Obscure Hikes Around Capitol Reef

The Ant Hill at top center

1. Loa has a Family Dollar and the best supermarket. Torrey and Hanksville have smaller stores and all have gas.
2. ⦁ CAPITOL BENCHMARK el 7614 is in a remote area of northern Capitol Reef NP. A hikers route climbs out of Spring Canyon at point 5935. Take highway 24 to the Chimney Rock TH at mp 76.3 and follow the signs to Spring Canyon. It's 2.25 air miles from the start. Go upstream to the exit trail at N38 19839, W111 15834. There's just one way up a long chute that is easy class 3 and some might label it class 2. When it opens up there are various routes. The unsteepest is to stay low to a drainage at 19799, 15645 el 6300 and go up that then work over to another drainage at 19894, 15621 el 6500. Go up that bending right to 19926, 15556 el 6600 and keep going up the easy ground into another drainage with a cliff in the way. Several routes go thru the cliffs but I used one on the right at 20029, 15311 el 6750 to get in the saddle el 6800 east of peak 6981. Then just go down the canyon on the other side to el 6700 then cut over on the right bank to a canyon at 20412, 15400 el 6700. Go up that to a bridge then pass it on the left and stay in the canyon to the head at 20746, 16025 el 7000 and pass thru a gap east of peak 7238. All hikers tracks had ended by then but I had 2 bars of Verizon. Next, drop a little for easy walking all the way to a cliff band at 21338, 16996 el 7100. Go right along the cliff base for nearly a tenth mile to an easy drainage that goes up to the next level then rim walk around the east side of the peak to the NE ridge at 21741, 17106 el 7200. Go up to the summit at 21644, 17251. I couldn't find the reg that was there a decade earlier. The BM is at the west end of the summit but tricky for a solo hiker to get on. It took 5 hours, 12 minutes to the summit and 4 hours, 50 minutes for the return. There is 300 noticeable gain at the start then about 1000 to exit the canyon and another 400 at the final ridge. The app has this at 16.4 miles.  Backpackers could cut 7 miles by setting up in cottonwoods a fifth mile downstream from the exit in Spring Canyon. Then slog up the canyon for a mile to a spring in an alcove at 20121, 16658. That would cut the hike to the peak to under 8 hours. I posted a track on peakbagger. Posted May, 2021.
3. ⦁ THE ANT HILL el 9291 is 5 miles NW of Torrey. I followed the route by Ryan Davis on peakbagger up the NE ridge but I parked short of his starting point to avoid crossing a deep draw. Take the Sand Creek Rd out of the west end of Torrey for nearly a mile to the end of pavement then go left and stay on FR 207 until you come to an aqueduct. Stay along that to a gate at N38 21334, W111 28021 el 7800. It's easy 4wd to there. ATVs and cycles can get thru for another mile to a steep hill at a stream el 8200. Walk up the stream for 400 feet then go left up a steep side draw then work left thru a gap at 21861, 28856 el 8450.  Level off then walk along the left side of rough slickrock and on up to a saddle at 21830, 29062 el 8700. Then go right around a bump and the rest is in view. Some rough slickrock is in the way. A route goes around the right crossing sandy gullies. I prefer to go over it at 21544, 29135 el 8550 then move far left to get down the other side then up to the summit at 20902, 29432. No reg but there was an ant hill. 3 hours, about 1500 gain. Add an hour if starting from the gate. This is a top notch hike with pines and slickrock. I could have a rode a fat tire ebike in on the nearly 6 miles of dirt road that day.  BROWN BENCHMARK el 8964 is nearby. Stay right at the first fork after leaving pavement and proceed to the correct road at 19728, 26398. Take that to a foot trail #154 at 21747, 26570 el 8200. Walk the trail for a third air mile or so then head for a low ridge at 22167, 25811 and it will bend right to 22144, 25636 el 8300 to get up slickrock then it levels off. Stroll on north to 22357, 25433 el 8300 where the rest is in view. It's easy to walk across a piney flat then up the SW slope to the summit at 22424, 24833. I stayed left around some scrub near the summit. 4 hours, nearly 1500 gain. The roads and trail are on the topo. Some maps show a second trail forking toward the peak but it's fake. The nearly 6 miles of 4wd road is mtn bikeable but half of it is very bumpy.  Posted 2021, 2023.
4. ⦁ MEEKS MESA el 7850 has a well traveled trail to the top as the topo shows. Take highway 24 to mp 72.9 and pull into a camp area. The trail starts out steep at N38 19671, W111 21921 el 6500. It levels off at el 6800 and runs NW for a mile and a half then turns right into a canyon and goes up the top of the mesa el 7576. Then just stroll to 21047, 22201 el 7700 and follow the high ground as it bends left and on to the high point at 21363, 23236. No sign of humanity at the high point, not even tracks. There is no way down to the west from the high point. 5 hours, 1500 + gain, easy terrain. This is allegedly a cattle trail but I saw not one sign of cattle anywhere. ALTERNATE DESCENT - a class 3 route drops off the mesa to the north into Spring Canyon. Head for the rim at 21403, 22061 next to point 7521 where there is a view into what looks like a wide drainage. The route angles down to the far side of the drainage then zigzags down to the key waypoint at 21466, 22082 el 7250. At first, I went too far left of it down an easy shelf and had to come back. Then I dropped straight down on minor class 3 and only had one way to go. Tracks and cairns were showing up by then that led me down to the right into a drainage and then the smooth canyon floor. Going down canyon there are a few minor drops right away but all easily passed on the left. At 21163, 18426 I came to a side canyon on the left with the first water. Intermittent water in the main canyon started south of peak 6930. The best water is up a side canyon at 20121, 16658 in an alcove. A tiny stream drops over a ledge. I didn't filter it. At 19489, 15846 there is a trail on the right  bank that leads into a right fork. I went up that staying left at main forks until I hit the main trail then I went right on that to the Chimney  Rock TH at mp 76.3. I did this as a separate hike over the mesa and skipping the high point. It took 8 hours. It takes 2 hours to get to the descent point off the  mesa. If you get stymied it would be easy to follow your own tracks back out. There's nothing dangerous about the class 3 parts. I had a rope with a hook but never used it. The descent route is detailed at bluugnome.com for Pandoras Box. Posted 2021.
5. ⦁ SOUTH CAINEVILLE MESA el 5980 has a trail. Park at a gate on highway 24 at mp 100.2. Step over the gate and get in a trench at N38 20609, W110 59046. Cattle walk down the trench to the river. Wade across and aim for a gap at 20373, 58782 that leads into a valley. Go up to a left fork at 19624, 58756 el 4650 then stay right in that and the trail will appear and lead up to the rim el 5800. The high point is a mile and a half away at 19406, 56829. Cain Benchmark is out on the point 2/3 mile away. Cliffs along the way to it have a class 3 route on the east rim. It took 2 and a half hours to get to the high point with 1200 noticeable gain. The river was shin deep in late May. The land along the river is private but not posted yet. I had 2 bars of Verizon on top. Posted 2021. ALTERNATE DESCENT - another trail drops off the south rim. In 2023, I went up the north trail then headed straight for a stone cabin at 17713, 58478 el 5900. A corral is a tenth mile before it. The cabin is habitable for now. Then I went to the south trail at 17597, 57979. It goes down with cairns then switches left then right then fades but goes straight down a ridge to 17450, 57967 el 5350 where it shows up again. It goes on down to a creekbed where a cairn was the last I saw. That hiker must have followed the creekbed out. But I went down it and under a boulder to an easy gully on the right where I could walk up then angle left onto the rim. I was reading  17253, 57979 there.  I then walked the rim and soon hit a spotty trail that goes on to 16833, 57230. I stayed on the right side of the rim for another .3 air mile and found the trail going down a point to Sweetwater Creek. There are several routes back to the highway. The shortest but dull is to go east to a 4wd or ebike spotted on the good Town Wash road. There is a cow trail on the north side of peak 4561 at 19129, 54214 that exits up the Sweetwater rim. The road goes to a paved ford at highway 24 at mp 106.7 but has some minor sand. A second way back is to walk stinky cow trails down Sweetwater Creek. Forget that. The best route is the near pristine wash running parallel west of Sweetwater. I got there by walking Sweetwater just a little past a side canyon then coming back over my left shoulder on flat ground into it reading 19089, 55233. It took me along the south side of peak 4806 then I went north over a low divide at 19267, 55506 and followed washes downstream to the river. I waded the river precisely at the confluence then went upstream staying left of tamarisk along some cottonwood trees on a game trail for a third air mile to a side canyon. I went up that to my cycle at mp 105.1 on highway 24. Figure on 8 hours and 15 miles. An option is a game trail at the mouth of the canyon going up to the right.  Some very light brush is along the river near the end but I got thru in shorts. The river there was knee deep at 56 CFS. A BLM register is a tenth mile in from the rim on the north traiL. It goes back to 1998. One person backpacked up but I would only do that after rains have filled potholes on the rim. Taking a backpack down the rocky south trail is strictly for the hardcore. Sweetwater had intermittent water but heavy cattle impact. This is one of the great hikes in the universe. Take a GPS and the track I posted on peagbagger.com. This hike starts on private land but no posted yet. Posted 2022, 2023.
6. ⦁ NORTH CAINEVILLE MESA el 6122  has two trails that can be used for a traverse. Leave a 4wd or fat tire ebike on highway 24 at mp 100.1. Then drive to mp 97.8 and follow an easy 4wd road around to the north side of the mesa in 7 or 8 miles. Park when close to the trail which is at N38 24145, W110 58259 el 5200. Walk over a low ridge to get at it. It goes up to the cliffs to the left of a crack then crosses to the right of the crack but a slide has hit it. It's best to just go on up to the crack from the left side. Once on top, it's a third mile to a cairn at the high point reading 24231, 57804. Then walk to the south rim at 23384, 58388 and along that then head for a wash at 22819, 59050 that leads back to the rim. Stay on the rim or near it to south trail at 21373, 59036 next to point 5429. It goes down a crack then under some boulders and on down to a flat el 5400. It drops off the flat at 21280, 59054 and goes straight down a ridge losing 700 feet in a quarter mile. At bottom, it goes over tedious hills to a cement truck ruin, but it's better to drop down to the right on the first easy little ridge just before a huge boulder then stroll to the highway. It takes nearly 5 hours to traverse the mesa with nearly 1000 noticeable gain. I didn't want to fool with no stinkin' shuttle so I parked at mp 99.3 and walked the wash around the west base to the TH. That part took 2 and a half hours then I had nearly a mile to walk on the highway when I got down. I had a about a 7 hour hike with not much loose sand. I had 2 bars of Verizon on top.  Posted 2021.
