Kingston Range Wilderness Area

Approximate routes of 3 hikes I did in March, 2019.

The view down a south ridge of Kingston Peak leading to point 1112.

Habitation site at the west canyons. It's a fixer upper.

A main road comes out of Tecopa and runs along the north side of the wilderness and bends south to meet I-15 at the Cima Rd exit. It goes by the various names of Furnace Creek Rd, Smith Talc Rd and Excelsor Mine Rd. The eastern leg as far as Tecopa Pass hadn't been graded since the last storm. I can't speak for the rest of the road. A 4wd road departs highway 127 at mp SBD 21.6 and runs NE thru the middle of the wilderness for about 30 miles to the Excelsor Mine Rd. Gas is at Baker and Shoshone, not Tecopa. Posted 2019.

• KINGSTON PEAK el 7337 has a sheep route up the west ridge that's a cakewalk compared to the standard route, but longer. It's a top notch wilderness experience. Take the Smith Talc Rd to road #453 at N35 47569, W116 03452. All remaining coordinates are W115.  Go south on the sandy road and it will bend east toward the main NW canyon. After 3 and a half miles you can turn out the lights 'cause the party's over. The remaining 2 miles is on bumpy little rocks then the road ends with room to camp at the mouth of the main NW canyon el 3050. There are 2 decent ascent ridges out of the canyon to choose from. Stroll up the main canyon for an hour to the first ascent ridge at N35 44659, W115 58240 el 3950. On that route at about the 5500 level there is a succession of rough little bumps but they are easily skirted on the south side then you come to point 1748 meters. For the second ascent ridge, which is where backpackers would want a basecamp, keep going up the canyon and get on the left bank at N35 44632, W115 57879. Get on the left bank again at the second level at 44520, 57138 and that will end then cut over to the right bank for the first time. Stay low on that along the left side of the ascent ridge then start up at 44370, 56716 el 4600. Go up to crags el 5500 and use an easy path on the left at 43857, 56538 that goes thru. The ridge tops out at point 1748 meters where it merges with the first ascent route. Now stroll on to the next steep part. It's obvious how to go up to a saddle right of center at 43398, 56019 el 6200 where a good looking pj forest starts. Then keep going up right of center and cut left thru a gap in boulders at 43321, 55838 el 6400 then a sheep trail bends left to 43380, 55770 and goes up a broad drainage then keep going to 43500, 55598 el 6750 where the rest is in view. The sheep trail goes down the ridge right of center to the last saddle el 6550 then up the final ridge right of center. The summit is at 43602, 54935. I returned the same way, but I should have tried descending from point 1748 on the next ridge west of the ascent ridge reading 43840,56750 el 5650. It's to the right of the N on the topo. It looked smoother ( I did just that in 2025 and it works ).  The long NW  ridge of peak 2088 looked crag free, but it's steep and rocky. I would not attempt any route up canyon of that ridge. The whole hike took 9 hours, 15 minutes with round trip gain from the canyon floor of about 3200. Total mileage is about 14. A few patches of very light brush aren't a factor with long pants. I could do this in shorts but would have a lot of weaving. Hikers who like to thrash around in brush should stick to the standard route.  This route starts lower and takes an hour or two longer than the standard route, but if you have to count the gain up the easy NW canyon then this peak is too hard for you from any direction. Would you rather be miserable for 7 or 8 hours or have fun for 9? The urge to start at the highest TH can backfire. I would never do the standard route again, but I would this one. Once I left the canyon floor, I never saw any sign of humanity again until the summit, except for survey junk on the first ridge. I left a  few cairns but there's no need to build eyesore fire rings. Posted March, 2019. I put a track on peakbagger in 2025.
• WEST CANYONS - deep canyons west of Kingston Peak can be visited with loop hikes using the rims. For a short loop, start at the same TH as the peak and stroll up the main canyon for an hour and go up a ridge at N35 44527, W115 58262 el 4000. Aim for a saddle at 44116, 58279 el 4700. Then go level around the right side of a hill for a third mile to the rim el 4750 of a deep canyon. A good viewpoint is at 43685, 58253 el 4700. I could see a small stream not far below so I took a side trip to it. To loop back from the viewpoint, walk to a canyon rim at 44057, 58604 el 4550 and go down it a short distance where a bouldery mess is in the way. Drop down to the right into the canyon and go down to 44130, 58994 el 3900 where it's easy to get back on the rim and walk it 3/4 air mile to a major saddle el 3350. All remaining coordinates are W116. Drop back in the same canyon and exit at N35 44276, W116  00088 el 3000 and go up a little ridge until it gets easier to cross gullies and go on to a saddle at 44854, 00007 el 3000  then on to the path at 45072, 00331 that goes back to the start. This loop takes 5 and a half hours with about 1000 of noticeable gain. Add an hour if visiting the water, which is seasonal. Easy terrain. Posted March, 2019. 
• WEST CANYONS LONG LOOP - this 14 miler follows the Kingston Peak route as far as the 5800 level then veers west down a ridge to the flats. Start at the same TH and stroll up the main canyon for an hour then go up the easy ridge at N35 44659, W115 58240 el 3950. Around the 5500 level there is a succession of rough little bumps but they are easily skirted on the south side. Keep going to 43262, 56450 el 5700 then 42916, 56618 el 5650 where the ridge starts dropping. Go on to 42828, 57127 el 5200 then 42762, 57785 el 4950 where it gets rougher, meaning going from class 1 to class 2. Keep going down to 42821, 58256 el 4150 where the ridge starts leveling off then follow it out to point 1112 reading 42251, 59219 el 3700 where there is view down a 1000 foot drop. Then go NW on easy ground to a minor saddle at 42691, 59480 el 3400. All remaining coordinates are W116. Go thru the saddle for a tenth mile to another saddle then drop down to the flats where I found a pothole in slickrock at the mouth of the main canyon. It had about a bathtub of water from rain 2 or 3 weeks earlier. Not far past that over a minor saddle I came across a rock shelter with rocks arranged in it. That's bound to be a hunter's camp. Nobody would live there. Now I had 2 choices. Go directly back to the start and deal with deep gullies or go NW around them. I chose the latter even though it's at least a mile longer. I walked NW on easy ground into a main wash and when it turned west I got out onto high ground at N35 43695, W116 02305 el 2400 and walked it to 43938, 02065 el 2500 then to 44207, 01828 el 2600 where I cut left across a wash and onto the high ground on the other side and went on back to the start. That took 9 hours with 1800 gain from the canyon floor and another 700 gain on the last 2 miles. The terrain is mostly easy. Plot this out before trying it. Posted 2019.
• KINGSTON BENCHMARK el 7138 can be climbed from the same TH as the standard Kingston Peak route. Take the north side road to N35 46434, W115 54538 and turn on a 4wd road that goes nearly a mile to a small camp area el 5150. Walk from there on the road for a tenth mile then start using cow trails along the creekbed draining from the peak. At 45596, 55118 el 5750 is where I crossed to the left bank then went on up canyon and topped out in a saddle at 45702, 55414 on the NE ridge. I went around the right side of some boulders then came back to the left side of the next boulders and followed paths below the boulders that got me into the pj forest where it was easier walking and obvious how to go on up. At the summit block, a gully on the left side looked easy but would require dropping some. I found another route by walking left of center then moved to center on class 3 rock. I left cairns there. The reg is at 45525, 55654. Placed in 1997, it had 9 entries since. One hiker said he was attempting a traverse of the range. He probably hasn't been heard from since. The BM is dated 1926. 4 and a half hours, 2000 gain. Half the gain goes parabolic. 2wds will have an extra hour. Light brush requires long pants, nothing serious. Posted 2019.
• KINGCRU PEAK el 1888 meters is what hikers call the high point of a subrange on the north side of the wilderness. A 4wd road goes to el 5100 on the SE side. Take the north side road to Tecopa Pass and turn north on a 4wd road reading N35 46490, W115 53345. That road starts smooth then gets rubbly then smooth again. It has a couple of sharp dips and 2 swinging gates. Go north on it for 2.2 miles from the pass then go left for 1.1 miles up a canyon. Now the road climbs out of the canyon bottom. Follow it for another .7 mile to a wash with room to camp el 5100. I walked 400 feet up the wash then up a ridge at 47940, 55245 and circled on up. At the summit block, I stayed on the center of the ridge to a large crag then went along the right side of it and it was easy to the reg at 48285, 55581 el 6194. The decaying book was placed in 1984. 100 minutes, 1100 gain. Posted 2019.
• DOLORES CANYON is what I call the colorful canyon draining SW from Dolores BM. It gets rocky but it's easy to step between rocks. A loop can be done going up canyon then back on the Indian trail on the SW ridge of the BM. Drive in on the Dumont Dunes road and follow signs up the river on a sandy road to Sperry Wash. The river flows there but has little brush. Walk up to Dolores Canyon at N35 45242, W116 13327 el 900 and go up that to a fork at 46106, 14058 el 1250. Go left then stay right at main forks and top out on the Indian trail at 46955, 14013 el 1800. The BM is NW  at 47158, 14462 el 2105 but I skipped it. I went SE on the trail to  46845, 13807 el 1900  then 46719, 13492 el 1950.  The trail drops off the rim at 46576, 12793 el 1700 but a tricky knife edge is just before that. It's safer to drop left down a drainage to get at the trail. It goes 350 feet into a gully and seems to end. I went down the gully then stepped onto the right rim at 46556, 12665 el 1500. That goes down steep and trail segments can be seen. At the bottom the trail is obvious running high on the bank of the river down to where the RR grade crosses. Dirt bikers made it that far up from Sperry Wash but I couldn't even see a way for hikers to get thru the brush to go up river. They fought nasty washouts on the RR grade for nothing trying to ride to Tecopa. That loop took me 4 and a half hours with maybe 200 noticeable gain. This hike is almost entirely in the Kingston Range Wildeness. Posted 2018.
• CRYSTAL SPRING has interesting mine stuff. The spring is next to the Smith Talc Rd at N35 47622, W115 57714 el 3750. Cattle have ruined it but it had recently been fenced off. The water comes out of a tunnel. A faint trail goes on up canyon and shortly there is an unused road on the right bank. That goes up steep over a saddle el 4600 then down a little for a third mile to the mine el 4450. A water tank, ore chute and a completely intact winch with a 4 cylinder engine were there. Let's keep it intact. That took 90 minutes with about a 1000 gain. SILVER RULE MINE is nearby. Go west on the Smith Talc Rd for a mile then turn on easy 4wd road #510. Go a bit over 2 miles staying right at the one fork along the way. The road ends a tenth mile before the mine. It's tunnel with wooden walls and ceiling. Posted 2019.
• SPRING BENCHMARK el 3692 is in the southern section of the wilderness. It has some of the better washes and pavement I've seen. Turn off 127 at mp SBD 21.6 and go 9.2 miles on sandy road #152 to a main fork then go right for a bit over 6 miles to a cabin el 2800 past the Eastern Star Mine. I made a loop by walking north into a main wash then left that at N35 34567, W115 56341 el 2700 and then to a pretty canyon at 34881, 56075 el 2650. The canyon is the main attraction.  I soon came to a fall in that but was able to use a class 3 route on the left to get up it. Then I followed the main wash to a main fork and stayed right toward the peak. Near the peak I went left at a  tricky fork then up the easiest ridge at 35239, 54510 el 3150 to the survey junk on the summit. Peak 4078 is the next one south and the highest in the wilderness portion of the Shadow Mountains. I retraced back to the wash and up that to an easy ridge at 34928, 54290 el 3250 that led me to the NE saddle of that peak. The reg is at 34402, 53978. I retraced part way back then cut over a ridge at 34518, 54445 el 3500. I went down the wash on the other side and climbed up onto the left bank as soon as it was walkable. Then I headed for a rim at 34337, 55334 el 3050. I dropped down there then circled left around a peak back to the start. That took 5 hours with about 1400 noticeable gain. All roads were easy 4wd, not rocky. Posted 2020.
• SOUTH CANYON - this one runs south from the peak and hits Kingston Wash nearly 2 miles east of Coyote Holes. Turn off 127 at mp SBD 21.6 and go 20 miles on easy 4wd as the topo shows. It's easy to stroll up the main wash to the 1120 line where smooth walking ends with a lot of sheep tracks. The reading there is N35 41421, W115 54732. Then retrace to the mouth and walk the east rim back. 4 hours, easy grades. A longer hike would be to go on up into the basin north of peak 465 then walk a ridge back. I saw no water but there were cow tracks where I parked. Posted 2025..
• CHINA BENCHMARK el 3331 has a tedious jeep road around to the south side like the topo shows but it's more enjoyable to make a loop hike on mine trails. A trail starts along the paved road to the Western Talc Mine at N35 47479, W116 06566. It disappears in a wash and shows up again at 46800, 06115 and goes to the mine on the topo. It's an easy walk from there to the south saddle of peak 989 then easy on to the BM and down to the south side road. That road ends at a tunnel then there is one more past that at 45804, 06957 and then comes an unused road. It ends then a trail just above goes back down and into a wash that leads back. 3 and a half hours, 6 miles with 1000 noticeable gain.  The Western Talc Mine and others have been abandoned for decades. Posted 2019, 2025
• PEAK 861 is south of the Western Talc Mine. The west ridges have Indian trails that make for a good loop. I went in from Tecopa Pass and thru the mine then down easy 4wd in Sperry Wash. I parked and walked flats for nearly a third mile to a wash at N35 46254,  W116 10128 and stayed in the main channel to a saddle where a trail crosses. I walked it up the ridge and it faded around the 2400 level so I stayed on center to 45688, 08968 then on over peak 861 to the next peak then turned right and walked a fainter trail down the next ridge to the south. At a saddle I dropped down and hit the wash at 45547, 09636 then down that for .38 air mile to a fork that goes back to the first saddle. I went to 45654, 09898 then up to the right to get on a smooth strip into that saddle then back out. 4 hours, 7 miles with 1000 noticeable gain.
• VALJEAN HILLS - Turn off 127 at mp SBD 21.6 and go 4.4 miles to a RR grade at 35127, 07438. Go north along the RR grade for 2.3 miles. A mile of the grade has been ruined by OHVs and will require patience. Turn east on a better road at 36895, 08116 and go 3.3 miles to the south canyon el 1400 less than a mile from the peak. Go up that to what the 1:100,000 shows as the high point at 667 meters (2188 feet). This short hike will appeal to high point addicts and old coots like me with too much time on their hands. There's not much to see. Posted 2018.

  

  Sleeping circle at the NW canyon.

  

  The NW canyon  of the peak.

  
  

  

  The ridge up to peak 2088

  
  

  

  Two sheep were watching me as I climbed out of the NW canyon.

  

  Seasonal water in one of the west canyons

  
• 
  

Turtle Mtns Flower Show

The Coffin Spring TH is where the pics above were taken. I'll add more as I move toward Death Valley.

Near Needles

Boundary Cone. The pics below are from the Bigelow CG Wilderness area.

Castle Dome in the Clipper Mtns

North Turtle Mountains Indian Trails

The Coffin Sprng Indian trail

.

• Any hikers interested in a guided tour of these trails can find me on Facebook as Nevada Bob.
• 
  MOHAWK TO MOPAH TRAIL- the Indians had an easy 17 mile route connecting Mohawk Spring to Mopah Spring. Some segments survive. Turn off US 95 at mp 21.9 and follow BLM road #634 to the closure in a bit over 4 miles. 2wd trucks might make all but the last half mile. Leave a vehicle there then take US 95 to Turtle Mtn Road at mp 35.7. Go west on that easy 4wd road for  about 11 miles in a straight line then BLM road #477 forks to the left. Take #477 and keep going SW nearly 3 miles to Lost Arch Mine camp area, aka Lisa Dawn Camp. There is one shaded table and grill, no outhouse. The trail to the spring is 250 feet west of the table. It goes up on the right side of a drainage  thru a saddle a quarter mile SW of the camp area. Another trail is on the left of the drainage but is longer. Both trails soon merge into one and go on past Mohawk Spring which never has water and into a valley and starts up into a minor saddle at N34 25549, W114 51471. It goes down the other side to the valley floor and fades out. The terrain is easy so I just  got on the high ground at 25044, 51331 and then on to 23881, 50633 where the trail runs faint on the south bank of a wash. I walked it across a sharp gully at 23709, 50862. Then on to 23559, 51041 and then on to a saddle where the trail is visible at 23016, 51523. It goes into a main wash where a vertical slab at has some minor petroglyphs. I had a snack there and a hummingbird stared at me the whole time. He might be an "attack hummingbird" possessed by the Indian spirits to guard against vandalism. I stayed in the main wash then took a left fork at 22187, 51185 and followed that to 21904, 50852 where I went up a ridge between forks. I stayed right around a bump and resumed on the ridge behind the bump and on to a saddle at 21682, 50516. I followed the low ground to the next trail segment at 21401, 50176. That soon faded then the next segment is at 20842, 49414 ( a peculiar pipe is along that stretch at 21204, 49827 then another trail segment at 21100, 496730). Someone has been helping out with cairns until that point, but didn't stop for lack of rocks. The trail goes into a canyon then fades but the route goes to a saddle at 20429, 49232. A boulder with petroglyphs is  before the saddle. From the saddle, a good trail goes left and uphill a little to get to an easy ridge down to the wash in Vidal Valley, but the Indians were trying to trick me. It's much easier to walk level out of the saddle on a game trail running on the right bank that merges with the rim then down to the main wash. I stayed in the wash to 19133, 48106 where habitation sites are at a cliff on the right bank. The trail can be seen again at 18993, 47883 where it goes 300 feet back into the wash. The next trail is on the left bank at 18683, 47500. It goes on to 18677, 47196 then goes thru the saddle west of Mopah Spring. It follows along the left bank to the spring then stays on the left bank and drops to the wash a quarter mile past the spring. It goes up on the right bank at 19404, 45319 and stays far right for a third mile then crosses to the left bank then back to the right. The last trail is on the left bank at 19773, 44236 and goes to an airstrip then fades, but it's only half a mile to the south TH. That took me 8 hours, 5 minutes with no strenuous gain. The app had it at 19 miles.  I saw no water until Mopah Spring in spite of a big rain two days earlier. I found running water on the Bolson Peak hike that I detailed on the 2015 page. That would work for backpackers but not guaranteed. That's a worthy side trip anyway. In 6 or 7 hours, I could haul a backpack and set up camp west of Mopah Spring then go over the hump for water and resume down the southern trail to highway 62. The scenery hasn't changed much since the Indians were here but OHVs are moving in. Posted 2019, 2021.
• COFFIN SPRING LOOP - the same trail as above can be used for a long but easy loop around the mega crags. Follow that route to the high ground at N34 25044, W114 51331. Watch your step because some rocks along here have been arranged. Be careful not to disturb anything. Keep going to a trail over the main saddle at 23849, 49948. A minor cave there had sheep tracks. The trail goes up into the saddle then splits, take the lower one down to the floor. Coffin Spring is at  23711, 48755 el 2500 but I skipped it this trip. Walk on down the easy main wash and exit left on a closed road at 24785, 48773 that goes to the Coffin Spring TH. Or, as I prefer, use an Indian trail just before that where it goes thru a saddle at 24542, 49018 (another trail goes thru the next saddle but leads into rocks) and goes down the other side on the left side of a drainage to a main wash. It goes along the far bank of that wash and goes down to smooth ground at 25527, 49224 then a fifth mile to the legal road then walk to the next fork and go left back to the start.  That took 4 and a half hours and not any strenuous gain. A trail can be seen along the road on the drive out at 27055, 49878. That seems to connect Mohawk Spring to the river. Posted March, 2019.
• COFFIN SPRING TRAIL SOUTH - the Indians had a rough route from that spring to Mopah Spring. Take US 95 to Turtle Mtn Road at mp 35.7. Go west on that easy 4wd road for  about 11 miles in a straight line then BLM road #477 forks to the left. Take that for about a mile to Browns Camp road #480 forking left. That's a rough road, so stay right on #477 and then left at main forks to the Coffin  Spring TH at a closed fork reading N34 25474, W114 48931 el 1900. But you can keep going on the legal road another 800 feet and park. Hike up the closed fork. It will soon enter a major wash and vanish. I went up the wash until cliffs on my right ended then up to the trail at 23432, 49238 el 2850. I walked up it along a cliff base to the main saddle el 3100. The trail exits the saddle to the left then crosses a minor drainage at 23226, 49081 el 3100 then starts dropping off the rim at 23143, 49092 el 3150. I followed it to 23019, 49090 el 3100 and it soon faded. But the Indians must have gone down a ridge at 22734, 49139 el 2900. I walked it down then near the bottom stayed on the rim of the drainage to my left. At the main creekbed el 2600,I used a  trail on the left bank a short way then dropped into a minor narrows. It was easy on down to a minor fall with bathtub size potholes in bedrock. Just below that I used the left bank but the wash might be just as easy. At the flats, I turned west up Gary Wash to high ground at 21764, 50588 el 2500 and followed it over a divide el 2550. Then I just followed the wash down the other side to a trail again at 22778, 51566. I walked that over a saddle at 23004, 51526 then on to  23220, 51300 then 23392, 51144 then to a canyon at 23748, 50820. I went a quarter mile up the canyon and got on the left rim and followed it to a trail over the main saddle at 23849, 49948.  The trail goes up into the saddle then splits to the right,  the lower one being the route down to the floor then I retraced back out. That took 7 hours with about 1000 feet of noticeable gain. Posted 2020.

Lisa Dawn Camp

Flower hotspot near the TH

The first valley heading toward Bolson Peak

Looking back at the crags around Coffin Spring

The trail cutting across the head of Gary Wash

Habitation sites are along the way. This is an unfurnished duplex.

Turtle Mountains Indian Trail Backpack

Any hikers interested in a guided tour of these trails can find me on Facebook as Nevada Bob. The Indians walked from the river to Mopah Spring then on to Horn Spring then to a spring near Black Ridge that I call Last Spring. The route can be followed now but the trail is gone in places. A one way hike ending at highway 62 is 20+ miles, making for a long dayhike. But it's easy to set up a cache near the midway point for a 2 day backpack. Or stash a backpack at the cache and carry a day pack for the first day. Plot this at caltopo before attempting it. It's not a bad idea to set up a cache even for a dayhike, in case you screw up somehow. And don't build any eyesore fire rings. Remember, the Indian spirits are watching. Don't piss'em off. Take good care of their trail. It's the best one I know of.

The trail enters Mopah Spring canyon.

Mopah Peak. Lynne Foster's book says an Indian first climbed it in the 19th century.

Just before Mopah Spring

Palms at the spring

I've never seen it dry. I was there just before and after a big rain. There was no change.

The trail enters Vidal Valley.

It runs by Castle Rock.

Then past Horn Spring and over rocky hills.

The final leg goes thru a gap west of Black Ridge.

Last Spring

• DAY 1 -   To set up a cache, take highway 62 to mp 117.7 and go north a short way to the north side of the canal. From there, take the leftmost fork (not the canal road) and go nearly 7 miles on easy 4wd to a rocky hill on the left side of the road at the wilderness boundary. Walk along the south side of the hill and eventually into a wash and go at least a mile to get close to a pothole at N34 11328, W114 46404. It had half a bathtub of water from rain a week earlier, but can't be counted on. I left a backpack with water in it and had the pothole as extra if I needed it.  To fill the day, a loop hike can be done over May Benchmark. Get on the high ground on the east side of the pothole and walk north a half mile to the mouth of Horn Spring canyon and meet the closed road. Stay on the road to Horn Spring and then on to the Virginia May Mine, or use a mine trail on the right bank at the spring reading 12505, 47376 el 2050 and walk that for a third of an air mile to where it crosses to the left bank el 2150 then up to 12526, 47842 el 2300 where it goes up a flat bank and meets the road at el 2400. It's best to walk the road from there to nearly the end then get on a trail at 12226, 48045 el 2700. Walk that for .15 air mile to a saddle el 2750 next to a large cairn where the peak is in view. Walk level out of the saddle toward the peak on a faint trail and it merges on to the main ridge then it's obvious how to walk the ridge until an ugly peak gets in the way a third mile before the BM. I could see a high saddle on the left of that peak, so I went left of center to get in the first gully then up that to cliffs then along the base of the cliffs to the saddle at 11825, 47366 el 2750. I was forced to trend uphill staying left of center to get back on the ridgetop, but was nearly on top of the ugly peak. Then the rest was obvious to the reg at 11667, 47202. Placed by Carey and Adrian in 1997, no one else had signed in. I wanted to descend the south ridge, but couldn't see down it so I used the canyon on the west side of it. I looked back up and could see that the ridge would work after all. Upon hitting the wash at the bottom, I went down that a fifth mile then got out and walked the base of the peak into the smooth wash that has the pothole.  That whole loop took 5 and a half hours with around 1500 gain and hardly any steep. Just stashing the pack would take 1 hour. One easier loop would be to go as far as the Virginia May Mine then return down the south canyon. I saw a trail going down into it.
• DAY 2/3 - Leave a vehicle north of highway 62 on the canal dike road SE of Rice BM. The road in leaves the highway a half mile east of Rice and is good except for one sandy crossing.  Then drive 30 miles and turn off US 95 at mp 21.9 and follow BLM road #634 to the closure in a bit over 4 miles. 2wd trucks might make all but the last half mile, cars could go a mile or more and mtn bikes could do it all.  Head across the flats to the trail at N34  19953, W114 43928. Soon it meets an airstrip then resumes at the far end. It goes along the bench then drops into the wash. A fifth mile up the wash is where it gets easy to walk the left bank.  It resumes on the right at 19470, 44740 and goes a fifth mile then crosses to the left side. It goes along the base of the slope for over a third mile then back into the wash. Go on up the wash to 18981, 46314 where the trail goes up the right bank.  It goes to the spring in a quarter mile. The trail goes on from the spring on the right bank to the main saddle then goes down on the right side of a drainage. At 18500, 47165 it bends away to the left and hits a mega wash. Walk down the wash past a pothole at 17443, 46482 that had about half a bathtub of water. The trail appears again at 16446, 46177. I stayed in the mega wash until a half mile from it. It's spotty and goes on to 15808, 46062 then at 15457, 46020 it goes into a broad saddle. It goes down the other side on the right bank of a wash, but it's dippy and it's easier to walk the wash then hit the trail at 14913, 45962. It goes on to 14475, 45897 where it will cross a big wash and resume on the other side at 14260, 45856. Next is 13986, 45913 then crosses a road then 13647, 45924 then 13335, 45943  then 13101, 45990.  At 12441, 46261 it drops into a wash. It goes upstream a few feet then resumes on the left bank and is easy to see again but it goes to Horn Spring, so get off the trail and walk the base to the mouth of Horn Spring canyon. A faint branch trail runs along here. The main trail resumes at the south side of the mouth and goes down to the cache at the pothole (11328, 46404) then goes to 11102, 46432 where it goes up over a saddle and down the other side into a wash. Stay in the wash and get on the right bank at 10555, 46755 and go with the flow and aim for high ground at 10271, 47191 where there are two choices but no trail. It would be shorter to head straight across deep gullies to the trail, but easier to stay on the high ground and go west half mile to skirt the gullies then follow an old road down to 09929, 47524 and cross a wash then just walk to the trail again at 08896, 47441 where it dips into a wash. Go up the wash a tenth mile to a fork and the trail goes up between the forks then to the rim at Last Spring reading 08515, 48053. All potholes were bone dry. A sketchy road runs south from the spring on the west bank. Walk it to 07706, 47557 then to a wash at 06927, 47508 then to the dike. Posted 2019, 2025
• TIME - it took 90 minutes to get to Mopah Spring and another 4 and a half hours to the mouth of Horn Spring canyon. Then 3 hours to Last Spring and nearly 2 more to the canal. I could do it in one day but might not enjoy it so much. There is hardly any strenuous gain. I'll shorten the time on the next trip in 2020.
• WATER  - Mopah Spring had a pool 3 feet across and nearly a foot deep, no running water. I've never seen it dry up. The next pothole at 17443, 46482 is sunny and the cache pothole is shaded. Both had half a bathtub of water from rain a week earlier. The well at Horn Spring reading  12493, 47315 el 2000 is a 2 mile side trip. It's 10 feet or so down to the water, but who knows what's in there? Dead rodents? I'd drink it in a pinch. I've never seen water at Last Spring, but holes there should have water for a couple of days after a rain, but who can time that? There are also potholes in the vicinity of 10189, 47775 that were dry that day. Posted 2019.

McCoy Mountains

Bluebird Mine

Rock was blasted out then sealant applied.

A frontage road with power lines along I-10 accesses the southern part of the range. It starts at the Wiley Well exit and runs east to exit 232. In between,  road #1081 goes thru a gap in the I-10 fence at N33 36621, W114 49470. That's dangerous for eastbound drivers and likely not legal. They should proceed to exit 232 and come back. The frontage road is generally easy but has sandy spots. The north side is accessed using the Lovekin exit at Blythe and following pavement north. The west side is largely blocked by wilderness. Posted 2019.

