McKinney Mountains, Monitor Range

Ring in the southern area

Kiln Canyon

Longstreet Ranch and apple trees

Table Mountain as seen from Barley BM

Daugherty Ranch

Upper cabin in Georges Canyon

Rock ring on Georges Canyon Rim

 Georges Canyon Rim

Weird formations on the White Rock Peak route

McCann Gorge

The Mckinney Mtns is a subrange of the Monitor Range. Only Tonopah has gas and stores. An east side road leaves US 6 at mp NY 30.7 but hasn't been graded in years. A better road starts at mp NY 35.8 and runs north about 18 miles to a 4-way at Kiln Canyon. A good road goes NW from there for 9 miles to the mouth of McCann Canyon. It's 20 miles on to the paved Belmont road using the road up McCann and over into Hunts Canyon then nearly 40 miles on pavement to Tonopah. These dirt roads are maintained but I wouldn't take a low slung vehicle in there. McCann Canyon is the prettiest area and the best camp is at N38 28434, W116 41924 el 6750. More are at the pass on the crest el 7900+. The east side gets a VZ signal from a peak above Warm Springs, the SW side gets a signal from Tonopah. Posted 2018.

• KILN CANYON has of all things, kilns. From the 4-way, go east 3 and a half miles on a sandy road to the first two. Then the road goes south a mile and a half to three more that have a huge carpet of charcoal around them. Less than a fifth mile up the canyon are cabin ruins on the left bank. A half mile beyond there is a dry thicket in the creekbed where a water pipe has survived, but I couldn't get thru to check the spring shown on the topo. I didn't visit the kilns in the north fork. This area is a gorgeous pj forest with countless camp spots  and no cattle. ITALIAN SPRING has a turnoff a mile and a quarter north of Kiln Canyon. The road turns into an ATV trail about halfway to the spring. Some ruins are there with a trace of water. A pipe brings some water down to the flats.  Posted August, 2018.
• McINTYRE PEAK el 8105 is what I call the peak rising out of Stone Cabin Valley. From the 4-way at Kiln Canyon, go north 5 miles then west on a brushy road heading toward the south saddle. Go a mile on the brushy road then walk west up a drainage to the south saddle el 7400. Then go up to a 6 foot wide rock ring on the summit at N38 27467, W116 32420. That took an hour, but I wanted a longer hike than that. So I stayed on the crest running north to a flat at 28443, 32713 el 7900 then on to a viewpoint at 28660, 32477 el 7950. I could see the north summit el 8000+, so I kept going toward it. Some minor crags are on the crest but it was easy to walk the flat ground along the west side. When that played out I weaved up thru the crags then it was easy again to the 8000 contour line at 29292, 32246. The crest drops off beyond there. I retraced back to another rock ring at 28552, 32292 el 7800. Obsidian flakes were around there. I kept going south into the canyon running east of the high summit and it led back to the start with not a hint of water. This is all easy pj forest in pristine condition. 5 hours and the only noticeable gain is the 1200 up to the summit. The main road goes on north for 13 miles to Little Fish Lake, but it was dry.  Posted August, 2018.
• LONGSTREET PEAK el 9240+ is what I call the peak at the head of Windy Canyon. A loop can be done from the canyon. From the 4-way at the mouth of McCann Canyon, go south on the main road for 5.7 miles to FR 405 at N38 22715, W116 39199. Go west on easy 4wd for 3 and a half miles to a shady camp at the Longstreet Mine. A few feet past there is a fading road forking right at 22826, 42711 el 7100. I walked to the end in a third mile and dropped into the next canyon to the north. I went on to a warm spring gushing out of the creekbed at 23490, 43533 el 7550. That's the best spring I saw in these mountains. I then walked up the right bank to 23601, 43779 el 7850 and followed along  the left side of a creekbed and then curved to the right into the main saddle west of Pinon Peak reading 23835, 43895 el 8450. The ridge from there leads up