7. ⦁ THOMPSON MESA el 6040+ is 5 miles east of Notom. An abandoned jeep road goes up out of Blue Notch. Take the paved Notom Rd south out of Notom to a sign for Burro Wash Rd at N38 11212, W111 05611. Turn on that good road for 2 and a half miles  to the bottoms at Sandy Creek where there is room to camp. Then it's an OHV trail for another 3 and a half miles thru Bloody Hands Gap to a steep hill at 09806, 00767 el 5200. A fat tire ebike could make it. I parked there and walked the road to a fence at the top then left along the fence and on up to the top of the mesa. The road soon tops out on a rim el 5680 and goes in the wrong direction so I went left toward the main west rim at 10700, 00431 el 5750. Then I shortcutted a bend in the rim by heading for 11427, 00936 el 5900 then walked the rim for nearly a half mile where a bright hill got in the way. I stayed right around that then back to the rim and on to the high point at 12874, 01531. No sigh of humanity. I kept going to Thompson Benchmark at 13470, 01642 el 5975 then kept following the rim to a good view at 13770, 00533 el 5800. I then stayed on the easy ground to a break in cliffs at 13203, 00233 el 5750 then moved to the north rim when I had an easy path. I stayed on the rim around to point 5572 and then came back west following a canyon on the best part of the rim. I crossed the head of the canyon and stayed right of litttle mesa then on to 12388, 00896 el 5850 then 12080, 00888 el 5800 then 11758, 00842 el 5800 and then soon merged back to the starting route.  5 hours, 500 noticeable gain just for the high point and back. 10 hours for the whole loop with not much more noticeable gain. No recent grazing and most of the mesa has never been grazed.  This is the best mesa in the long line stretching from Caineville to Swap Mesa. Next time I'll pass by the BM to the east and cut it down to 9 hours.  A 1919 marker is on the north rim at W38 13052, W110 59464. I had 2 bars of Verizon on top. Posted 2021.
8. ⦁ WILDCAT MESA has a road until the last half mile. Go south from Notom for 9 miles to the Sandy Ranch Junction. Turn east on a main road there and go about 6 miles to the top of the mesa el 5700 then go left on road #14025. That's easy 4wd for 2 and a half miles then walk up rocky slopes to the Sandy BM at N38 07240, W111 01652 el 6050. TARANTULA MESA is farther out on the main road. Stay on it and keep right at main forks to road #14240 at N38 00580, W110 51767 and follow it up to el 7050 then walk a fifth mile to the high point at 00512, 52942 el 7194. A longer hike to do is the skinny north ridge. Keep driving SW on the mesa for 6 miles to a T. Go right for 3 miles to a rim el 6450. I had 2 bars of Verizon there. I walked nearly level on the high ground for 90 minutes to a neck at 02475, 59999 el 6400. It's only 150 feet wide with sheer cliffs on both sides. An ancient fence crosses it. I went on another 2/3 mile past the fence to peak 6459 where I could see the rest of the ridge. Nice pj forest and nearly pristine. Take a topo. All roads are easy 4wd but it's over 30 miles back to pavement. These are good cycle roads. The road on Stevens Mesa is sandy. I went as far as Indianwater Seep. A crack on the west rim goes down to the seep and a cave. All I found was one circle pecked into the rock to the left of the cave. Posted 2021.
9. ⦁ PEAK 6380 is on the west rim of Tarantula Mesa. Take the Notom Rd south into Capitol Reef NP and go nearly 5 miles south of the entrance to a cattle trail at N37 58582, W111 04238 el 5600. Walk it to a canyon at 58490, 03626 and go up that to a fork at 58582, 02683 el 5650. Go left and stay left at the next forks and the route up will be obvious. The summit is at 59153, 02916. No sign of humanity. 3 and a half hours, 800 noticeable gain. Good views because it's the highest spot around. Posted 2021.
10. ⦁ SWAP MESA is south of Tarantula Mesa. Sheer Benchmark el 6158 is the high point and can be accessed from the Notom Rd. Park along the road near N37 50663, W110 59613 el 4950 which is a route thru a minor cliff. Keep going NE into a major canyon cutting thru the cliffs of the mesa. An obvious ridge goes up to the right out of the canyon. It goes parabolic but not loose. Upon topping out on the rim, it's easier to drop to the flats because the rim is rough at first. Climb back to the rim at 50937, 58577 el 5650 then it's a cakewalk on to the BM at 49984, 56947.  6 hours and about 1000 noticeable gain and half of that is steep. Cattle graze until the last half mile. They come up an ancient road out of Swap Canyon. I had 1 bar of Verizon at the BM. I went back later and made a loop around the BM. I walked along the south base to the east canyon then up that to a side canyon at 51476, 56475 el 5250. I went west up that for .44 air mile then up the left slope to the top. I walked a nice pj forest to the descent ridge at 51166, 59161 el 5600. That took 6 hours with about 500 noticeable gain. I could have saved a half hour or more with a bike shuttle on the Notom Rd. Cattle graze on most of the route.  MESA BENCHMARK el 7102  is an easy one to the west. Drive the Burr Trail to the top of the switchbacks then on to the park boundary where pavement starts. Go another 2 miles then left on a jeep road for a mile to a fork at N37 51873, W111 07494 el 6800. The road soon turns bad but it's easy to walk to the west side where it switches up to the left to the next level el 6900 where it splits. The right fork runs level then up to the next level then goes left to the north rim and on to the reg at 51973, 08035. It takes an hour to the summit using the road. This peak is a contender for high point of the Studhorse Peaks. Good views with minimal effort. Posted 2021.
11. ⦁ SOUTH FORK OAK CREEK CANYON - I made a loop down the north rim then back up a trail in the canyon. Take highway 12 to mp 100.8 and turn on FR180. Follow that down 4 or 5 miles to FR1967 as the topo shows. Jeeps and high powered ebikes can make it that far but FR1967 is narrow and covered with bumpy little rocks. I parked at roads end in Cons Hole at the TH sign reading 03260, 17049 el 7700. I then walked north on an OHV trail to get on the rim then went over peak 7952 and used a topo on my phone to stay on the rim. There is some light brush at first then at el 7200 there are stands of ponderosa pines and I could wear shorts the rest of the hike. When I arrived on the ridge NW of peak 7210, I veered toward it to get down a cliff band then resumed going north to a game trail at 04512, 13484 el 7000. I followed that down to a cliff band then it goes left and down a crack to a flat el 6800 and no more cliffs. But a scrub barrier is along the creek so it's best to aim for a gap in it at 04663, 13139 el 6450. Then I walked an ATV trail down Oak Creek for nearly a mile to a sign pointing up the South Fork to Cons Hole in 5 miles. A stream runs for about half of it with a swim hole at 03500, 13626 el 6550. That took 7 hours, 14 minutes with maybe 1000 noticeable gain. The creeks were jumpable. The rim is in pristine condition except for some ancient cow shit. The canyons are lightly grazed and no cattle were there on June 9, 2021. SHORT VERSION - there is a possible route off the north rim south of peak 7252 at 03661, 14881 which would cut the hike in half. ONE WAY VERSION - I could drive in on FR180 for half a mile or so then walk it down to the canyon and follow trails to Lower Bowns Reservoir where a second car or ebike would be parked. That would eliminate all the nasty road driving. Posted 2021.
13. ⦁ BLACK MOUNTAIN el 6308 is along the Cathedral Valley road. I did a loop over then back along the west base. The road departs highway 24 near mp 98 and goes easy 4wd for a bit over 10 miles to a sign for Caineville Wash. I went another 2 miles on the road and stashed my Zizzo bike then came back and went up the wash and then up a ridge at N38 26977, W111 05663 to get on the easy SE ridge of the peak. I went over the summit then down the north ridge to 28224, 06771 then down to a huge clearing. I walked another clear corridor from there to 28422, 06650 then down that ridge to el 5250 where I crossed a wash to the next ridge on my right then on to a gully at 28528, 05968 el 5200 where I could drop into a chasm. I strolled up that to the base of a 200 foot fall then made a U-turn and headed for Middle Desert Wash. I cut a huge gooseneck at 28746, 06466 then checked out a good side canyon at 28841, 07030. The next big gooseneck has a faint road cutting it at 28287, 07564 then I hit water on the other side but that didn't last. I had a nearly straight shot to my bike. 6 hours, 1000 noticeable gain and all easy, 12 miles. The chasm is the highlight. Willow Seep is 8 miles or so in on the road and it had a tiny stream. No recent cattle. Posted Oct, 2023.
14. ⦁ TROUGH BENCHMARK el 6516 is high on the Moroni Slopes. A good loop up ridges starts from the south. The Factory Butte road goes north 11 miles from highway 24 to a main fork. Left goes to Salt Wash south of the peak as the topo shows. I strolled down the wash past peak 4783 then up a slope on the NW side of it at N38 30472, W110 56873. Then it's an easy ridge walk all the way. At el 6100 there is minor drop with a bypass on the left at 31541, 58792. It's class 3 and 6 feet high. No more obstacles to the summit. I descended the rim of the canyon to the west known as Cable Canyon. At el 6200 there are two crags with a sheep trail along the left side. Then there is a deep dip to cross to peak 6121 then down to a hidden ridge at 30822, 59164 el 5850. Near bottom it gets convoluted but I stayed right on a natural road at 30193, 57842 then to 30048, 57664 then the final slope at 29978, 57214. I stayed out of drainages for the whole loop. 5 and a half hours, 2200 gain, rarely steep. The drive in is easy 4wd and a car might get close enough to ebike it. Posted 2023.
15. ⦁ NEILSON WASH crosses highway 24 at mp 106.2. It's an easy loop up then back on the west rim.  I strolled up it staying left at forks but hit a 12 foot fall with a pool a quarter mile before the Factory Butte road. I retraced back to the last fork and took it to N38 23393, W110 53274 where I could exit and walk to the road at 23410, 53567 where it skirts the west fork then walk the rim back. The shortest route back to the start is a crack at 22005, 52870 but it has a 4 or 5 foot drop. The chicken route is to aim for the highway at 21995, 53248 then it's a third mile back. 2 and a half hours and hardly any strain. This would make a good moonlight walk. Posted 2023.
16. ⦁ COAL MINE WASH is a good one for a loop down then back on the far north rim. I rode my cycle in from highway 24 at mp 105.5 for 9 miles to a kiosk at the wash, but kept going 1.7 miles to N38 29860, W110 55369 and parked. Then I rode my folding bike back to the  kiosk and locked it there. I strolled down the wash for half a mile to a drop with a huge pool. A route goes down left of it and I went on to a side canyon at 28977, 52623. I went up that staying right at a main fork and in the streambed when I could to minimize eyesore tracks. Near the head of the canyon I took a left fork for 300 feet or so to a tiny gully on the right at 29587, 52794 and got out then took a game trail to the next level. I walked north on that rim along the 4800 line and eventually the 5000 line. In the last mile or so I pulled away from the rim to 30188, 54732 then to my cycle. 3 hours, 9 minutes with 100 noticeable gain. This is a great rim walk with views of the unspoiled badlands.  I would take long pants for itchy plants in the lower wash. This is so easy it makes pie look hard. The first half mile to the pool would make a good moonlight hike. Posted 2023.
17. ⦁ SKYLINE RIM  is along highway 24 between Caineville and Hanksville. I got lucky and found two routes thru the cliffs to make a one way hike. I locked my Zizzo bike to pole #565 at mp 107.8 on the highway. The I went east a mile on the highway to a ranch at a steel corral. I turned north there and stayed right at a fork for a mile to closure signs at a popular canyon. I walked to the west fork at N38 23556, W110 50212 and on up to the end where I could only go up a right fork with a minor fall. Just past that is a hidden slope up to the next level at 24037, 50186. I walked that a short way to an easy ridge to the main rim. Then I walked east to a cow trail at 24102, 49881 that goes to a point then down to the next level and then it's easy to walk a skinny peninsula until a drop blocks the way. I made a U-turn and walked the rim to a descent gully at 22688, 51560 that looked good on the sat image but hopeless in person. On second  glance I saw that I might have a shot. I dropped down then went right and had no trouble to the bottom then strolled out to my bike and had an easy 2 mile ride to the start. 3 and a half hours, 100 noticeable gain for the hike part. The west fork would be a good hike on its own. No sign of humanity in that. Posted 2023.
18. 
    