• PEAK 721 meters dominates the southern end. The south ridge is easy. Use the frontage road to get to N33 36791, W114 50700 where a road goes north up a channel. But take the one running parallel to the right of it and it will pull away and go nearly 2 miles to old cars. A rough crossing is there then 3 forks on the far bank. Take the middle one reading 38316, 50299 and go half a mile to another fork el 600. Take the one going up the hill and follow the road north to the end where it makes a loop. Cut left into a canyon and go up a bedrock gully at 39294, 50650 el 1000. Go up to 39430, 50808 el 1500 where the rest to the main saddle and up to the summit is obvious. The reg is at 39785, 50569 el 2365. Placed by M&L in 1979, Bob Burd came in 2015 and that's it. 3 hours, 1800 gain from the fork at the hill with hardly anything steep. The roads are mtn bikeable. The SW ridge could be an alternate route but it's rough. Posted 2019.
• McCOY PEAK is next to I-10. Exit at Wiley Well Rd. Go left around the rest area and around the west end of a dike then east behind the dike keeping right of a kiosk and dunes. Soon the road goes left across a wash to a power line road. Go right on the power line road for a few feet then take a left and go a mile to a hidden road at N33 37571, W114 53377. This hidden road is just before a stone house. Go east for half a mile to a T at a post. Now go left. In about a mile the road swings to the right across a wash and on toward the peak. The road ends at a canyon west of the peak. Hike up the old track at 38777, 51918 then canyon to a right fork at 38890, 51576. Go up that to the ridge then go right keeping left of a bump. Climb up and around to the north side of the summit block and go up into a notch at 38971, 51200 then right to the top el 2000+. 3hrs, 1300 gain. All roads easy 4wd as of 2013.
• PEAK 409 meters is a twin summit east of McCoy Peak. A mine road goes nearly all the way up. Use the frontage road to get to road #1081 at N33 36790, W114 49473. Go north on that for half a mile and stay left at a main fork and go to the mine road at 38330, 49672 el 700. Walk it a fifth mile then it switches back then stay on that trajectory and it ends at the bottom of the 0 on 407 shown on the topo. It's a short walk to the saddle between the summits. 75 minutes, 700 gain. PEAK 433 is in view to the east with a tower on it. Use the frontage road to get to 36782, 47492 then drive north for 2 miles to a saddle with a gate el 750. Walk up to the tower el 1300 then up the ridge to the peak at 38446, 47761 el 1421. 1 hour, 700 gain. An Indian trail cuts thru the saddle. I walked it east down the canyon. It's on the south side at first then goes to the north side at the bottom. I followed it thru a saddle at 38209, 46957 el 650 then on to the flats where it fades. That's the longest stretch of unmolested trail I've found for that trail. It looks like a million Indians went thru there. It starts at the river and cuts thru the Big Maria Mtns then goes around the south side of the McCoy Mtns to the spring. Another branch of the trail cuts thru a saddle to the south. It can be seen crossing the road a half mile before the gate. These roads are mtn bikeable and easy for 4wds. Posted 2019.
• McCOY MOUNTAIN el 2828 is the highest peak. An old coot route goes up the NE ridge. Exit I-10 at exit 232. Get on the paved north side frontage road and go west a mile and a half to a sign for Dracker Rd. Go north on pavement for 5 and a half miles to a gate blocking the road at a solar site. Go west then north along the fence to a faint road at N33 42357, W114 46594. Keep going on the road to a faint track on the left at 42581, 48991, which is just before a deep gully. Take that for a mile to a T el 850 at the base of the range then walk to 41874, 50309 el 1200 and start zigzagging up the ridge. A shelf near the top at 41448, 50718 skirts under crags then the reg is at 41360, 50674. 4 hours, 2000 gain, not very steep. The 5+ miles of dirt road are mtn bikeable and easy for 4wds. Drive back the same way to avoid rocks and gullies. RV camp areas are along Dracker Rd, the best being 2 and a half miles in from the frontage road at a sign for Rose Way. Take plenty of extension cord to plug into the solar site. Posted 2019.
• BLUEBIRD PEAKPEAK el 812 meters is what I call the northernmost of the 800+ meter peaks. A mine trail goes to the south saddle el 2200. Take the Lovekin exit at Blythe and go north on pavement for about 18 miles to a sign for the Standard Mine. Go west there on graded road for a bit over 7 miles to a main fork. Go west for 3 and a half miles to another fork and stay right. Now just follow major roads that circle around the north tip of the range to a canyon on the west side with cabins. The last turnaround is a foundation with plenty of nails at N33 47911, W114 56183 el 1050. Walk on up the washed out road to a mine at the end with a winch still intact. Just above is the trail angling up left to right reading 47983, 55719 el 1750.  It goes up with no major switches and tops out at the saddle reading 47828, 55376 el 2200. Now it's just a class 2 ridge up to the reg at 47944, 55355 el 2664. Another trail can be seen in the canyon to the south for a loop back. Retrace to the saddle and go left on the trail a short way to a minor tunnel then drop down the canyon on decent terrain. Trail fragments start showing up on the left bank around the 1600 level then the route goes over to the right bank. At 47605, 55468 el 1450 the trail becomes obvious and soon cuts over to the left bank then back to the right bank at the mouth. It's an easy stroll on down past a rock dwelling then a trail goes thru a gap to get back to the start. That took me 3 hours, 11 minutes with 1600 gain. The 8+ miles of unmaintained road are mtn bikeable and easy for 4wds. The main high trail goes on past the saddle el 2200 and crosses a ridge at 47833, 55089 el 2500. It then drops down the other side to el 2300 and seems to end. A lot of turquoise rock is along the trail and some boring mines. Posted 2019, 2021.
