Stillwater Range, east side

Coyote Canyon

Creore Mine

• Highway 127 runs north from US 50 for 27 miles then a graded road known as the Dixie Valley Rd (DVR) continues on. Big rigs can park where pavement ends and also a gravel pit 9 miles up the graded road. I was parked at the pit and streaming youtube from a VZ tower that is likely on Fairview Peak 40 miles away. Later I went on another 9 miles to the abandoned Bar A-3 Ranch and could still get internet. The nearest gas and store is at Middlegate. Fallon has a Walmart. Posted 2020.
• TWIN PEAKS el 7121- turn off highway 121 at mp 2.8 and go SE for .7 mile to a 4-way. Go left on a decent high clearance road for 7 and a half miles to a 4wd road that goes half a mile to a canyon at the foot of the peak at el 6200. Go up canyon to the obvious saddle to the right of the peak. I found it less steep to stay in the main canyon to N39 24391, W118 03593 el 6500 then cut back to the saddle up an easy slope. The reg is at 24561, 03410. 75 minutes, nearly 1000 gain. This was a pretty area before horses trashed it. Crown Peak is 2 miles west and apparently the high point of the Louderback Mtns. Posted 2020.
• ELEVENMILE CANYON - turn off highway 121 at mp 8.2 and follow the main road in the canyon bottom. It's easy 4wd to a cabin at el 6850. A jeep road forks up a ridge from there and goes to el 7800 on the ridge connecting Table Mtn to the Slaughter Peaks then a trail goes on to the Slaughter Peaks. Posted 2020.
•  MOUNT LINCOLN el 8569 and 3 more named peaks can be accessed from East Lee Canyon. Turn off highway 121 at mp 16.4 and follow an easy 4wd road for 7 miles to the head of the canyon. The road goes past some shady camps to the last turnaround at a sunny trough reading N39 32188, W118 16307 el 6450. The road ends in another tenth mile. Just ahead is the old crest trail at 32351, 16348 el 6650. Not much is left of it as it goes to the saddle between Shaly and Lincoln. To circle all the peaks, I went up a ridge at 31959, 16236 el 6400 to point 6832 and I could see the whole route. I went on up to the highest of  the Slaughter Peaks at 31300, 17080 el 8129. Then to Table Mountain at 32484, 17937 el 8312 then Shaly Peak el 8134 and finally Lincoln. That took 6 and a half hours with 4000 gain, no long pants needed. Horses and cattle aren't on Shaly and Lincoln, but they are on the others.  Posted 2020.
• COYOTE CANYON has a well kept public cabin with a pipe spring el 5150 and no cattle. Turn off highway 121 at mp 16.7 and follow easy 4wd to the cabin at the mouth. If it's taken, there are shady camps just up the road. The road ends at el 5200 then a trail starts on the left bank and goes bank to bank to another spring el 5600 with a stream. I stopped there but could have climbed up to either rim to take a crack at Job. I saw later that a hiker went up to Lincoln from the cabin. Posted 2020.
• HORSE CREEK is a major canyon in the Clan Alpine Mtns. Turn off highway 121 at mp 17.5 and follow a graded road to the Horse Creek Ranch. There are shady tables there for camping. Sometimes the Navy uses it. The road gets primitive and goes on another 2 miles to el 5850. A mtn bike would work. I walked the left bank on a spotty trail for nearly a mile up the canyon along a good stream. No recent grazing in the upper canyon. Posted 2020.
• FREEMAN CREEK has a pristine stream but it's not easy to hike very far. Turn off highway 121 at mp 21 and follow a decent high clearance road to the mouth. I hiked up canyon for 20 minutes to a minor fall el 4600 with a spring on top of it. It gets tedious beyond there. Posted 2020.