Cabin on South Caineville Mesa

Inscriptions on South Caineville Mesa

Palen McCoy Wilderness

I saw six of these rock circles in the area.

WW2 pillbox

A trail from the river into the Tank Spring area.

• The paved Midland Rd connecting Blythe to Midland is the main access. It goes north from I-10 at the Lovekin exit. At about 18 miles is a main junction at a sign for the Standard Mine. The paved road goes on north to the ghost town of Midland but just before town is a graded road forking right that runs along the east side of the wilderness to Rice on highway 62. It has sand traps. The road to the Standard Mine is graded and at a bit over 7 miles is a sign for the Arlington Mine Rd forking left. It goes west several miles then by staying right at main forks it leads to Palen Pass. That road is easy 4wd as far as the pass where I turned back and should remain so as new towers with generators have been installed along it. Posted 2021.
•  LITTLE MARIA MOUNTAINS HIGH POINT el 3000+ -  turn off the Palen Pass Rd onto a 4wd road at N33 49905, W114 56291. Go north here for about 3 miles to a pillbox in a valley south of the peak. The road forks here. The left fork crosses a wash and runs on the left edge of the valley but is washed out. Use the right fork that runs along the right side of the wash. It was in decent shape for the first mile in 2016. I decided to take a crack at an improbable frontal assault. And got lucky. I walked the road as it follows the wash curving left and enters a canyon. It shrinks to a trail running along the right bank.  When the bank ends the trail climbs a little then levels off and enters the creekbed. I stayed in this canyon as it took a right turn and climbed to a saddle at 53883,55743 el 2200. This saddle overlooks the basin below the massive cliffs of the summit area. From the saddle, I went up the ridge keeping right of center and crossed over to the left at 53939, 55768. From there I angled up to the left to get on the main summit ridge. The peak is to the right at 54014,55572. A chute on the right side of the summit block makes it easy. The Buck Benchmark is on top but no reg in 2012 but M&L must have placed one. 4 hours, 2000 gain. A very interesting peak. And unloved,  except by sheep. No falls to climb, only an occasional easy class 3 move. Posted 2012.
• TANK SPRING LOOP - this is a fake spring at the north end of the Little Maria Mtns. A good horseshoe loop can be done by going south from it and up a canyon then over the saddle next to peak 788 then down the other side and out by that canyon. It takes two 4wds spotted two and a half miles apart along the Midland Rd because that's where the wilderness boundary is. I only had one vehicle, but with two I would leave one at about N33 56172, W114 50993 then the other some 2 or 3 miles north. A VZ signal is present so lining up with the gullies is easier. I walked to the spring first . It's just a dry fall 20 or 30 feet high and not worth a detour. It's better to aim for the west bank of the ascent canyon at 56337, 57283 el 1350. I walked from there on the smoothest ground and it took me .6 mile to the far right side of the canyon floor where there are less rocks. At 55651, 56939 I crossed to the left bank. The flat bank ended in a third mile so I dropped to the smooth wash and stayed off banks until 54949, 55891 where I got on the left bank and went on another third mile to the divide saddle el 1900. I followed a sheep trail out of that to the right and it took me to a ridge where I could drop down to the wash. I got on the left bank at 54543, 55171 and stayed low and that helped for a tenth mile. I got on the right bank at 54524, 54284 and when that ended I dipped back to the bed a short way then got back on the right bank. In nearly half a mile I came to potholes then in a few feet more I hit smoother ground at 54982, 53595 which makes it east to get to the first 4wd. The potholes along there at 54943, 53655 had water, one was a foot deep and shaded. They might be huge after a big rain. With two vehicles, the loop measures out at 13 miles on the topo with hardly any noticeable gain. The canyons are pristine but the flats have some WW2 tracks though a lot of pavement is undisturbed. This is the best wilderness experience on this page. The Indians used potholes two and a half miles east of Tank Spring at 56148, 54950. Three trails radiate out from there. One runs south along the base to meet the one crossing the range. One goes to the river and one likely goes to Mopah Spring. Posted 2021.
• PEAK 846 in the Little Maria Mtns has an easy NW ridge that attracted my attention. A loop can be done by returning on the west ridge. Park on the Midland Rd along the wilderness boundary at about N33 56172, W114 50993 then walk to potholes in a major wash at 54934, 53644 el 1200. It's rocky by then but better to stay on the bank for nearly half a mile then drop to the bed a short way then get back on the left bank. When that ends, stay in the bed to the NW ridge at 54364, 54739 el 1500. Soon a minor crag is in the way but easily passed on the right then it's easy to the reg at 53821, 53992 el 2776. Placed in 1986 by M&L, no one else had signed in. Walk SE off the summit on the main ridge and stay left around two minor crags to a view at 53747, 53763 el 2550. It's obvious how to descend from there to a smooth ridge going to the left and down to the flats. 6 hours with 1300 noticeable gain. The app put it at 13 miles. I saw more potholes at 54653, 54105. Some good pavement is on the return leg. This loop might benefit from having two 4wds spotted on the Midland Rd. PEAK 879 - I could see that I could easily walk the west base of the ridge I ascended to get to the north ridge of peak 879 then cut over to peak 846. That would add an hour and 500 gain and a bit steeper. Hiking in from the south would be shorter but tougher terrain and not as scenic. Posted 2021.
• WEST PEAK el 2800+ is what I call the one 1.7 miles NW of Little Maria HP. The NW ridge is easy. Drive the Palen Pass Rd to a road forking right at N33 50234, W114 56960. Go nearly 5 miles on easy 4wd to a trench that was still driveable in 2021. Drive or walk on to the end of the road at a mine el 1400 west of the peak. I walked the bank for a couple hundred feet past the mine and found an easy way down to the wash on bedrock. I went up on the far bank and had an easy walk until the bank merged with the wash. I went on up that to a drainage on the left at 54824, 57833 el 1600. That made it easy to get up to a saddle el 1850 to the right of a nipple. I then went up the ridge to a saddle on the main ridge at 55008, 57828 el 2100. I followed an easy sheep trail on the ridge to peak 767 meters and thought " there's no way sheep skirted that nasty mess". Wrong! The trail goes steadily up along the right side and into the saddle then I stayed left of center to a notch at 54737, 57167 el 2700 where I could see  the peak a fifth mile to the south. The reg is at the east end with only a few entries since 1978. From the end of the road el 1400, that took 3 hours with 1500 gain.  Recent tire tracks were at the end of the road. A WW2 pillbox is at 53896, 58576 el 1150. Posted 2021.
• LITTLE MARIA INDIAN TRAIL - this cuts across the range at saddle 479 meters, likely running from the intaglios trail to Horn Springn. 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 fork at N33 49312, W114 51630 ( if blocked, you can go on to a tower and come back). Turn left on easy 4wd and go NW for 2 and a half miles to a big wash. Cross over and turn right and the trail climbs up onto the right bank of a wash at 52134, 53246 el 1300. Park 700 feet short of it and walk the right side of a hill to get at it. It runs faint to 52281, 53163 where it's easy to follow across the divide saddle and down to the flats. It enters the Palen McCoy Wilderness at that saddle. I decided to loop back by walking SE to high ground at 53305, 52088 el 1100 which led to a game trail and into a wash and up on the left bank. I got on a left bank again at 52955, 51864 el 1200 then on to the right bank of a major wash at 52596, 51771 el 1350. That bank is easy for a third mile where a minor crag blocks it. I went up near the top of it then cut left on a safe ledge and was able to stay on the right bank all the way to 52274, 52289 el 1850 where I climbed high ground between forks to get to the divide saddle el 2100. Peak 2542 looked like an easy climb to the north but I skipped it. From the saddle, I moved right to a smooth ridge down to the wash then had an easy walk on the left bank out to the flats and back to the start. 4 hours with all easy gain except for 500 to the saddle near peak 2542. This hike is 99 percent free of modern eyesores and the banks make for easy walking.  Posted 2021.
• PALEN MOUNTAINS HIGH POINT el 3848 - the north ridge is the easiest route. Walking from the Palen Pass Rd would be a 6 mile hike to the summit. Jeeps can use WW2  roads to get 2 miles closer. Take the Arlington Mine Rd to the Pattons Cabin Rd at N33 49708, W114 56032 and go west on that to a WW2 road at 48749, 58538. Go north on that and enter a major wash at 49373, 58918 and cross it to a road on the far side at 49481, 58868. Walk it first. Then go north for nearly a mile on a faint road to a minor trench blocking the way then veer left in a wash at 50229, 58973. Soon trees will force you up on the left bank then cut over to the right bank of the wash at 50395, 59060.  Proceed on to another wash at 50668, 59228 and drive that to pavement at 50753, 59319 and then it's half a mile to a rough wash blocking the way. Cycles can cross it and go on another 3/4 mile, almost to the wilderness boundary. All remaining coordinates are W115. Then walk to a major wash at N33 51192, W115 00899 and cross to the far bank. Stroll on up until the bank ends then cross over to the ascent ridge. It starts out rough so it's better to go up a drainage on the right side at 50950, 01704 el 1750. It will lead to a minor saddle el 1950 on the ridge then it's decent. The ridge will steepen and boulders will get in the way but that's cured by walking left of center. The ridge eases up and broadens at el 2600. Sheep beds cover the area as well as a few recent tracks. Go on up to the summit ridge and cross over on sheep trails to the west side at a saddle reading 50155, 02321 el 3700. Then walk level under the summit to a gully at 50065, 02362 el 3750 and go up then turn left to the reg. It took me 5 and a half hours, starting at the 310 meter line near the wilderness boundary. It's 2400 gain from the base. The drive in there is a piece of cake for serious 4 wheelers. A shovel and pocket saw would be handy.  I put GPS tracks on peakbagger.com.  Walking from the Palen Pass Rd would be the easiest drive. I saw a flattened concrete building along there at 51042, 58610 and another one a fifth mile west. Foxholes and assorted junk dot the area.  Posted 2021.
• NORTH PALEN PEAK el 905 meters is what I call the next one north of the highest peak. The NE ridge is easy. I went in the same way as for the high peak then at the rough wash I stayed north on the bank and turned west at N33 51988, W115 00080 then came to a T in about a fifth mile. I moved left a few feet to a road on the next pavement and stayed straight on that for 2/3 mile to a rock field and parked. I walked along the smooth, far right edge of a valley toward the peak then stayed on the right bank of a deep wash to get at the smoothest part of the NE ridge at 51695, 01977 el 1750. I went up to 51457, 02248 el 2600 where I could see the summit. I took an easy angle up to cross a saddle el 2650 then on to the summit el 2969. No sign of humanity. 3 hours, 20 minutes with 1400 noticeable gain. This peak is so easy it makes pie look hard. Posted 2021.
• PETER PALEN PEAK el 899 meters is 3 miles south of Palen Pass. WW2 roads can be used by jeeps to get to the east ridge.  I followed the Palen Pass Rd then turned on a sketchy WW2 road at N33 52719, W114 58771. I went toward a hill and along the north side aiming for a road at 52661, 59639 on the west bank of a major wash. A row of trees on the east bank blocked me, so I jogged north a little to find a gap thru then came down the wash to the road and took it out to deep gully outside the wilderness boundary. I walked across the gully to pavement on the far bank at N33 53027, W115 00598 el 1100. I then strolled to the ascent ridge at 53012, 01372 el 1300 where dozens of shallow foxholes stretched for half a mile. I stayed on the ridge to survey junk on the summit at 52739, 02906 el 2949. Tom Budlong left a note in a Coke can in 1999 and put the peak name on it. No one signed in since but there's no pencil. I walked off the summit on a spotty sheep trail to the south saddle then went down the canyon. At 52402, 02219 el 1600, I got on the left bank and kept drifting left and soon hit WW2 tracks and walked back on the flats and saw more foxholes. 4 hours, noticeable gain. Posted 2021.1600 
• GRANITE BENCHMARK el 4331 is the high point of the Granite Mountains. The west ridge is the easiest. Drive the Palen Pass Rd to the Packard Well road at N33 55370, W115 02418. Take that for half a mile to a hidden fork just past a white hill. Left is washed out, so stay right. Jeeps can make it to the end of the road that shows on the topo. Others might start dragging bumpers about halfway along. There's an Indian trail on the north side of peak 555 that can be walked as an alternative. I picked up the trail near the well at 56082, 04385 el 1650 and followed it to the well then on down the wash and climbed out at 56091, 04984 el 1600. I headed for the bank of a wash at 56412, 05197 el 1750 and walked up that for .4 mile then cut left over a low ridge and followed a game trail into a mega wash. I got on the left bank of that at 57079, 05538 el 2000 and when that played out I walked smooth channels on the left edge of the wash. I got up onto a point at 57872, 05631 el 2350 and walked up into a right fork on a flat bank and when it ended I cut over to a smooth ridge at 58164, 05382 el 2650. The ridge goes up with no issues until a cliff at el 3700. I walked around the left side then up to the top where tedious class 2 rock was in the way. I should have stayed low for another tenth mile where the DPS route A merges in at el 3900. That route goes on up the ridge staying left of center to 58260, 04604 el 4200 where it levels off and goes east a quarter mile to the summit. A China Lake Naval crew left a book there. I retraced back down to 58099, 04778 el 3850 which is the route A ridge. I splits just below that and the left ridge is the correct one. It goes down to point 996 but it gets rough there so at 57931, 04720 el 3350 I dropped off to the left into the canyon which is route B. I walked down that using short banks but at 57661, 04641 el 2800 I got on the right bank and that went a fur piece. I then cut over to the left bank but that's rocky. Instead, I should have got back on the right bank again as it is smooth on out to the flats. Then I just aimed for the well which is at 56061, 04655. It's a long drop to the water in it. That took 6 hours, 20 minutes and strenuous gain doesn't start until el 2600. I put a track on peakbagger.com. Posted 2021.
• MIDLAND is a ghost town abandoned by US Gypsum in 1966. A museum is set up there in a classic trailer with old photos. The paved part of the Midland Rd leads into the town. A paved road goes on west then south to the main mine where the road is blocked at a wash. I strolled on down the wash and climbed easy slopes at W33 50426, W114 48494 el 1000 to get on the south ridge of VERA BENCHMARK. I walked the ridge right of center to get past rough stuff and on to the BM el 1452. TV PEAK el 552  meters is north of town. A loop can be done. Walk along the RR grade to a washed out road at 52634, 48208 el 1200 that goes up a canyon to the main ridge. The road goes on to the north ridge of the peak then up the ridge to junk on the summit el 1811. Power poles running down the mountain have been cut down. DOT BENCHMARK is on the south ridge at 52302, 48930 el 1714 then it's just a matter of picking a route down to town. These hikes are less than half a day. The RR grade connecting Midland to Blythe has been converted to a road. I road my cycle south from Midland and only had to bypass 2 or 3 trestles. The grade is blocked just before it crosses the Midland Rd but there is a dirt road going uphill to connect thru. The grade is good for mtn bikes. I also rode north on it over the pass and turned back at a bad trestle out in the flats. Posted 2021.