to the summit at 23531, 44328 with no sign of humanity. I walked south from there to 23445, 44514 el 9200 to get down to a major saddle then climbed back up to peak 9192 to stay on the high rim. I could see a mine trail on the south rim that leads back down to the start, but rain caused me to drop down the south side of a canyon at 22637, 44461 el 8900. I stayed high with easy going on the canyon wall and finally hit bottom at 22870, 43795 el 7750. A tent there meant pot farm, but it was recently abandoned. I kept going down canyon on game trails to a gorge then went right thru a saddle at 22955, 43203 el 7500 then down to the road and shortly back to the start. 5 hours with about 2500 gain. Long pants are needed for weaving thru light brush here and there. The mine road goes from the camp area on up the south slope of the canyon to a shady camp area el 7800 and then a foot trail goes on up to the rim next to point 8177. Jeeps could still easily make it and there are plenty of turnarounds. Posted 2018.
• LONGSTREET CANYON has an overgrowing road to the Longstreet Ranch el 7100. Jack Longstreet lived there and worked the mine in Windy Canyon. From the 4-way at the mouth of McCann Canyon, go south on the main road for 3 and a half miles to N38 24583, W116 39545. Go west 3 miles to the ranch. 4wds can make it halfway, then it's an ATV trail but mtn bikeable. The trail goes on past the ranch for half a mile to springs, but cattle got there first. Apple trees at the ranch were loaded. Posted 2018.
• BARLEY BENCHMARK el 9520 is as far north as I went on this trip. From the 4-way at the mouth of McCann Canyon, go NE on the main road for 10 miles to the Daugherty Ranch site. Go left there on FR 44093 for a bit over 5 miles to a pass el 8400. The last mile is easy 4wd. It's easy walking on the crest and soon the trees thin out and the route ahead is obvious to the main saddle at N38 36917, W116 39412 el 8550. I could look up and see a clear route thru the mahogany to a stand of the big trees. I went thru the stand then curved left to 36789, 39053 el 9400 and leveled off to skirt peak 9482 and then merged onto the crest. A quarter mile before the BM there is a convenient pathway left of center. The BM is at 37079, 38728. That took me 3 and a half hours with 1000 of noticeable gain. Light brush was not a factor with long pants. This peak is in pristine condition. Peak 9120 south of the pass looked easy. There was a small stream near the ranch and then springs along the road at el 7400 had a tiny flow. Posted August 31, 2018.
• McCANN GORGE is what I call a scenic fork of McCann Canyon. It's easy to circle it on the bedrock rims. Park on the McCann road and start hiking up the canyon containing Bernice Spring reading N38 28434, W116 42103 el 6800. Go about 2/3 air mile then pick a spot to climb the left slope. I went up a gully next to a fence. Walk to the rim at 27901, 42470 el 7150. Then go up along the rim for a mile and cross over to 27176, 43073 el 7600. Next, angle up to a good view on the ridgetop at 27148, 42744 el 7750. Then just walk down the ridge to a mine road at the bottom reading 27880, 41938. The road goes to the main road then it's nearly a mile back to the start. That took me 3 hours, 20 minutes with 1000 net gain plus some minor dips, but never steep. The first half mile has some light brush then it's easy pj and bedrock. This is the most enjoyable hike on this page. There's a good camp spot on the McCann road near the start of this hike. Posted 2018.