• PEAK 2710 ( Alzheimers Peak ) is 3 and a half miles SE of St Johns Mine. It's one of the elite 800+ meter peaks. The long canyon from the mine is an  easy route. Take the Lovekin exit at Blythe and go north on pavement for about 18 miles to a sign for the Standard Mine. Go west there on graded road for a bit over 7 miles to a main fork. Go left for 50 feet then left again on a crude road hooking back to the south. Follow it 3.3 miles to the bank el 1100 of the long canyon. It's easy 4wd but for one crossing at the last half mile. Walk up the wash a fifth mile then get on the left bank and pass under the mine. The left bank works intermittently but be on it again at N33 45345, W114 54326. Soon there is a trench to cross so drop back to the main wash and come up the trench a few feet to get back up and then a second trench can be crossed at 45013, 53944. That will play out then get on the left bank again at 44686, 53831 and next get on the right bank for the first time at 44555, 53382. The peak is in view and it's best to go up the west side. I circled to the south side but had to deal with crags. The reg, at 44450, 52395, was placed by M&L in 1985. No surprise there, but the only other entry was a stunner. It was my name from 2009. What? I have no recollection whatsoever. I must have come up the east side to the south saddle. It's easy to walk north for a fifth mile from the reg staying mostly left of center to the first major saddle el 2400. I wanted a loop back along the base, so I descended east down from there to a gully at 44616, 52451 el 2200 then dropped to the left down that. The canyon eases up and it's easy to walk the left bank to a ghost road at the mouth. It might be best to use the road, but I shortcutted across the flats to a trench crossing at 45398, 51622 then drifted right and hit the road. It runs north along the base then starts curving east, and I should have got off it there and went staight to the next trench crossing at 46173, 52331. Then there's one more easier gully to cross on the way to the point then cross a gully at 46859, 52452 and then the last trench crossing is at 47087, 53509. That took me 7 hours, 20 minutes and 800 feet up the peak plus several trench crossings is the only strenuous gain. But that will come in under 7 hours next time because I know the route. It's hard to find a pristine canyon as big as this. And a lot of good pavement too. It rained 2 days earlier but I saw no water. A drill pipe at 44781, 53843 and cairns are the only human impact I saw in the canyon. PEAK 817 meters is the next one south and the north ridge looked easy. I didn't do it (I don't remember doing it), but my route up the south side of peak 2710 gave me a view. Stay in the long canyon and use the right bank at 44402, 52963 then cut over to the right bank of a left fork at 44294, 52840. In a fifth mile up that fork it opens up on the east side of peak 616 with easy ground to the north ridge. I betcha there's a reg on that one too. Posted 2019. SHORT VERSION - an easier loop can be done by skipping the peak. Leave the long canyon at 44621, 53452 el 1650 and walk along the bank of a side canyon to 44902, 53254  el 1750 where a route up a gully to the east goes to a saddle el 2150 on the crest. Then walk south on the crest on a faint trail to 44912, 52968 where an easy ridge goes down. At a major saddle el 1400, drop off the ridge to the right and walk smooth ground to a point where it's easy to drop off the left side and cross the main wash. Keep going to a ghost road that leads to a T. I decided to circle way out into the flats on easier ground and it took me an hour to get to the point, which is an air mile and half away. The more direct route might save 15 minutes but is rougher. I went to 45621, 51590 then 46178, 51354 and then went north a third mile where I could turn back toward the start and go with the flow of the gullies. I went to 46625, 51813 then crossed a gully at 46648, 52038 then another at 46859, 52452 and then on to The Trench (which is skippable) near the start at 47087, 53509.  I went down that for 250 feet to a pothole with a minor class 3 drop. It had the only water I've ever seen in the range. Miners used it. It's a fifth mile down to an exit then a short walk to the start. That took me 5 and a half hours with 300 feet of strenuous gain. It's just a long, easy stroll in a wild place and the best pavement I've ever been on. Posted 2019.
• BLUEBIRD MINE - This hike starts at the same spot as the peak 2710 hike.  Walk to an old road at N33 47364, W114 54388 el 1250 and go up to rock dwellings where the road crosses a deep gully, but a trail on the right bank is more appealing.  It goes a third mile and fades where the mine is in view. Walk on up toward the mine and meet the road again and the trail  goes up the right bank there. It will cross to the left bank and stay there to the mine el 1950. A dam and a long tunnel with rails are there. 2 hours, 500 noticeable gain. St JOHNS MINE - the trail starts at 47117, 54140 el 1200 and gains 250 feet to the tunnel. Short hike. Posted 2019. THE TRENCH is nearby also. Walk to 47263, 53431 el 1100 and drop in. It's a fifth mile up to a minor class 3 fall and pothole then a trail exits to the right just past that. That pothole had the only water I've ever seen in the range. Posted 2019.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  

  Residents at The Trench

  
  

  

  The Trench

  
  

  

  1996 map

  

  Compressor and dump truck on the Bluebird Peak hike.

  
  

  

  Mine on the Bluebird Peak hike.