 

North ridges of Palen high point

Anchorite Hills, Excelsior Mtns

• Hawthorne has a Safeway and dollar stores.
• MOUNT BIEDEMAN el 8962  has a road to el 8550. Highway 270 runs along the north side. The turnoff is at mp 7.4. Go south on high clearance ( mtn bikeable ) for nearly a mile to a fork in a clearing. Right goes to the saddle el 8550 east of peak 9006. That summit has survey junk at N38 09056, W119 05280. The left fork goes to the saddle el 8550 west of Biedeman. That summit is at 09137, 04082. Some light brush. The road goes on south for a mile and a half to a rim with a view of Mono Lake but no good camping. I rode in from highway 167 using the Cottonwood Canyon Rd at mp 7. I followed that to a T then left for a quarter mile then right up Bridgeport Canyon to highway 270. Posted 2020.
• BRALY PEAKS el 9500+ - the east peak has a road to the top but it's hard to get at. I made a long loop ride.  Drive east from the state line on highway 359 for .7 mile then go north on a power road. Follow the lines on easy 4wd to FR 759 at N38 14608, W118 49888. That's where it gets tricky for a jeep. I followed 759 to 15101, 53454 el 8300 where the road starts up to the east summit. Near the top it forks. Left goes to a good campsite el 9350 then it's less than a tenth mile walk south to the east summit el 9400. The right fork soon ends at el 9200 where I could see the high peak. I walked level from there to the main saddle el 9100 then up the east ridge. The reg is up on a boulder at 15097, 55273. I circled around the west side of it to the north side for easy access. That took 80 minutes with 400 noticeable gain. I retraced back to the fork el 8300 then turned south for a tenth mile to a mess of forks. I took the one going down into a canyon. It's road #539 that is labeled Stateline Trail on the USFS topo. I followed it to a saddle el 7750 to the NW of what hikers call Larkin Peak. I hiked up the ridge toward the summit. Where the ridge steepens, it's way easier to go low to the right of center to stay under rocks and angle up to the summit area just south of the reg, then turn north to it at 12874, 52690 el 8720. That took nearly 2 hours with 1000 gain. I kept riding south on the main road to a 4-way at 09300, 56578 then went left and soon merged with a good road that took me to the highway then I had 5 miles back to the power road. I could have drove a jeep on the route but those days are numbered. I did all hiking in shorts. Posted 2020. " In 2013 and 2014, local historian Sue Silver submitted recommendations to the Nevada State Board on Geographic Names (NVBGN) to correct the spelling of several names of places in Mineral County that are shown on various USGS maps. The State Board reviews the recommendations submitted to them and, if approved, sends them to the United States Board on Geographic Names (USBGN) for final approval of any new names, changes or corrections.In 2015, Silver received notice that the correction of the name of what has been known as Brawley Peaks had been approved. In the future these will be identified as Braly Peaks, reflecting the correct spelling of the name of James Madison Braly, one of the co-discoverers of the Esmeralda Mining District in 1860 and causing the rush to the town of Aurora."
• CEDAR HILL el 8458 has an easy route up the north slope. Drive east from the state line on highway 359 for .7 mile then go north on a power road. Follow the lines on easy 4wd for about 4 miles to a 4-way. Go left on FR761 to access the north side. I hiked up at N38 12396, W118 50142 el 6850 then took an easy angle up to the left. The forest is so good that I knew there would be rock rings. The first I saw is a good one at 12090, 49998 el 7300. I kept going to a ridge then up to a ring at 11856, 50141 el 7700 then another 300 feet past it. I went on up the ridge to el 7850 then cut across a wide drainage to the final ridge at 11552, 50377 el 7950. I went up and found survey junk at el 8200 and more in another 100 feet. About a third mile before the summit there is a shady flat with a ring in the middle. The reg is at 11054, 50601, placed by M&L in 1989. It's an easy walk to the south summit. I retraced back from the reg a tenth mile then dropped left to a flat and took a more direct route back. That took nearly 4 hours with nearly 2000 gain. I hit some light brush at the flat on the descent but I never reached for the long pants. Good forest in pristine condition. Posted 2020.
• MOUNT HICKS, AURORA CRATER - drive east from the state line on highway 359 for .7 mile then go north on a power road. Follow the lines on easy 4wd to N38 16487, W118 50668. Go right to a T. Both ways go, but left is smoother then stay right at forks to the west slope el 8850 of Hicks. I took an easy angle to the south ridge then came down scree on the west slope. The reg is at 16791, 49063 el 9414, placed by M&L in 1989. Resume on the power road and the next left goes to a tower on Aurora Peak el 8752. The power road goes on north and gets rougher due to erosion, but nothing big yet. It bottoms out at a decent road el 7100. Go left for a bit over a mile to power lines running north. Walk the road along the lines to where they turn sharp left, then get on an ancient logger trail at 18145, 52665 el 7150. In a fifth mile the trail forks, stay left on the high fork. Go on to 18440, 52610 el 7450. A half air mile from the start of the trail is a large rock ring on the right edge of the trail. The trail fades at the rim. Another good ring is at 18788, 52604 then another at 18736, 52722. I passed more rings at the summit area then I turned back at a ring reading 18749, 52914. Rocks have been cleared on the summit at 18750, 52807 el 7880. That took 2 hours with 800 gain. Take a pocket saw to trim branches.  I rode my cycle back out the same way, but with a 4wd I would look for a way north. The sat image shows gates on the road at the mine on the south side of the crater, but another road runs east of the crater. Check the sat image. Posted 2020.
• ANCHORITE HILLS SOUTH SUMMIT el 8810 - highway 359 is handy for a shuttle. I parked my cycle at mp 4.6 then drove to Anchorite Pass el 7600 and walked thru a camp area to an easy ridge at N38 11646, W118 41123 el 7700. I followed that up to where it topped out at 11297, 40751 el 8100. Peak 8826 is up to the left, but I did it later. I stayed on the low ground across a huge basin then up along the right side of a drainage at 09628, 41317 el 8300. That took me to the main ridge then I strolled on to a DOD benchmark at 09258, 41935. That's all I found at the summit area. From there, I dropped north down a ridge to 09940, 42066 el 8200 then turned left down to 10143, 42924 el 7700. Then I turned west up a ridge where I saw a pile of obsidian flakes then a rock ring at 10104, 43374 el 7800. I kept going another tenth mile then turned north on another ridge to get to my cycle. That took 4 hours, 40 minutes with about 1500 easy gain. Light brush is not a factor with long pants. This is pristine with some good forest. PEAK 8826 - I came back the next day and went up to that peak. It has a reg at the north end reading 10804, 40042. I descended north from there down to a ring with a different shape at 11617, 40480 el 8000 then on down to a sunny one at 11653, 40892. I kept going down to the dirt road next to the highway and had a short walk to the pass. That took 3 hours with 1300 gain. It's a good forest below 8000 but above that there is a lot of light brush. Not one of the better peaks around. Posted 2020.