• BIG BOX CANYON has a good narrows at the mouth. Turn off highway 121 at mp 23 and follow a crude road for a mile and a half to the end at the mouth el 4150. The road is mtn bikeable.  A 20 foot fall with a small stream is just inside the mouth. I got around by walking the south rim staying near the edge then dropped a little to get around a crag then on to a saddle 4520+. I went down into the narrows then down for 6 minutes to a 10 foot fall. There is some tall grass but no major brush.  I made a U turn and went up canyon to the upper falls el 6000. It took nearly 3 hours to get there. I returned on the north rim making for a 6 hour hike. That's a bad loop because the canyon is too brushy. Next time, I'll walk the north rim one way. I'll use the road going up East Jacob Canyon. It's easy 4wd to a small turnaround at N39 39094, W118 12445 el 4800. Then walk it to the crest and follow the crest road to the spring el 6600 in upper Big Box Canyon. It's obvious from there how to merge onto the north rim and walk it down. At el 6200 on the north rim is a rock fence indicating that the early settlers had a cattle trail running up the rim. There are good views into the chasm of Little Box Canyon. That one is blocked by numerous falls starting at the mouth. Posted 2020. 
• CREORE MINE el 6000 has a smooth jeep road to it but a steep section at el 4850 stops a lot of people. Turn off highway 121 at mp 23.7 and drive to a good pipe spring el 4000 with some shade for a camp. The jeep road goes north then up a ridge. A cabin at the mine was barely standing. Maybe they didn't get rich but they had a hell of a view. One hike option here is to walk up the road then down the rim of Little Box Canyon. Posted 2020. 
• COW CANYON is a major canyon in the Clan Alpine Mtns. Turn off highway 121 at the end of pavement onto the graded Settlement Rd. Follow it east over 3 miles then it bend north and goes on to a fork at N39 43014, W117 58796. Go  south two miles then left into the canyon. One major fork is just inside the mouth. Left is Deep Canyon but that's dry and boring. Take the right fork. It goes 4 miles to el 5750. A cabin and stream are in the upper end. Roads are decent but 4wd will be needed in a few spots. Posted 2020.
• EAST JOB CANYON has a jeep road to the crest, the Bobcat Trail.  Take highway 121 to the end of pavement where the graded Settlement Rd goes east. Across from that, the Job road can be seen going SW. I made it to a muddy grade at N39 39310, W118 13369 el 5350. Jeeps have plowed that up trying for traction. It's every man for himself beyond there. Posted 2020.
• IXL CANYON has a stream and mine ruins. Take highway 121 to the end of pavement where several roads fan out to the west. The far right one goes to a gravel pit. Take the next one left of it and go a third mile to a fork on the south side of the pit. Stay left there and on into the canyon. Less than a mile up canyon the road goes thru a fence. That's the last turnaround. A cow trail goes on up to the rock house ruins. I went up a right fork to a ruin above a spring at N39 40108, W118 13055 el 5150. There are huge cottonwoods here. I spent 90 minutes. The roads are decent high clearance with a couple of crossings in the canyon that need 4wd. Mtn bikes are feasible. Posted 2020.
• JAMES PEAK el 7300+ is what I call the one at the head of James Canyon. A jeep road goes up the south rim of Silver Hill Canyon to el 7100. Take highway 121 to the end of pavement where several roads fan out to the west. The far right one goes to a gravel pit. Take the next one left of it and go NW and stay on the main road and the jeep road will be obvious. I made it to el 6200 on my 125 then lost traction. With a jeep I could have gone to el 7100. I walked to the south end of the summit area reading N39 40886, W118 14166. The road into Silver Hill Canyon ends at a sunny stream el 4500. Posted 2020.
• WOOD CANYON is boring but it has a good road. Turn off the DVR at N39 42841, W118 08206 and follow a mostly smooth high clearance road for 3 miles to the end at a main fork el 4500 in the canyon. Posted 2020.
