Walker Lake and Berlin Ichthyosaur State Park

[Ted]

Instead of the Pig Fest, we went on a quieter, though not much warmer or less windy, trip. Headed over to Walker Lake in Nevada for what we thought was a Loon festival. Walker Lake is the terminous for the Walker River. Vast agricultural pumping of the Walker River and recent drought weather has caused Walker Lake's water level to drop drastically. Because of this, the lake salinity is high and the chub fish are unable to survive. Without a food source, the migrating birds have dwindled from the thousands to about 100. So the festival has turned into more of an educational program. Still, we did see a lot of pelicans and a few loons. There are a couple of campgrounds along the lake. They offer no privacy but the vault toilets were clean. The afternoon winds howled through here.


On the lake

Shots of camp

Pelicans

Loon

 

[Ted]

From Walker Lake, we drove out to Berlin Ichthyosaur State Park (BISP). We never heard of this place until we saw DD's trip report. Sounded like a neat spot and only about an hour and a half away from Walker Lake. Stopped at Gabbs to top off the tank at the only gas station around. That was intersting. The gas station looks like it closed about 30 years ago. We started to leave when a woman walked up asking if we needed gas. Apparently no one actually stays at the station, but people know when a stranger pulls in to town out here. Just paid $20 cash and moved on quickly.


There was one site taken at the campground when we got there but it got crowded, three sites counting us, that night. It was so quiet it was spooky. Checked out the fossils that afternoon, then the ghost town the next day. We were the only ones in town, so the ranger unlocked some buildings and gave us a private tour. Very cool!


BISP camp

Lifesize Ichthyosaur

Going down

Stay alive

Silver brick mold? DD, a little help here. This was about three inches thick and 18" by 24". Is my guess on what it is correct?

Log House syrup tins

 

[Ted]

Deep cycle battery clock

Interesting artwork on tin cabinet doors

Multi purpose chair

Recreational device of some sort (so I'm told)

Wash basin. This was about three feet wide. People would stand up and pour water over themselves and the sides would catch it.

 

[Ted]

Like all road trips, the time comes to take the long road home. They just seem longer in the desert.

 

[pods8]

Nice shots. Bummer on the birds.

 

[Tomas Tierra]

cool shot of the White Pelicans..cool creatures!

Looks like a nice trip! and less chance of swine flu than going to the Cove...

TT

 

[SunMan]

Looking mighty serene out there my friend. Great shots.

 

[chnlisle]

Nice pix....I remember Log Cabin syrup in tins like that. And talk about an oxymoron!!! As opposed to all those SAFE mines.

 

[camelracer]

Gabbs

Ted,

The Gabbs gas station and cafe was open about 30 years ago. In '76 I was returning from Ione / Berlin and the Jeep's transfer case blew right after I reached the highway. A local stopped and offered a tow to the gas station. 60 mph on a 10 foot rope was an E ticket ride. The folks in Gabbs were great offering tools, food and drink while we waited for a friend from Reno to come rescue us.

I'm not sure if it's still the same but I enjoyed commentary by former Berlin residents that was posted throughout the town. Central Nevada has so much to see.

Dick

 

[Ted]

Hi Dick,

That is quite a story. We didn't hang out it town so didn't have any chance to meet locals or get the feel of the place. Found this photo on Google. This is the gas station we stopped at. It looked just like this - closed. But a woman came walking over from the store in the background and unlocked the pumps for us. By the way, notice the drop off when pulling out of the gas station. I wish I had noticed that before I drove down it!

 

[camelracer]

Ted

I don't thing it's changed much in 30+ years. Maybe the stop sign is new.

Dick