• WHITE ROCK PEAK el 9248 is what I call the peak at the head of White Rock Canyon. A loop can be done. Turn off the McCann Canyon road at N38 29519, W116 44472 el 7350 and go north on easy 4wd for .8 mile to el 7600 in an area of spectacular rock formations. Hike west up a drainage at 30194, 44624 el 7600 and it will top out at el 7800. Keep going to a 4wd road at 30298, 45088 el 7900 and walk up that to a saddle el 8287. Then go up the ridge thru an easy pj forest and it will level off at el 8800 where the rest is in view. Mahogany is the only obstacle. When I got to it, I stayed on the right edge of the crest and then moved into a clearing at 30877, 44186 el 8800 then on to 30850, 44062 to get to the next clearing. I weaved on thru to a neck at 30836, 43924 el 8800 and then dropped low on the right side. I found out it was safe to come back on top at 30786, 43683 el 8900 and then I kept going east up the center of the ridge and soon had a view. I went on to a passage at 30918, 43407 el 9000 then to 30945, 43338 where I started weaving to the right and soon the summit was in view and easy routes to it. Survey junk is on top at 31012, 43071. From there, it was easy to walk the south ridge then skirt west of peak 9183 and on down to 30390, 43849 el 8850 where easy slopes lead back down to the start. 4 hours, 1700 gain, not steep. Long pants are needed in the mahogany but there was always a passage. An alternate route would be from the road in White Rock Canyon, but it wouldn't be as interesting. Posted 2018. 
• ROUND SPRING PEAK el 8844 is what I call the one on the crest south of where the main road climbs out of McCann Canyon. Turn off the main road at N38 28959, W116 45696 el 7850 and follow a DIY road for .7 mile up a canyon to the end el 8000. Hike on up the canyon and start up a low  ridge at 27982, 45182 el 8200. Go on to 27527, 45112 el 8400 where the rest is in view. Drop down and cross a creekbed at 27416, 45102 el 8200 and  go up the NE ridge to the summit at 27063, 45566.  That took me 2 hours, 37 minutes with 1200+ gain, 200 of it on the return. Some light brush. This peak is in pristine condition. The only good camping is along the main road at the divide el 7950. Posted 2018.
• HUNTS CANYON has a dead end road going up it. It departs from the main road at N38 29386, W116 49661 el 6800. It goes upstream for a bit over 4 miles to the Hunts Canyon Cabin el 7100, a well kept public cabin. The road fades in a bog about a fifth mile beyond the cabin. That makes a decent mtn bike ride. Posted 2018.
• GEORGE BENCHMARK el 9319 is a twin summit considered to be the high point of the McKinney Mtns. A 4wd road goes to el 8300 on the north side. Turn off the Hunts Canyon road onto FR 44707 at N38 29816, W116 54873. Go a fifth mile then turn left on FR 44127 and stay on the main road for 10 miles to a 4-way el 8450. Turn left on the road going downhill for a bit over 3 miles to a fork at 23230, 49530 el 7800 near Mud Spring where I saw the first stream. Go left there for nearly a mile to a divide el 8250. It's easy 4wd that far, but the next quarter mile down from the divide is harder.  It would be a 4 hour hike from the divide, but jeeps could still make it down into upper Hunts Canyon then it's a mile and a half on a better road to a fork at Flask Canyon. Turn up that canyon and drive nearly to the north ridge where the road gets bad. Hike up the north ridge at 22317, 46920 el 8400. It's easier to walk up the road to the drainage behind the ridge then switch back. It's a 45 minute hike up the easy, bald ridge to the north reg at 21850, 47000. Placed by M&L in 2000, it says it's the high point. It's an easy half mile south to the BM where a reg was placed in 2015 by Carey and Adrian. It says it's the high point. They came up Kellys Mine Canyon but had a 9+ hour hike because the trail is gone. A road goes west from Mud Spring back to the Belmont road but it's for OHVs and jeeps. Ranchers don't use it anymore. BIG TEN PEAK el 9115 can be done on the drive out along FR 44127.  I parked on FR 44127 at the SE canyon reading 23500, 51894 el 8200. I went up the left bank of the canyon for a fifth mile then got in the creekbed and went up to 23631, 52320 el 8550 where I turned left to get to the south saddle. The reg at 23885, 52540 was placed by M&L in 1993. It says it's the high point. That took 90 minutes with 900 gain and some light brush. On the one day, I climbed 3 different highest peaks in the McKinney Mtns. CHIMNEY PEAK el 8910 is what I call another major peak along FR 44127. Turn off at 27420, 52712 and follow FR 44127A until trees close in. OHVs can make it 2 miles to the end el 7950, 4wds make it half way or more. Aim for a minor saddle on the west ridge at 26578, 50887 el 8350 then the summit is at 26682, 50605. That took 63 minutes with 1000 gain. Nice pj forest, no brush.  The roads for these peaks are rarely rocky but ruts are forming on steep parts. The south fork of Flask Canyon has an aspen grove with some huge trees. Hunts Canyon had a good stream, all cattle were in lower Hunts on September 11, 2018.