• COTTONWOOD CANYON - there  are two. The south one has a pristine stream but no road to it. I used a road to the next canyon east and made a loop in both canyons. Turn off the DVR at N39 46249, W118 05529 and drive on easy 4wd for a mile and a quarter to a fence at the mouth. Go thru and up canyon for .3 mile to the first easy side canyon on the left. The road is mtn bikeable to there. I walked up that and over into Cottonwood. I went upstream thru a short narrows and then got on the right bank. I soon came to a choke point that I might have been able to wade thru, but instead I used a minor ridge on the right bank to pass it. At 47388, 08641 el 4450 I came to the biggest fall, about 12 feet. I went around the left of that then had a couple of more lesser falls. I decided to loop back by going up a smooth ridge at 47501, 08793 el 4650. That levels off at el 5100 where I had two choices. I could go over peak 5645 or drop a little and cross a basin. I took the wuss route by crossing the basin to the rim of the starting canyon at 47589, 07921 el 5000. I went down that to 47613, 07599 el 4650 where I could see the rest down into the bottom then walked the faint road back to the start. That took 4 hours, 38 minutes with about 600 strenuous gain. Some light, soft brush is along the stream. I didn't wade but will have shoes for it next time. It's easy to walk in the stream. Cattle have never been in the canyon that I could tell.  Posted 2020.
• HARE CANYON - a loop can be done up canyon then down the west rim. Turn off the DVR at a cattleguard reading N39 46365, W118 05493. With a mtn bike I would go on north for 3/4 mile and use a shorter road but it has a gate. From the cattleguard, a decent high clearance road goes a mile and a half then it's 4wd for the remaining half mile to a thicket at the end of the road. About 50 feet before road's end there is a passage thru brush to get on the right bank and bypass the thicket. Once in the creekbed, stay far right to get past tamarisk then there's just some occasional light brush to deal with in a dry creekbed. About an hour in there is a stand of trees blocking the way but it's easy to pass on the right. Just past that the stream was flowing. I chose the wussiest looking ridge on the map to exit the canyon. I went up at 49727, 07458 el 4900 then at el 5500 there is a level spot with a fence on the right. The ridge steepens there so I crossed a minor drainage on the right to get on the next ridge and went on up easier ground to 49656, 08231 el 6250 where I could see peak 6461 on the rim. I walked to it at 49288, 08198 then had an easy stroll down the rim. At el 5346 the rim splits. I stayed left down to the final ridge at 48110, 06868 el 4850. That took 4 hours, 48 minutes with 1600 noticeable gain. A side trip to Cloud BM would add 2 hours. Just going to the upper stream at 49612, 07374 el 4800 would be an easy hike under 3 hours round trip. I would wear long pants in the canyon and shorts on the ridges. No cattle here in years. Posted 2020.
• HOT SPRINGS  CANYON is what I call the one that drains to Dixie Hot Springs. Turn off the DVR at N39 48149, W118 03567 and follow a decent high clearance road for a mile to the mouth el 3800. It's a 15 minute stroll up canyon to a short thicket with trees el 4200. I walked on the left side then cut over to the right to get thru, but there's no point unless you're going on up canyon and it's not an easy creekbed beyond there. I didn't detect any water. Once back on the DVR, it's .6 mile south to a gap in the fence where water can be collected from the hot spring for a shower but will have to be cooled down first. Posted 2020.
• MISSISSIPPI CANYON has a good stream and a 20 foot fall. A loop can be done up the east rim then around the north side of Star Peak ( Eagle BM ). Turn off the DVR at N39 48938, W118 01657 and go a mile and a half on a high clearance to the end el 3950. The road is mtn bikeable. Walk up canyon on cow trails to a ridge on the right at 50091, 03698 el 4250. That's where I started up. The ridge goes to point 5285 then I could see a low saddle el 5900 on the skyline. I aimed for that and got into the drainage at 51088, 03181 el 5650 for the last bit to the saddle. Then I could see mines above and tried to stay high to those but it backfired. It's better to drop down from the saddle and take a smooth ridge up to the mines where a road at 51605, 03193 goes on up to the north side of Star Peak. I stayed on the main road that is still occasionally used by OHVs. I rode it in 2019. Near the top, I went left on an unused road el 7050 to get to the saddle el 7150 north of the peak then went on to the descent ridge at 52100, 04062 el 7050. It was easy going down that to the floor of the canyon where I put on long pants for the first time. I strolled down canyon and got on the left bank at 51689, 05057 el 5450 to pass a thicket where the stream starts. I had little trouble going down canyon bank to bank on faint trails. At 50602, 04672 el 4900 I crossed to the left bank which was not obvious. At 50621, 04447 el 4800 there is a good trail high on the right bank built by ranchers. Then in another half mile comes the only fall. A trail goes from the lip down to the left. Then it's cow trails back to the start. That took 7 and a half hours but a half hour was wasted on bad routes which won't happen next time. There is about 3000 noticeable gain and 1000 of it is steep. Brush is light and I was wearing my thinnest pants. There haven't been cattle above the fall in years and may never be as that trail is tricky for them. It's a 1 hour hike up to the fall from the road, long pants might be needed. Just going to Star Peak and back the same way might be done in 6 hours. It took me about 3 hours to get to the north saddle.  It's a scenic route.  Posted 2020.