• ANCHOR BENCHMARK to TABLE MTN - a one way hike from Anchorite Pass el 7600 along the crest to Table Mtn then east to the highway is one of the best 9000 class hikes I've ever done. I left my cycle half a mile in on a crude road on highway 359 at mp 15.3 then drove to the pass and walked the crest using a topo on my phone. It's obvious how to walk to Table. Anchor BM is along the way at N38 14265, W118 40992 el 9062. M&L placed the reg in 1989 and only half a dozen entries had been made since. The next thing is a peculiar corral at 15576, 41017 el 8450. Made with heavy cables, it must be Army related. But they have forgot about it. I went on and skirted peak 9147 and entered a saddle at 16272, 40652 el 8450 then had an easy stroll to the reg on Table at 17427, 39823 el 9251. Then I turned east to 17291, 39222 el 9100 and dropped down to a plateau below. I walked across it to 17329, 37609 el 7650 and went down a ridge to point 6768 and turned left down the ridge and hit bottom near my cycle. 7 hours, 15 minutes with 2700 gain and none steep. I'll put a track on peakbagger. I wore shorts to el 8600 then had a patch of light brush here and there. There was hardly any brush past the saddle el 8450 NW of peak 9147. I saw 4 rock rings near the pass, the best being at 12461, 42102 el 8100. Near the final descent ridge there is a huge and very old one at 17277, 37785 el 7700. I'll find more next time. Posted 2020.
• GRANITE SPRING MOUNTAIN el 8060 is what I call the one 2 and a half miles NW of the spring. It's infested with rock rings. Take highway 359 to mp 9.8 and turn on easy 4wd. Go to a T then go right to a fading road  on Whisky Flat at N38 11411, W118 38242. It soon turns into a mess so I walked the edge of the forest to an easy ridge at 11484, 37627 el 6800. I went up that and saw a good ring in a minor dip el 7000. I went on up to 11646, 37021 el 7300 and crossed over into the next valley el 7200. I strolled on to a ring at 12307, 35766 el 7400 and then to an outstanding one at 12334, 35705. From there, it's just a matter of walking the high ground to the summit at 12734, 34800. But I wandered and found a ring at 12381, 35617 and then came a couple of bad ones. On the summit plateau, I saw one at 12433, 34993 then one at 12600, 34902 and a really good one at the summit. Surveyors wired a cross to a tree with some support wires for added stability. I kept going on the main ridge and saw a good ring in the second saddle and another in the third saddle. I went up on the last peak and saw a ring at 12904, 35177 el 7900 then dropped to a ring at 12688, 35220 then a double ring at 12694, 35376. The last one I made note of is at 12590, 35620 then I retraced back out. That took 4 and a half hours with nearly 2000 gain, all of it easy. It's no chore to visit the rings because the forest is perfect. What little brush I encountered on the flats was weaveable in shorts. Posted 2020.
• HONTONE PEAK el 7851 is what I call the one 2 miles south of Granite Spring Mtn. There may well be 100 rock rings on it. I made a loop. Take highway 359 to mp 9.8 and turn on easy 4wd. Go to a T then go right to a fading road  on Whisky Flat at N38 11411, W118 38242.  I walked to the end of the road then south up an easy slope to 10473, 37679 el 7150 where I entered a wide drainage. I went up that to a ring at 10168, 37826 then on past 3 more in the next tenth mile. I kept going south to a ring on a slope at 09827, 37765 then went up the slope but didn't see any but I know some are there. I cut across a drainage to a gap at 09551, 37660 el 7350. I went thru it then turned NE on the flats then entered the trees again at 09371, 36931 el 7500. I took an easy angle up to a ring at 09364, 36575 el 7600 then walked level to a neck with a ring at 09567, 36263. I walked down the neck to more rings in a saddle el 7500, one of them is a good one. I went up the other side then stayed left of center near the top and climbed the final bit at 09873, 35953 to get on the plateau and saw rings galore. It was raining rings. One was a double U. I crossed a clearing to a cluster of rings at 10456, 35626 then on to one on peak 7851 at 10880, 35562. I walked north another fifth mile down to a saddle el 7700 and saw the best of them all. Then I dropped left down a drainage and across the flats to a rim at 11501, 36791 next to point 7287. I walked NW on the low ground for a quarter mile then cut left across the ridge and down to a ring at 11675, 37370 and then down easy slopes to the start. That took 5 hours, 45 minutes with 1500 gain and it's all easy. I could do this in shorts. The forest is perfect except rocky sometimes. No sign of modern man. Posted 2020.
• PETROGLYPHS - these show on the topo. Turn off highway 359 at mp 10.8 and follow a sandy road to within a tenth mile of the site. It's facing east in a drainage at N38 13616, W118 07250 el 6550. Posted 2020.
• EXCELSIOR BENCHMARK SOUTH SUMMIT el 8340 - this is an easy one in a good forest with a decent road for access but some mild sand. Turn off highway 359 at mp 17.3 and follow a good road around the south side of a ranch and on thru a gap then turn south. Stay on the main road as it goes along the east side of the peak. Park at a saddle at N38 14937, W118 29792 el 7450. Walk up on the high ground. There is a good rock ring at a minor dip el 7750. Another one is at el 7850. I then walked low around the right side of peak 8135 and saw a ring, but it's better to go up to 15426, 30150 el 8080 and level off then down the other side to a saddle el 8000 and on to the reg at 15830, 30231. It's easy to go up the final bit from the east side. 2 hours, 1000 gain, easy terrain. I didn't go to the north summit but it looked easy. Posted 2020. EXCELSIOR MOUNTAIN el 8680+ is nearby. From the gap, keep driving east to a 4wd track on the right at N38 19246, W118 25161 el 6500. Go up the rocky track for a mile to the end el 7000. A couple of saplings need to be cut out of the way. Start hiking up the  slope at 18554, 24570 which is right next to the parking area. It starts out steep and seems to be the wrong way but it soon eases up on the ridgetop and circles to the peak. At el 8100 keep to the right of a minor bump. It's a very pleasant grade and had a good flower show in late May. The reg is at 18089, 23506. A unique quadpod is just to the north and still standing in 2013. I went straight back down on a steep slope. 3 hours, 1700 gain. Posted 2013.
• POWELL MOUNTAIN el 9527 - a good loop can be done using the south canyon. Turn off highway 359 at mp 17.3 and follow a good road up Powell Canyon for about 4 miles to FR 26J. Go left on that easy 4wd road and stay right at forks to the end at aspen el 7850. Most will park before that to save paint. Walk the left bank along the aspen to a side canyon at N38 19143, W118 41220 el 7950. Go up that and it leads to a vast plateau el 8500. I took a side trip on the plateau to good rock house ruin at 17685, 41899 el 8800. But if you're skipping that, just walk the plateau to 18772, 42452 el 8650 where the rest is in view. The reg is at 19664, 41984. Then back off from the reg a few feet and follow the edge of brush to get on the SE ridge at 19617, 41973 el 9400. Just walk the ridge down to the start. It's about a 3 and a half hour hike with about 2000 gain, not steep. Add an hour for the ruin side trip. Some light brush. Posted 2020.
• POWELL PLATEAU el 7910 - the 4 mile long plateau stretching south for 4 miles from Powell Canyon Spring was an Indian hotspot. I saw nearly 40 rock rings and missed no telling how many. Turn off highway 359 at mp 17.3 and follow a good road up Powell Canyon for about 1.7 miles. Hike up a gully at N38 19357, W118 37185 el 6450 then quickly go up to the left rim. It goes parabolic but I could zigzag most of it. I saw the first ring at 19010, 37634 el 7450 and it turned out to be the best I would see. Another good one is at 18842, 37723 then 18789, 37721. More rings are down to the east. I saw a good one at 18708, 37985. I went on to a double ring at 18524, 38145 then along the east side of peak 7910 and on to a good ring at 16964, 37992. I stayed near the rim on down to the rim of Box Canyon. A ring on the rim at 15857, 37618 has a large tree in it. The best ring I found in that area is at 15874, 38063 then I turned back and found a good one at 16296, 38114 and another at 17273, 38070. When I got near peak 7652 I dropped east into a canyon but that is clogged and I had to climb up out of it to get down to the road. That took 7 hours, 40 minutes with 1000 strenous gain, no brush. The peakbagger app said I did 14 miles. Next time I'll walk one way and find a way down the rim of Box Canyon. This area is pristine. If the Indians came back they wouldn't see any difference. Posted 2020.