• HAT PEAK el 8644 is an easy one. Turn off the Hunts Canyon road onto FR 44707 at N38 29816, W116 54873. In fifth mile is the first fork. Stay right for 4 and a quarter miles then go right for a third mile to a short spur road on the right. Park there and get on the low ridge at 26149, 53479 el 7350. There is a faint track here that can be followed toward the south saddle. When the track goes left, get off and go up to the saddle then go north to the reg. 2 hours, 1400 gain. I did this years ago.
• THUNDER MOUNTAIN el 7084 is a minor peak close to Tonopah. Turn off highway 376 at mp NY 7.9 and drive a mile to a free campground at Rye Patch pumping station. Get on an easy 4wd at the NE corner of the parking lot and follow that 3 miles or so to the north ridge. Hike up at N38 11409, W117 01373 el 6100 and walk the easy ridge to the Pump benchmark at 10280, 01639. A reg there was soaked. 2 hours, 1000 gain. RVs can park next to the campground. Posted 2018.
• HANNAPAH PEAK el 6866 is south of US 6 and is named on Delorme maps. Turn off US 6 at mp NY 19.6 and go a fifth mile to a shady camp at McKinney Tanks. Keep going a little more past ruins then take a right fork and drive nearly 2 miles to the end el 6350. It's a half mile and 500 feet up to the summit at N38 04393, W116 53845. High caves are a quarter mile east of the tanks. There has been activity at the ones below the rim. On top are some rock alignments. All roads easy 4wd. Mtn bikes would work. Posted 2018.
• RED PEAK el 7819 is north of US 6. It's a big pile of steep scree but there's a wuss route around back. Turn off at mp NY 20.1 and go 3 miles toward the peak. Only one road is still used on the south slope and it ends at N38 08924, W116 53959 el 6900. Walk to the upper road el 7000 then go left around the peak on game trails. Stay near that level under the scree to get at a saddle reading 09409, 53445 el 7300. Then go on to the next saddle el 7400 on the NE ridge and go up that to the reg. Then descend to 09217, 53465 and go on down the south ridge on soft scree. 80 minutes, 1000 gain. All roads easy 4wd. Mtn bikes would work most of the way in. Posted 2018.
• WOODCHOPPER CANYON RIM - a loop hike can be done on this scenic rim in a gorgeous pj forest. Turn off US 6 at mp NY 24.1 and go 4 miles on 4wd then park at a washout. Stroll on up the road for 3 or 4 miles and then climb up to a break in the rim at N38 13078, W116 53120 el 7450. It leads shortly to a saddle el 7500 where a cave contained a log and a smaller piece of burnt wood. Far left of the cave is an easy class 3 route up over a minor cliff then stroll on to a view at 12636, 52877 el 7800 then go on to another view at 12384, 52614 el 7700. Next is a saddle at 12107, 52527 el 7550 then just follow the rim and drop down a shelf at 11756, 52197 el 7500. I descended off the rim down a drainage at 11250, 51700 el 7300 but could have kept going to peak 7638. That took 4 hours with 700 noticeable gain to get on the rim then some minor ups and downs along the rim. The road walk is boring but it's worth it for the payoff. This is the most enjoyable hike in the southern part of the  range. Horses haven't been on it. SAULSBURY RIM is an easier loop hike nearby. Take US 6 to the Saulsbury rest area at mp NY 25.4 then go north on a decent road along Saulsbury Wash. After a bit over 10 miles is a 4-way at Warm Spring which had pools that weren't warm. Go left there on road #164 which had just been graded. After about 2 miles start hiking up an easy ridge el 6800 and top out on the rim near point 7193.  Shortly there is a large rock ring at 15699, 52124 el 7100. Keep going on the rim in a thin pj forest to 15015, 51514 el 7050 then on to 14319, 51905 el 7000 where you drop into a canyon that had a good stream but likely seasonal. Stroll on down canyon then exit up an easy drainage to get on the rim at 14322, 50817 el 6800. Walk the rim to the end where it tapers down then head back to the start. This takes 3 or 4 hours with hardly any strenous gain, but there's horse shit nearly every step of the way. The stream wasn't polluted nor was the rock ring disturbed. RVs can part at the rest area overnight.  Posted 2019.
• YELLOW CONE el 7135 is just south of US 6. Turn off at mp NY 29.1 and drive a mile and a half to where the main road tops out next to towers. Turn toward the peak on a faint unmapped road that ends in a fifth mile el 6600. It's less than a mile to the summit. I angled up to the left to W38 06686, W116 45279 el 6900  on the SE ridge then stayed left around talus to survey junk on top. No backsliding. All roads easy 4wd and mtn bikes would work. WHITE HILL el 6810 is what I call an interesting formation nearby. Retrace back to the road on the flats and go south on it for 1.2 miles to a main fork and go right on easy 4wd. It's nearly 3 more miles to a large mine area and it's a 15 minute hike to the top of the hill at 05262, 45755. Posted 2018, 2019.
• GEORGES CANYON has a perennial stream. I saw fish 3 or 4 inches long. Loops can be done in a vast pj forest using Georges Canyon Rim. Take the east side road to FR 44164 at N38 13032, W116 41257, next to Fourmile Spring. Go NW a mile and a half then go right on FR 44164B. Go a mile and a quarter on that to a fork and go right for about 6 miles to Fancher Cabin. Go right for half a mile to the end of the road el 6750 with shady camping. OHVs can make it another fifth mile. The roads are easy 4wd and rarely rocky except for a quarter mile on 44164B chewed up by floods, and that might get fixed. It gets brushy near the cabin. I walked up the washed out road to another cabin then crossed the stream at 19927, 43597 el 6950. I walked the bank above the brush and on to a minor drainage at 20201, 43479 el 7200. I crossed that then went up a slope at 20313, 43247 el 7300. That levels off at el 7550 then I stayed on the high ground to 20842, 42657 el 7750 then stumbled onto a rock ring at 21036, 42638 el 7750. If that's Indian, you gotta wonder how many more there are that I could hit one on my first try. I kept going to the rim at 22063, 42600 el 8100 with a good view into Windy Canyon where I could see the next day's hike. Now I turned down the rim which soon got very easy and had some old cairns. I strolled down to a drainage running south at 20302, 42382 el 7550 and went down that to 19821, 42787 el 7450 and stayed on the high ground to 19482, 43068 el 7250 then down that ridge to the start. 5 hours with 1100 net gain, and some minor ups and downs. But only about 300 of the gain isn't super easy. Endless loop variations are possible because brush isn't a factor. It's borderline for long pants because I was rubbing against bushes and small branches here and there. ALTERNATE : Two days later I found a partial trail running up toward the rim. I got on it at a main fork in the canyon. Use the same stream crossing as above at  19927, 43597 el 6950 and stay on the high east bank a short way to the main fork.  I was on a cow trail in the left fork and it started climbing up to the bench between the forks in the area of 20430, 43577 el 7150.  Soon I saw cut limbs and knew it was man made. I lost it but hit it again at  21071, 43327 el 7400. It faded again but was heading for a saddle at 21388, 43068 el 7700. It was easy to go on from there without a trail to the trail coming up from the Longstreet Mine at 21981, 42970 el 8050. I went right on that for a tenth mile to  the rim next to point 8177. Then it would be the same hike back as described above. Posted 2018.