• MISSISSIPPI CANYON WEST RIM - a one way hike can be done up the rim then down the rim of Hare Canyon. Start the same as above and keep going to the fall then pass it on the right side trail. Go on to a trail on the left bank at N39 50601, W118 04317 el 4650. That trail soon tops out then leave it and go up the ridge to the rim. I forgot my GPS but it's easy to navigate with a map on a phone. I followed the ridge to el 6300 on peak 6452 then skirted around the right side of it. At el 6850 there is a level stretch with a fire ring and pile of wood, likely from miners. I skirted left of peak 7080 then over peak 7094 then followed the rim of Hare all the way down to peak 5286. I skirted left of that to get on the ridge running SE and stayed straight on that down to el 4000 where it splinters. I stayed tight to the canyon on my right and strolled down to my rig at the gravel pit on the DVR that is 9 miles from pavement. 7 hours, 2500 noticeable gain, easy terrain. Another way to start this hike is to go up the rim from the parking area and over peak 5010. I could do that whole route in shorts. Posted 2020.
• DIXIE has nothing but foundations now. Turn off the DVR at N39 51719, W118 00701 and follow a high clearance road for half a mile to the Comstock Mine. Then the road goes on another half mile to Dixie. A canyon there had small stream coming out of a choked gorge. Posted 2020.
• IRON HAT CANYON has a road but I could barely see it. It has a stream but is choked. The trail on the map is a joke. Posted 2020.
• WHITE ROCK CANYON has an OHV trail, the Steam Shovel Trail, to the crest. Turn off the DVR at N39 53266, W118 00075 and follow a high clearance road to the mouth. It's OHVs beyond there and sometimes in a rocky stream. At 54795, 01944 el 4450 is a bad spot that stops some people. A tenth mile beyond that the trail leaves the bottoms and gets better and goes shortly to the shovel at 55022, 02053 el 4800. I made a loop by using the next major canyon to the east. I walked from the mouth of White Rock for a quarter mile along the base to it. It has a smaller stream and light brush. I walked up canyon then climbed up a gully at 54704, 01349 el 4350 to get on the rim between the canyons. Soon I could see the shovel. I walked past it a little then down a smooth drainage to get to it. Then I went back down the OHV trail back to the start.  That took 3 hours with 700 noticeable gain. No wading. No cattle for years. The next canyon to the east has an easy 4wd road coming from the east. I walked up that canyon in shorts for 15 minutes to cottonwoods then it's choked beyond there. That's good for an after dinner stroll. Posted 2020.
• PEAK 5975 CANYON is what I call the one on the north side of that peak. Turn off the DVR at N39 55218, W117 58380. Don't get tricked by another road 50 feet to the north. The high clearance road goes up into the mouth and fades then it's a 30 minute walk along a stream to a 10 foot fall at 55905, 59443 el 4200. 5 minutes after that is a stretch of bedrock that makes a good lunch spot. I went on up another 30 minutes to a thicket that would be hard to get around. Some light brush, no wading. A few cows were here years ago. Posted 2020.