  

  I would give the Indians an A+ for this ring on Hontone Peak. It went a long way to make up for all the bad ones I saw in the area.

  
  

  

  This ring on the Powell plateau has huge rocks.

  
  

  

  Rock house ruin near Powell Mtn
  

  
  
  
  

Austin, Nevada

A rare double rock ring at Eagle Butte

Damele BM

The logging trail near Hickison CG

 

• Austin has gas and a mini mart but no grocery store. The Bob Scott Campground is $10 a night and it has well water. It's on US 50 at mp LA 30.6. Cheap campers can use the Hickison Petroglyph campground at mp LA 48.4 on US 50. It has no fee and Seniors get half off. What's half of nothing? Birch Creek has good camping. Take highway 376 to mp LA 15.1 and follow a good road to the mouth. Big rigs make it that far but water crossings beyond there might need 4wd. Posted 2020.
• DAMELE BENCHMARK is north of the Hickison Petroglyph Site. The south ridges can be used for an easy loop. Take US 50 to mp LA 48.4 and turn at the sign for the campground. Go right at the first fork then on a mile and a third to a saddle el 6700 on the south ridge with shady camps. A road forking to the right just before the saddle might suit hikers wanting to drive higher and not interested in the loop. With a mtn bike, keep going a mile or more past the saddle and stash it then drive back and hike up the ridge. At N39 28678, W116 45282 el there is a rock ring on a flat with an ancient logging road, maybe from the 19th century. Another is nearby at 28740, 45255. Keep going up to another ring at 28891, 45286 el 7800 then another at 29255, 45596 that must be 12 feet across. Next, a cliff band gets in the way. Go along the right side then up a stairway at 29384, 45688 el 7950. The last third mile is bald to the BM at 29985, 46281. The high point is another tenth mile to the NW. Then aim for the descent ridge with a good ring at 29449, 46562 el 7900. Stay on the main ridge down to another ring at 29267, 46527 el 7750 then another at 29099, 46775 el 7500. Another ring is on peak 7315 at 28891, 47147. Power lines are in sight so just walk the road along those to a better road that goes back to the start. That took 5 hours with 1500 easy gain. I had no shuttle. Give me more hikes like this. No brush, bugs, burns, burros, cattle or horses. Loggers made a minor impact. Damele is a kind of torquoise.  Posted 2020.
• EAGLE BUTTE el 8401 - a loop can be done from the Long Spring road up to the peak then over Damele BM on the return. Take US 50 to mp LA 48.4 and turn at the sign for the Hickison CG. Go right at the first fork then on about 7 miles to N39 30030, W116 50058. Turn there and go a mile and a quarter to a fork el 6600. It's easy 4wd that far. The left fork is the one but soon it's an OHV trail. Just park and head for the obvious ridge leading up to the east side of Eagle Butte then on to the summit at 31805, 48517. Then start walking the ridge to Damele. A rock ring is at 31750, 48384 then a double ring is at 31567, 48054 with two more nearby. Two rings are on the north side of peak 7798 at `31467, 47811. Then peak 7637 is in the way. I skirted along the right side of it then came to a cliff band. I walked a flat on the left side then went up at 30863, 47101 el 7800 and on up to 30818, 47172 to get on top. I strolled on to another ring at 30694, 47208 then stayed on the high ground to more rings at 30291, 47159. I went on to Damele BM at 29985, 46281. The high point is a tenth mile to the NW. Then I strolled down to the descent ridge at 29944, 47492 el 7600. But wait! There are more rings along the way. Who would have guessed? One is at 30013, 47146 then 29993, 47230 then 29994, 47341 and more besides those. When I went down the descent ridge I soon moved left into a drainage so it might be faster to start down in that. At bottom it's an easy stroll back to the start. Count on 6 hours with 2500 gain. I wore shorts but almost reached for the long pants at the cliff band. The Pony Express road is a goner. The BLM ruined it east of the pass by cutting the trees down. That's not even worth walking now. West of the pass is untouched other than light logging decades ago. Long Spring and Dry Creek Spring are in pristine condition. Ackerman Spring is covered with horse and cow shit. It's a sewer. Posted 2020.
• HICKISON LOOP TRAIL #3 - this peculiar trail may have been built by loggers but they didn't cut much. They moved a hell of a lot of rocks though. Take US 50 to mp LA 48.4 and turn at the sign for the Hickison CG. Go right at the first fork then on nearly 4 miles to N39 28727, W116 47467 el 7000 where the road tops out. The trail starts there and goes up to the saddle between peaks 7505 and 7437. A rock ring is there at 28260, 48071 and a better one is at 28162, 47976. The trail then drops down to Ackerman Spring but I turned back. Climbing the peaks would be an option. No motor vehicles. Posted 2020.
• HICKISON BENCHMARK el 7095 is across the highway from Hickison CG. Take US 50 to mp LA 49.8 and then it's 4wd for 2 miles to towers on top. Posted 2020.
• GRIMES HILLS HIGH POINT el 7489 is near Hickison CG. Take US 50 to mp LA 50.5 and turn south on a good high clearance road. Go 3 and a half miles to a fence. A jeep road runs along the fence. I rode it a mile and a half then walked left into a valley then up the left rim to a rock ring at N39 24563, W116 38837 el 7400. The summit has a huge cairn at 24459, 38807 but no reg. A high point with no reg? I should get a trophy for finding such a thing at this late date. It took an hour to get to the summit with 1000 gain. I wandered around in the nice forest for an hour but didn't find anything. This peak would be an easy 8 mile mtn bike ride from Hickison CG. CAMEL BENCHMARK el 7534 is 7 miles to the SW. Keep going south on the main road for nearly 6 miles to a 4-way el 6383. Then turn west and soon there is a fork. Both go, I used the right one and parked at a T el 6400 then walked to the easy NE ridge at 20448, 43131 el 6450. I went up to a possible rock ring at 20351, 44083 el 7080 then stayed at that level to get past a bump then on to 20027, 44326 where I skirted along the right side of the last bump then the BM is on the next peak. Surveyors hauled a lot of wood up there. 2 hours, 40 minutes, 1200 gain. The flats around these peaks have some light brush. Posted 2020.
• KING  BENCHMARK el 8213 can be done from the Bob Scott Campground. Take US 50 to mp LA 30.6 . At the cattleguard at the entrance, go right thru a gate then take the next right fork to a fork at N39 27502, W116 59317 el 7300. Stay right for a mile and a half to the end el 7900 where the whole hike is in view. The reg is at 28478, 57581. 70 minutes, 200 gain. The roads are easy 4wd for now but ruts are forming. Posted 2020.
• PEAK 8530 is an easy one north of Austin. Take the Midas Canyon Rd at the west end of town. It has the USFS office along it. Pavement ends then stay left at a main fork on FR 184. It's a smooth road up to el 7300 or so then easy 4wd to N39 32768, W117 02968 el 7650. A faint road goes up from there to a flat spot el 8100 on the west ridge of Yankee BM. The peak is nearly half a mile north of the BM. It's the highest peak for miles. FR 493 runs east along power lines to the paved Grass Valley Rd. It has some brush and rough spots but no problem for a jeep. Posted 2020.
• MOUNT PROMETHEUS el 8057 is an easy one north of Austin Summit. Go north from the summit on high clearance for a mile then stroll up to the BM at N39 29761, W117 02704. OHVs can stay on the road to a gate then go left on a grassy road that goes by Mud Spring then almost to the summit. Posted 2020.
• BATES MOUNTAIN el 9070 is a huge plateau with 4wd roads all over it. Take US 50 to mp LA 29.2 and turn at the sign for the Grass Valley Rd. It's paved then graded to N39 34206, W116 55514 where road #226 forks toward the mountain. It goes along the outside of a ranch fence then it's obvious how to follow it up onto the north end of the mountain. The worst spot on the road is a steep hill at 35591, 48281 el 6900. Any rig with a locker can make it up. I made it with one wheel drive and no locker. How hard can it be? At el 8700 is another steep hill but an easier road forks to the left and crosses a valley and on to the high point at 34060, 44698. Vitz placed a reg there in 2013 and one other had signed in since. The road goes on north a third mile to a fork. Right goes out to the east rim and is mostly smooth. A road can be followed to the south point as well. The rims make for good camping. There were no gates to fool with. The OHV community hasn't discovered this. Posted 2020. 
• NORTH TOIYABE PEAK el 10793 - the main NE ridge is a pleasant route and 4wds can get to el 8000. A decent road goes up Birch Creek and another one comes in from Austin Summit into Birch Creek. At N39 23731, W117 02906 el 7336 along the Birch Creek road is where a grassy road starts up the ridge. A half mile to the west is another road starting up. They both merge and it's hard to judge which is better. They're steep but not eroded much. Skilled drivers get to el 8000 and maybe the end at el 8200. Then it's a matter of hiking up the ridge to the main ridge and on to the reg at 21571, 04514. The last third mile has minor crags that are easily passed on the left. It's a 4 or 5 hour hike with at nearly 3000 gain, no brush. M&L placed the reg in 1992. The Birch Creek canyon has a good stream and shady camps below el 7000. Posted 2020.
• AUSTIN SUMMIT BIKE RIDE - the town touts bike rides but they're too hilly, except for one which they overlooked. Ride south from the summit past cell towers then follow the main road into scenic Birch Creek and on down to mp LA 15.1 on highway 376 where you have a second car. No second car? Then I would start out by parking where 376 meets US 50 with a sign asking for a ride to the summit. It's 13 miles of mostly hard packed dirt road. Even an old coot like me could do this ride. Posted 2020.

Arc Dome Wilderness Area

Water wheel at South Twin River

Peavine CG

Rock ring at Cottonwood Creek

Pot farm at Handcuff Canyon

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• Hadley is the main supply point. Turn off highway 376 at mp NY 44.9 to get to a good grocery store and a gas station with propane and a laundromat. Carvers has gas too. There is a Verizon signal in the valley. Some hikes like French Peak and Toiyabe Range Peak are posted on the 2011 page. Posted 2020.
• TOIYABE DOME TRAVERSE - Brad Boester reported on peakbagger.com that Jett Canyon is still passable. A traverse can be done by going up the Jett Canyon route then down the north rim of Cove Canyon. It's no picnic but it's easier than going up and down the Cove rim. But what isn't? The joker in the deck is that the Jett road is a paint killer. This is a hike to invite your worst enemy then drive his rig up Jett. Drive to the Cove Canyon road at mp NY 55.5 on highway 376 then leave a 4wd at the end of it el 6400. Then take 376 to mp 47 and turn on the Jett Canyon road. It goes 5 miles to the mouth with a shady camp el 6200. A car might make it. I could have drove a jeep on up canyon to a  small camp at N38 43815, W117 13606 el 6700. It's only a paint issue to there but beyond there you start cutting into the base metal. OHVs can go to the wilderness boundary el 6950. Be sure to stay left at a fork el 6800 which is 1.7 air miles in from the mouth. By starting the hike at the mouth, there are 7 ankle deep crossings to get to the wilderness boundary. The remaining 9 crossings were barely jumpable. Outlaw riders go beyond the wilderness boundary (shocking, huh?) but not very far. Then there's a faint trail following the road bed. It's easy to follow until 45179, 15909 el 7750. There it crosses to the right bank. I followed it another quarter mile to where it goes back to the left bank and turns brushy. I stayed on the right bank and took an easy angle up to a game trail at 45493, 16051 el 8100. That led me into a side canyon then I went up the other side which is the standard ascent ridge. It goes up to the main ridge el 10050 and is not too steep. I could see how to walk low along the main ridge and skirt under bumps because it forms an arc and I was walking inside it. I stayed lower than other hikers do and arrived at a saddle reading 47630, 15878 el 10850. From there I could skirt entirely under the big bump east of peak 11144 ( Full House Peak would be a name for that one) then on to the reg at 47929, 15094. Next, I walked the north ridge to 49324, 14759 el 10400 where I could see down the rim of Cove Canyon. I went down staying left of bumps at el 9500. Then on to point 8230 at 49232, 13575. From there, the general rule is to stay right of obstacles on the ridge. I went to 49124, 13185 el 7700 along the right side of crags then kept going down along those for 200 feet to where I could cut left to resume going down the ridge. Below there are numerous class 2 routes down to the mouth of the canyon but don't aim for the creek. I posted a GPS track on peakbagger.com. From the mouth of Jett, it took 6 hours, 10 minutes to get to the summit, then 4 hours down for a total of a bit over 10 hours. I cut it to 9 hours by riding my cycle up Jett to el 6950 but I had to walk an hour the next day to retrieve it. Backpackers have good campsites at el 7000 but few beyond there. They should count on 4000 gain to the peak. There are itchy plants and a few fallen trees on the trail above 7000. Shorts work on the ascent ridge and all the way to the end of the hike. This is the most dramatic hike in the whole range but is strictly for mad dogs. I had snow near the summit on July 8, 2020.
• JETT PEAK el 9098 is what I call the one towering over the mouth of Jett Canyon. Take highway 376 to mp 47 and turn on the Jett Canyon road. It goes 5 miles to the mouth with a shady camp el 6200. A car might make it. Poor people have to walk up canyon but those with OHVs can ride up and stay left at every fork to the end in a side canyon el 7200. Then walk a low angle to the right to get on the ascent ridge reading N38 43707, W117 14315. Go up to 43275, 14561 el 8400 then level off along the left side of peak 8550 then the reg is at 43060, 13875 in an ammo can. Placed by local Dan Kurtak in 2014, he came again in 2015 and that's it. 3 and a half hours with nearly 2000 gain. Nice forest the whole way. Poor people will have nearly 2 hours more with some wading. Posted 2020.
• The TWIN RIVERS LOOP is one of the best hikes in the state. Use the good South Twin River road at mp NY 59.7 on 376. Go about 3 miles to the first TH with a restroom and sunny camps. This is where you come out. North Twin River is a mile further up the road which is where you start hiking. Go up the trail about 3 air miles to a fork at a crossing at N38 53128, W117 18638. Go left up to a pass at 51690, 19268 el 9250. I passed springs along this section at 53074, 18654 and 52533, 18943 but only the second one had a decent flow in 2020. The trail angles down to the right from the pass into a canyon bottom. The trail goes down the canyon and meets the South Twin River trail. Go left to get back. An intact water wheel is along the trail at 51584, 16240 el 7300. Near the end, the trail goes up over a little ridge then there is a fork. The high trail is high and dry, the low trail has more wading. I waded the creeks dozens of times by the time I got to this fork.  7 hours, 3000+ gain. Nice gorges. This hike gets overlooked because people just want to do peaks.  A river in Nevada is a creek in any other state. A trail crew told me that as of 2012 the Twin Rivers loop trail has been cleared as well as the trail up S. Twin to Arc Dome. In 2020, I walked the whole loop in shorts but had a lot of itchy plants. All wades were shin deep except one spot in North Twin where a beaver made it knee deep. SHORT VERSION - it takes 75 minutes to walk up North Twin to the upper end of the gorge. Updated 2020.
• TWIN RIVERS PEAK el 10894 is what I call the one between the rivers. The trail up North Twin can be used to get to the SW saddle el 9300 then it's a smooth ridge to the summit. North ridges can be used for the descent. Take highway 376 to mp NY 62.3 and follow a high clearance road to North Twin River TH el 6500. The trail goes thru a spectacular gorge with some wading then the north ridges of the peak come into view. I left my wading shoes at N38 53333, W117 18135 el 7950. I followed the trail on up to the main saddle el 9300 then up the ridge to the summit at 52260, 17917. Then I went down the main north ridge to 52623, 17955 el 10250 then to 52745, 18063 el 9800 then at 52913, 18191 el 9250 I could see the remaining ridge down to my shoes and I retraced back out. That took 8 hours with about 4500 gain. I wore shorts the whole way. There is a good small campsite el 7100 about 40 minutes up the trail. A big one is at 53370, 18026 el 7900. The last water on the way up is a stream at 51863, 19378 el 9150. I filled at a spring 350 feet past where I left my shoes then another spring at 52533, 18943. This is the most appealing peak hike in the range. Posted 2020.
• WALL CANYON has a decent road but no water. A main graded road runs along the valley floor just west of Hadley. The turnoff along that road is at N38 40537, W117 10815 el 5836. It goes up into the canyon and runs for 5 miles to el 8000. The upper half of the canyon has burned, but there are peaks on the south rim with good forest. 4wd might not be needed. It's mtn bikeable. Posted 2020.
• ARC DOME el 11700 is the highest peak in the Toiyabe Range. The good news is there is a trail all the way. The bad news? There is a 700 foot deep saddle right in the way. Take Nv 844 from Gabbs to Ione then keep going over the pass on a wide graded road. Keep left at a main fork then you'll come to a paved road in a village. Go left 100 feet then go right on Aatakii Rd. Go nearly a mile to Columbine Rd at N38 59188, W117 27551. Take Columbine, which is also FR 119, for 8 miles to the Columbine camp. There is one little creek crossing but most 2wds could make it in 2012. There are 21 miles of dirt road on this approach. The trail starts near the crapper. Hike a quarter mile to a fork.Keep right then stay left at forks thereafter until you top out on the crest at a T at 11000+. Go right to the deep saddle then on to the summit. 7 hours, 4500 gain. This was an easy hike until God reached down and scooped out that deep saddle. Posted 2012.
• Peavine Campground el 6250 is at the south end of the wilderness in a cottonwood grove with a stream. It has no fee and Seniors get half off. I spent 2 weeks hiking obscure areas in and outside the wilderness. Grazing stopped years ago and now there are no gates. Take highway 376 to mp NY 34 and go 8 and a half miles on graded road (stay right at a main fork)  to FR 21 which is the south entrance. The north entrance is better and is a mile on up the main road. I could have drove a small class C motorhome in at that time, but big rigs would have to settle for a huge pullout or a gravel pit 1.7 miles in from the highway. Posted 2020.
• MAHOGANY MOUNTAIN NE SUMMIT el 11194 has a trail out of Toms Canyon to el 10400. Go north from Peavine CG for a bit over 5 miles to a main fork then go right for nearly a mile to the TH el 6950. Shady camps are there. Hike up Toms Canyon for an air mile and a half, then the trail goes up a left fork. I filled up at the last spring in this fork at N38 43484, W117 20083 el 7900 but it might be dry in late summer. The trail climbs to the divide el 9300. Now go right up along a fence.The fence tops out and soon you hit a trail at 45074, 20089 el 9500 that goes along the right side of bumps to a minor saddle then zigzags up the ridge. At el 10200 it goes right around a talus pile. The trail keeps going to the 10300 level where it fades so just aim for the west shoulder of Mahogany Mtn at 45549, 18909 el 10900. Skirting lower means more rubble. Then it's obvious how to cross a saddle el 10500 to get to the summit at 45989, 17462. Stay right around a white hill along the way. I retraced back on the trail to el 8900 where it drops into the canyon, but stayed high on the west rim and walked it down to a saddle next to peak 8078 reading 43236, 20047 then dropped to the trail. I did that because the upper canyon is overgrowing and I had only shorts. That took 8 and a half hours with a mile of gain but hardly any steep. Long pants will be needed to the divide el 9300 if the trail isn't cleared. I saw no reg on either peak. Posted 2020.
