]

 

[DirtyDog]

In the Soldier Meadows Cabin:

Text from the note:
Please leave extra food & supplies when you leave. When you come back bring enough wood for yourself plus a little extra for others. This cabin is for all so bring stuff to share dont just show up and use all that was left by others. Don't vandalize cabin! This cabin just might save your life or someone else. Why in the HELL would you steal lanterns & propane etc? People who use this cabin selfishly and steal provisions should be gut shot!! If you plan to come back again then make a list of materials to bring back next time for cabin repairs. Haul out your trash or even other peoples trash if they left it. (Assholes) I've been coming here for years & now have been bringing my family for 14.5 years. Hope this cabin stands forever and it may with all of our help. Some of you that read this wont really give a **** and you are the ones that are takers & not givers. But remember this cabin could mean a lot to you in harsh times.

 

[DirtyDog]

Then low and behold, look who emerges from the wilderness several hours after his departure, our own WTW Ferdinand Magellan, Ted Seems Ted has been at sea (of mud) for a while lol. Seems the camp host had some good advice afterall. Ted: DENIED.

Looking at my BLM map I decide I want to check out Trego Hot Springs next. On the way back to Gerlach I decided I'd try my luck on the Playa - bad idea. I almost didn't make it out of this spot - luckily I have Ford traction:

 

[DirtyDog]

So onward to Trego Hot Springs. This is a spot that is REALLY HARD TO FIND! There are no signs, and even when you guess the right turnoff its a spot with low rolling hills, no discernable landmarks, and very primitive roads. I don't think I would have found it without my GPS as my patience was wearing pretty thin. So this is what I discovered: this place is a dump, I wouldn't go back, and I would recommend strongly that others do not drive into this area. The reason: rednecks have burned at least a million palettes and a billion tons of salvaged wood and the whole area is blanketed in rusty nails, glass, and to a smaller degree, garbage. It really is too bad that people don't have more respect for our natural areas. I declare Trego Hot Springs DOA.

Pretty though:

 

[DirtyDog]

This was a strange springs in that it almost looked like a Canal. I couldn't figure it out but I read later that the railroad channeled it out away from the tracks because the water was causing problems.

The springs were absolutely full of tadpoles - interesting that they can live in such warm water:

 

[DirtyDog]

I found a tiny little island of dirt that was free of mud, nails, and glass (well relatively free), and actually had a nice spot:

Oh, but then there is the other problem with this spot:

 

[DirtyDog]

Whew, another long day. I think I'll power up with some grilled orange roughy:

Next up was Sulphur - which was shown as a point of interest on the BLM map that I had. I didn't know what was there but I soon discovered that it is a ghost town where they used to mine sulphur from the springs and currently there is an open pit gold mine adjacent to the site.

 

[DirtyDog]

Piles of sulphur with gold mine in the background:

Sulphur, Nevada Chrysler dealership:

 

[DirtyDog]

Old mill site with modern gold mine in the background:

 

[DirtyDog]

Springs at Sulphur - these were being "reclaimed" and it seems the historic sulphur mining happened right out of the springs:

Throughout the area you will find Applegate Trail historical marker:

 

[DirtyDog]

Wild Horses:

From Sulphur, it was back to Gerlach, then north on 34 to check out the old mining area of Leadville, and then home. Your options heading West out of Gerlach: