Nopah Range Wilderness

Agave pit in the high basin between Nopah Peak and Nopah BM.

Charred wood in a cave downstream from the agave pit.

NOPAH BENCHMARK el 6400 is the high point of the Nopah Range. The SE canyon is the easiest route. Drive to a faint path at the wilderness boundary along side the Tecopa highway at N35 57879, W115 59759 el 2800. Hike the path NW up the valley for a couple miles. Then it makes a hard left to the west a short way and then goes NW again. Pick it up again at  N35 59381, W116 01902. At about 3 and a half air miles from the start, the path goes too far left, so just stay on a trajectory to the head of the valley. Go up the valley then it shrinks to a gully and puts you in a saddle on a ridge at N36 00791, W116 03989 el 5000. Go up the ridge on a heavily used sheep trail until it levels off at 5800. Now you're on the rim of a small basin between the peaks. Nopah Peak is to the right. Nopah BM, the highest in the range, is to the left. It's best to drop a little into the basin then work over to the north ridge which has less scree than the east ridge. The reg is at N36 00383, W116 04839. No doubt you'll be stunned like I was to see an agave pit in the basin at N36 00785, W116 04482. There seems to be no limit to where the Indians could go. I went downstream from the pit for 4/10 air mile and found a tiny cave on the right bank with some charred wood inside. Less than 10 minutes down from that is where the serious falls start. 7 hours, 3700 gain without any side trips. Add an hour and 600 gain for the side trip to Nopah Peak. On the descent, when I got to the saddle el 5000, I stayed on the ridge and went up a little then used  a sheep route skirting little crags on their right. About 600 feet past the saddle I came to a major gully and went down that to the main canyon floor. This is only good as a down route because it's steeper. The coordinates for the valley path are N35 57879, W115 59759 then N35 58087, W116 00665 then N35 58634, W116 01411 then N35 59202, W116 01670 then N35 59381, W116 01902. Missing the path is not a disaster as the valley floor is not too rough. If I were to backpack in, I would only go as far as some bedrock in the main wash at N36 00431, W116 03269 el 4200 and set up dry camp. This route is nearly 14 miles roundtrip, whereas the SW ridge route is about 11, but much steeper. SHORT VERSION - a mile each way can be shaved off by starting near the dry lake but it's steeper and won't save time. Go north on the east side road from the Spanish Trail highway for a mile and a quarter then walk to the left bank of a wash at N35 59527, W116 01123. Walk that until gullies get in the way then climb up toward a small block on the skyline. Part way up there is an obvious shelf that leads at an easy angle to the main saddle on the rim of the SE canyon. I prefer this route because it's not as monotonous. Posted 2022

• NOPAH BENCHMARK WEST ROUTE - the south ridge to east ridge is the easiest route on the west side but nobody uses it.  Take highway 178 to mp 48.4 then go .6 mile on a graded road to where it bends right. Stay straight on easy 4wd on private land for about a mile to a fork in a clearing reading N36 00410, W116 10510, a fifth mile past a tank. Take the right fork and go a mile toward the peak to a T well inside BLM land. I parked there, but should have gone south from there for over a  mile to get half a mile closer. Walk the flats to the south ridge at N35 59253, W116 05224 el 3500. Go up that to a sheep trail at N35 59971, W116 05034 el 4750 that skirts a canyon then keep going up on the easy ground to the east ridge el 5200. It's obvious how to go on up to the summit at N36 00383, W116 04839. I skipped the peak and stayed on sheep trails at el 5300 then crossed a minor canyon and on up to the left side of a big rock knob reading N36 00572, W116 05284 el 5400. I went down the ridge from there for a  tenth mile to a perch where the abyss of upper Nopah Falls is in view. The roundtrip to the peak and back is a  dozen miles with 4300 gain, taking 8 or 9 hours. It doesn't get steep until the east ridge at el 5200. The SE canyon route is a couple of miles longer, but it doesn't have private land issues or 4wd roads. And you can access Nopah Peak as a side trip. Posted 2017.
• PEAK 1582 (meters) is one of the many minor peaks on the crest between Pahrump Peak and Nopah Peak. Nobody goes in there, but sheep have a decent route up. Take highway 178 to mp 48.4 then go .6 mile on a graded road to where it bends right. Stay straight on private land for about a mile to a fork in a clearing a fifth mile past a tank. Get on the correct road there at N36 00476, W116 10512 and stay on it to a T at dry Twelvemile Spring. Walk the rocky flats to a wash at 01716, 08249 el 2450 and go up that for half an air mile to a fork. Get on a faint trail between the forks marked by cairns. It has to be Indian. It goes to a minor ridge at 02185, 07320 el 2800 and heads towards the mouth of the main canyon ahead but fades in the main wash. Follow the main canyon around a left bend then go straight up the left side at 02888, 06445 el 3300 to get on the west rim. A sheep trail goes up the rim then around the left side of a crag where the rest of the route up the rim comes into view. It levels off at el 4800 then joins the crest where a good sheep trail goes south to peak 1582. For a shortcut back, I dropped down the south side of the peak in a canyon reading 03245, 05808 el 4950 and went down thru a choke point with a few short class 3 drops, the highest being 5 feet. The canyon opens up at el 4400 then I went right to a smooth flat ridge at 03075, 06117 el 4450. I knew I was home free from there because I saw the remaining route from the west rim. I went straight down the other side of the ridge to 03074, 06196 el 4200 and then dropped down to the right in a gully, encountering some steep class 3 bedrock along the way. At el 3800 I went left out of the gully and followed a ridge down to the main canyon that I started in. That took me 8 hours with about 2000 gain from the flats. It's class 2 to the peak, then some class 3 the way I came down but I never thought I had a chance of falling. I saw 3 large cairns on the crest. Posted 2017.
• CHOKESTONE CANYON is what I call the enticing canyon 2 and a half miles south of Pahrump Peak. Take highway 178 to mp 48.4 then go .6 mile on a graded road to where it bends right. Stay straight on private land for about a mile to a fork in a clearing a fifth mile past a tank. Get on the correct road there at N36 00476, W116 10512 and stay on it to a T at dry Twelvemile Spring. Turn left there for a mile and a half then walk to N36 02900, W116 08943 el 2400. Don't drift left or you'll have more rocks. Then go on to 03129, 08624 el 2500 and stay on the high ground to 03796, 07809 el 3050. Drop down there then walk the left bank into the narrows. A 5 foot chokestone stopped me in the narrows. I'll go back with a gator hook and make a loop hike.  The road goes on 2 and a half miles to the highway at mp 53.5. It's easy 4wd but has a million tiny dips. Posted 2o17.
• PAHRUMP PEAK el 5700 is the major peak at the north end of the range. Take 372 to 178 then go to a dirt road just east of mp 53.50. Park at the closed road sign el  2400. "Closed" means I walk and everybody else just keeps on driving. It's 2 miles up the road to the canyon mouth. Start up canyon on the right at first then look for miner trail remnants to use. Don't miss the one at N36 05618, W116 09420. It goes along the left bank for 400 feet then crosses to the right. Go up to a main fork at 05825, 08900 el 4100. Keep to the right fork and go up to 05874, 08594 el 4700 where you go up the slope on the right to get to a saddle on the ridgetop at 05825, 08521 el 5000. Go up the ridge staying left of crags then an obvious hiker route takes you up a chute back up to the ridgetop at roughly 05823, 08525 el 5400. The remaining 300 feet has some minor crags on the way to the reg at 05948, 08395. 5 hours,3300 gain. A good stick helps. On the way down,a shortcut trail can be used at the main fork. It's hard to find on the way up.
• EMIGRANT BM el 5800+  is a major peak on the crest south of Nopah Peak. The east ridge is a good route but steep in places.  Drive the Tecopa highway to a cattleguard at N35 57033, W116 00013. Follow an easy 4wd road west for 2 miles to the end el 3200. Walk the flats for a half mile to a wide gully at 57302, 02352. Go up the gully to the saddle el 4250. Half way up the gully is a smooth rib on the left side of the creekbed that works. When it fizzles just stay on the left bank. From the saddle, it's an obvious route to the reg. There are no hidden saddles to deal with. At about 57513, 03032 el 5000 I started angling up to the left to lessen the grade and avoid scree. I stayed left of center on sheep routes all the way to the reg at 57644, 03564. 5 hours, 2600 gain. The reg had no entries since placement 14 years earlier, but there was no pencil. This mountain has a million sheep beds. I didn't see any sheep. They may have gone into town for a cold beer. This place is parched. The 4wd road could get closed. Posted 2014.
• EMIGRANT BM SOUTH RIDGE - the long south ridge is a good way up then return along the west base. All bumps on the ridge are easily passed on the right. A topo app such as peakbagger is indispensable and GPS won't be needed.  I parked on the Spanish Trail highway at N35 54531, W116 00848 el 2700. I walked to the southern tip where an Indian trail crosses. It connects Pahrump to Tecopa. It was the last sign of humanity I would see except at the summit. I went up then along the right side of peak 1201 to  55322, 01619 where I could walk a sheep trail into the saddle. Then up to 55520, 01892 where I leveled off around peak 1285. Then on to a tiny saddle next to peak 1487 at 56033, 02459. Next, I used a sheep trail next to peak 1668 at 56599, 03104 then at 56894, 03306 there is a trail running low on the left. 800 feet beyond there is the last big bump. I went over the right shoulder and on to the reg at 57644, 03563 el 5874. I retraced back a mile and a half and dropped west at 56460, 03098 el 5350. At el 5000 there are two ridges to choose from. Sheep use the left one. I followed their trail on down to a saddle el 4600 on the divide and stayed on it left of center until I could see and easy down to the main wash. I went down that then at two air miles from the start I moved far left into a major wash. That's easy but it might be even easier to use the west bank of that wash. It all goes downhill back to the start . 7 hours with 3200 gain plus whatever the little bumps add but I didn't calculate that. It never gets very steep. This is one of the better winter hikes around Pahrump. Posted 2021.
• NOPAH FALLS is what I call the series of dry falls that drains the south side of Nopah Peak. It drops over 1000 feet in a third mile. It's an easy hike to the base but rocky enough to use thick sole shoes. Take highway 178 to mp 48.4 then go .6 mile on a graded road to where it bends right. Stay straight on easy 4wd for about a mile to a fork in a clearing reading N36 00410, W116 10510, a fifth mile past a tank. Each fork goes to a T at the wildnerness boundary. The right fork is the one to use if climbing the peak. The left fork is better for the falls hike. Take it to the T then go right for .7 mile and park. Mtn bikes could make it. Walk the flats to 00710, 07789 then keep going to the gorge between the two high peaks. A viewpoint inside the gorge  at 00773, 05834 provides a good view of the lower falls. It takes 90 minutes to get there. I went on and bypassed the first fall on the right to get to the base of the high fall, but there's nothing special there. These roads turn to mud after storms. Land owners could block the roads. Posted 2017.
• NOON BENCHMARK el 4200 is the high peak of the South Nopah Wilderness. The south ridge looks to be the easiest route. Use the graded Furnace Creek Rd on the south side of the peak. To avoid private land, turn off at N35 48984, W116 06746 then go half a mile on easy 4wd to a washout. Bypass on the right then go another third mile to a fork. Bikes make it that far. Go left on bumpy little rocks for half a mile to a wash then hike up a ridge at 49996, 06339. At 50440, 05394 level off to the left into a canyon to get at the main saddle on the south ridge. Go up the ridge to 50840, 05316 then go left on a sheep route to the west ridge for the last bit. Nearly 3 hours, 1500 gain. Posted 2023.
• EMIGRANT CANYON is what I call the one draining north to the highway just west of Emigrant Pass. It's the most enjoyable canyon in the range. A one way hike to the end then down to the west is a good one. I parked at the 620 meter line on the highway reading N35 53073, W116 07101 then rode my Zizzo 3 miles up the highway to the canyon. I strolled up to the saddle at the end then up the ridge to the saddle north of peak 1119. I went left a bit on a sheep route to 51374, 04682 and could see a gully below that might work. I went down it and hit a drop but moved left to a 10 foot class 3 drop. I scooted down on my butt and left cairns. A 15 foot line and hook would help. I hit bottom and could see there might be a route straight off peak 1119, and I'll try it next time. I walked on down a smooth wash and got on the right bank at 52157, 05666 but the left bank soon looked better. I had to cross to it anyway then back to the right bank after a hill then left around the next hill and then good pavement down to the highway. 3 hours, 11 minutes and 200 feet noticeable gain. The bike ride was half an hour in lowest gear. Posted 2023.
• OLD SPANISH PEAK el 3900+ is what hikers call the one north of Emigrant Pass on the Spanish Trail highway. Park at the pass next to a cable fence el 2900 and walk a closed road along the divide to a monument marking the Spanish Trail, but it's likely on an Indian trail. The real trail is the next track south. But go up the ridge from the monument to the reg and survey junk at N35 53871, W116 04082. 2 hours, 1000 gain, rocky. Posted 2021.
• GUZZLER PEAK el 4937 is what I call the one two miles south of Emigrant BM. I made a loop on the main ridges. Park on the Spanish Trail highway and walk 2 miles to a main wash at N35 54986, W116 02895 el 3150. Go up and stay left in it then exit up the right side at 55014, 03306 el 3250 to get on the ridge. Go up to el 4150 then take an easy angle right of center for a tenth mile to 55489, 03774 el 4250 and level off for another tenth mile to merge back with the ridgetop. The ridge drops a little to a saddle then walk to the right and drop a little more with a guzzler in view below. It's obvious how to go on up to the reg at 55979, 03631. Then just follow the SE ridge down which is also the rim of the deep canyon to the east. Walk it down to the flats and out. The Indian trail out of Emigrant Pass crosses at 54255, 02190 el 2850. 5 hours, 2000 noticeable gain. Good pavement walking here. Posted 2021.
• GUNSIGHT MINE is one of the better mine hikes around. Drive out of Tecopa on Spanish Trail Highway to the junction with the paved Furnace Creek Rd that goes to China Ranch, but don't turn on it. Keep going straight for 1.2 miles to BLM road #32. Follow that easy 4wd road as it bends left to the end in nearly 4 miles at old buildings with lots of nails. It's mostly ebikeable. Get on a trail behind a cabin at N35 50644, W116 07367 el 2350. It crosses a wash then goes up the left side of a canyon to a tunnel nearly a fifth mile from the start. The tunnel is cut into bedrock and looked safe. I splits with one passage still having rails. Next, the trail drops into the creekbed and ends and so just walk up the easy creekbed to high ground between forks at 50603, 06773 el 2750. Go up along the right fork to a saddle el 2900 then follow a good trail back toward the start. It runs high on the south slope of the canyon and passes a lot of mines and one had a hand cranked winch. The trail will come to a dangerous tailings slope, so it's better to climb up a few feet to a tunnel with rails then walk out on a trail from there. That took less than 2 hours, easy. Posted 2019.
• RESTING SPRING INDIAN TRAIL - this trail runs south from the spring across the South Nopah Range Wilderness. It crosses countless gullies but is still an easy 2 hour hike one way.  Drive out of Tecopa on Spanish Trail Highway to the junction with the paved Furnace Creek Rd that goes to China Ranch. Turn right and go 4 miles to a gravel pit on the right and leave a car there. Then go back to the junction and drive the Spanish Trail Highway past Resting Spring Ranch for half a mile to a DIPS sign. Park 350 feet west of it and walk to the rim of a major wash at N35 52202, W116 08974. Walk the rim for nearly a fifth mile then drop left into the major wash. Follow the creekbed and exit to a foundation where the trail can be seen at 51488, 09383. It goes down to the left and across washes to 51339, 09464 to 51195, 09456 to 50653, 09455 to 50551, 09419 to 50122, 09281 to 50000, 09203 to 49777, 09106 to 49630, 09037 then it goes to a point and bends right and crosses RR tracks at 49149, 08876 then starts fading. The last quarter mile of trail to the gravel pit is gone. Posted 2019



Nopah Peak and Nopah BM

The pit in 2022