• LADDER CANYON is what I call the one west of Bell Mare Canyon. Turn off the DVR at N39 55654, W117 57362 next to pole #61 and follow a high clearance road to the mouth. About 4 minutes up canyon is a 15 foot fall with a metal ladder. A tunnel is to the left and a game trail goes from the tunnel and bypasses the fall. Then in another 5 minutes is a second minor fall pouring out of a choked gorge. That's the end of travel. A road goes east from Ladder Canyon along the base to the mouth of BELL MARE CANYON el 3850 but it's choked right off the bat. But sheep have a route up the west rim into the best part of the canyon. Just go up the west rim to el 4400 where it levels off. Then a trail will come into view below two white mine markers at 56727, 57845 el 4320. It's easy to follow to the stream el 4200. A tenth mile downstream is a minor fall where the stream enters a scenic gorge. Going upstream there is a game trail. I followed it a bit over a third mile. It might go thru then it would be easy to walk the east rim back. It takes 35 minutes to get to the fall with 550 gain on the way in then 200 gain to get out. That can be done in shorts but up canyon needs long pants. Posted 2020.
• SHEEP CANYON is what I call the next major canyon east of Bell Mare Canyon. I made a loop up it then down the rim of Bell Mare. I used the Ladder Canyon road to get to the mouth of Bell Mare then walked the base for a third mile to Sheep Canyon. I went up the dry canyon to a minor fall where a small stream was flowing. Sheep have a bypass just to the right hidden behind bushes but I didn't see it and went higher and harder. Then another minor fall is just past it. Sheep have a trail onto the lip but it's too tricky. I went up 50 feet then back down to the fall to skirt that. Then I had an easy creekbed with intermittent stream until a short but dense thicket of tamarisk at el 4650. I pushed thru to the left side and easily got past it. Then the canyon makes a big left turn and I climbed out on a ridge at N39 57642, W117 57783 el 4900. At el 5200 I moved left into a saddle el 5200 on the rim of Bell Mare. I had to go up over 100 feet before I could go down the rim. The only issue on the rim is a crag at el 4950. A main sheep trail goes aroung the right of it but smart sheep go left of it by leaving that trail and cutting thru a saddle at 57085, 57820. That's a lot easier. I kept going down to 56797, 57597 el 4300 then the rim splits. I stayed right down to the mouth. That took a bit over 3 hours with about 400 noticeable gain. Shorts work 99% of the time. Sheep bones at the falls indicate ambushes by predators. This is one of the better canyon adventures. Posted 2020.
• GRAVEL PIT CANYON - a decent road at N39 56186, W117 56010 goes to a pit with a canyon off to the right. It looks interesting until you get there and find it choked. Forget it.
• FALLS CANYON - turn off the DVR at N39 56679, W117 54789 and follow the old highway for a fifth mile then go right on a high clearance road. At the next  fork go left to the mouth. It's a 5 minute walk up canyon to a double fall, maybe 100 feet high. It had a trickle. It's worth a visit. Posted 2020.
• THE CHASM is a short one. Turn off the DVR at N39 57119, W117 53691 and follow a high clearance road to a fork. Stay left to the base then a DIY road goes a fifth mile to the mouth. I walked up canyon for 17 minutes with some class 3 falls into a deep box where a big fall stopped me. Bypassing on the rims would be tricky. No brush or water. Posted 2020.
• COTTONWOOD CANYON, the second one, has a stream but a lot of cattle. Take the DVR to N39 57120, W117 52350. Turn there then stay left of the Boyer Ranch on a high clearance road. At the mouth the road runs on a dike then there is a sunny turnaround after that reading 58634, 52998 el 3900. Only OHVs beyond there and soon minor falls stop them. It's a pleasant half hour stroll up the gorge to 58997, 53442 where ATV tracks come in from upstream. I almost had to wade. No brush. I made a loop up canyon then back on the south rim over peak 6305. I went up canyon about 3 air miles to a staggered 4-way el 5000. I went left up a steep road to where it topped out at 59850, 55682 el 5450. I left the road there and went up the ridge. It's heavily grazed but that tapers off and it turns into a good looking ridge. I stayed left around peak 6202 and on up to peak 6305 at 58768, 55745. Then I followed the rim down to a ridge at 58764, 54620 el 5700 that would take me back down to the creek at Bolivia, but first I went up the ridge to peak 6120+ at 58477, 54355. It has survey junk. I retraced back to the descent ridge and stayed on it all the way down. That took 5 hours, 43 minutes with about 2200 noticeable gain and rarely steep. No brush, no wading. A better road goes to the canyon from the power plant that cars could make. Posted 2020.

  

  Ladder Canyon