• PEAVINE MOUNTAIN el 10040+ - a loop can be done using the trail out of Toms Canyon then down the west rim of Deer Canyon. Go north from Peavine CG for a bit over 5 miles to a main fork el 6761 where Peavine Canyon meets Toms Canyon. Walk up the right fork for 15 minutes to the TH at the end of the road. Hike up Toms Canyon for an air mile and a half, then the trail goes up a left fork. I filled up at the last spring in this fork at N38 43484, W117 20083 el 7900 but it might be dry in late summer. The trail climbs out of the canyon then leave it at N38 44429, W117 20285 el 9200 and follow a spotty trail up an easy ridge to the summit at 45270, 21780. For the descent, I dropped down to 45024, 21609 el 9600 to get thru mahogany and walked nearly level on a faint trail under the edge of the mahogany and soon hit a good trail that took me to another mahogany patch. I went thru that at 44545, 21594 el 9300 then followed the ridge down over peak 9188 then down the rim of Deer Canyon at 44315, 21833 el 9000. I didn't like the look of the little peaks I was going to have to deal with on the rim, so I took a chance and dropped to a ridge at 44018, 22046 el 8200 that took me to the trail in Peavine Canyon. That turned out to be passable and I strolled down to that TH at Poplar Canyon where a bike stashed would have saved me 1.7 miles of road back to the start and even another .7 mile to the Toms TH if I had set that up the day before. That took 7 hours with about 3500 gain, only the last 200 is steep. I wore shorts upon leaving Toms Canyon el 9000 and stayed with them to the end. Toms is getty brushy and the part from el 7900 to 8400 will be gone soon. Peavine is better. Posted 2020.
• SEYLER PEAK el 7904 has a class 2 route up the north side. Drive south out of Peavine CG for 4 miles or so to the Wood Canyon road at N38 34300, W117 16114. It's about a tenth mile outside the forest boundary. Turn on easy 4wd and go 2 miles up canyon to a main fork el 6641. Routes to the north saddle are obvious and then upon arriving it's obvious how to keep going up and merge with a gully. The class 2 route goes straight ahead along the left side of the gully and the rest is obvious to the ammo can at 35184, 14495. The book was placed by Andy Zdon in 1989. If it didn't already have a name I'd call it Obvious Peak. 2 hours, 1250 gain. Easy. BOYD PEAK el 8685 is the name Zdon came up with for the high peak on the east rim of Wood Canyon. 4wds can go a mile on up canyon then the last 2 miles to the main saddle el 7700 is a decent OHV trail. Walk out of the saddle to the right of center to get around a hill then up to the north summit at 37817, 14688. The reg is a few feet south. Placed by Zdon in 1989, one more local hiker signed in a month later then nothing  for  31 years. Good pj forest there. No brush on either peak. Posted 2020.
• KEOUGH PEAK el 8582 is what I call the one 2 miles NW of Keough Spring. Drive south from Peavine CG for a mile or more to the first road going west which is FR451. Take that for 2 miles to a fork and go right on FR451A. It goes up a sandy wash for 3 and half miles to a fork at N38 38146, W117 20497. Go left for half a mile to the spring el 6950. Walk west up a main wash and it bends north to a fork at 38701, 21615 el 7250. Go left to  the main saddle el 7400 on the east ridge of the peak. Take an easy angle to a good rock ring at 38808, 21900 el 7500. Keep going at the same angle to the saddle next to peak 7764 then up the ridge to the SE summit at 38945, 22740. The NW summit is a fifth mile away. I saw nothing on either one. For the return, drop south off the SE summit to a saddle el 8400 then east down the canyon. A good ring is on the left bank at the bottom reading 38467, 22066 el 7400. Another is 100 feet down the bank. Head back to the start by way of another ring at 38391,21789 el 7300. 4 and a half hours, nearly 2000 gain, good forest. Posted 2020.
• POPLAR PEAK el 9238 is what I call the one at the head of Poplar Canyon. A loop can be done using the rims.  Go north from Peavine CG for a bit over 5 miles then go left at a main fork for 1.7 miles to the end of the road el 7000 in Peavine Canyon where Poplar Canyon comes in. I started up the north rim there reading N38 42082, W117 21400. At a saddle reading 41987, 22355 el 8100 I skirted along the left side of peak 8268 to the saddle el 8150 behind it. I kept going up to 41672, 23406 el 8800 and leveled off along the right side of peak 8923. I went down to the saddle behind it and used a trail at 41251, 23770 el 8600 to get thru a brushy patch then up the smooth ridge to the summit at 40709, 24195. I then walked SW on the main ridge to 40484, 22923 el 8850 where I skirted left of peak 9054 and dropped slightly to a ridge at 40665, 22562 el 8700 where I could see the south rim of Poplar Canyon below me. I went down and cut thru a notch at 40733, 22335 el 8250 to get on the rim then walked it down to a saddle at 41489, 21675 el 7750 where I dropped left into the canyon. But maybe I should have stayed on the rim to the end because I had to skirt brush for the last half mile in the canyon. 6 and a half hours with about 2500 gain. Rocky terrain but I wore shorts the whole way. Posted 2020.
• PEAK 8902 is one of the bald peaks on the east rim of Peavine Canyon. A loop can be done up the Toms trail then down the west ridge. Go north from Peavine CG for a bit over 5 miles to a main fork then go right for nearly a mile to the TH el 6950. I went up the trail to a smooth ridge at N38 42717, W117 19650 el 7350. I went up that to el 8600 where it levels off and I could see the peak. I strolled to the summit at 41627, 18192. Then I walked down the west ridge to a saddle el 8350 and dropped down to the right and hit a game trail at 41638, 18752 el 8200. I followed that down thru an easy forest and found a rock ring on the high ground at 41668, 19347 el 7500. A double ring is not far at 41638, 19457. A small pit with a ring around it is at 41481, 19618 and a ring is 130 feet south of that. I went on down to the TH from there. That took 4 hours with 2000 gain. I wore shorts. Easy terrain, good forest. Posted 2020.
• BARNEY PEAK el 9396 is what I call the one west of Barney Meadows. I took a long route to check out Handcuff Canyon and Cottonwood Creek. Drive south from Peavine CG for a mile or more to the first road going west which is FR451. Take that for 2 miles to a fork and go right on FR451A. It goes up a sandy wash for 3 and half miles to a fork. Stay right and keep going north for nearly a mile to a saddle el 7100 on the rim of Handcuff. The last fifth mile has trees crowding the road. Walk north a half mile into the canyon and go up shortly to a pot farm. The main camp is next to a tiny stream at N38 39285, W117 21345 el 7100. Go up canyon to 2 good rock rings on the north bank at 39428, 22420. I stayed on the north bank to the divide saddle at 39480, 23179 el 7850. I walked nearly level out of the saddle to a ring at 39524, 23606 with two more in the next 300 feet. I went on to another good ring at 39628, 24040 then one in a saddle at 39724, 24431 el 7700. I continued west a half mile to the main arm of Cottonwood then up the west rim to a ring at 39695, 25037. I walked on up the rim to peak 8075 and saw 8 more rings. I kept going up the rim and hit light brush at 40558, 25329 el 8050. That lasted until el 8600 then I went on up to el 9000 and cut to the left under talus for an easy angle to the summit cairn at 41106, 26136. I descended the next ridge west of the ascent ridge and it has almost no brush. I hit the canyon and easily walked down the main arm of Cottonwood Creek (which was dry) on game trails to 38741, 24754 el 7200 where I climbed over the east rim into the next fork and strolled up that to the divide saddle el 7850 and retraced back to the start. That took 10 hours with nearly 4000 gain. The 1300 gain to the peak was the only strenous part. I was in shorts except for that section on the ascent ridge. My route didn't pass by any of the springs in Cottonwood on the map but a minor drainage at 39687, 24234 had a trace of water. This is the longest hike in a good pj forest I can remember doing. If I just wanted to do the peak again I would try the south rim of Farrington Canyon. Backpackers could come in from the mouth of Handcuff like the potheads did. And they would already have a stove and sleeping bags waiting for them at the pot farm. There must be an upper pot farm because I crossed a water line at 39359, 22419 el 7400. Posted July, 2020.
• HORSE CANYON has an easy 4wd road.  Drive south from Peavine CG for a short way to the first road going east which goes up the canyon for a bit over 3 miles into a thicket with little room to turn around. Nice looking canyon but I didn't see any hiking potential unless the thicket gets cleared. Posted 2020.
• PEAK 7531 is the high point in an area near the southern forest boundary. Drive south from Peavine CG for a mile or more to the first road going west which is FR451. Take that for 5 miles to a north canyon at N38 35397, W117 22503 el 6700. I went up canyon from there for a fifth mile then could see a saddle up to the right on the north ridge. I went to it then up the ridge to the summit at 34683, 22170. I descended the next canyon to the west. 100 minutes, 900 gain. I saw four rock rings. Another route is the canyon at 35359, 21224. I saw a ring at the mouth of that one.  FR451 goes on another mile to the rim of Cottonwood Canyon and turns nasty. There was a small stream but I saw no way thru the brush to go upstream. Posted 2020.