Nevada Utah Road Trip

[bigriver]

Looking for any suggestions on places to hit along Highway 50 crossing Nevada on our way to Bryce/Canyonlands this coming week. I'd bet we've driven it a dozen times but always pushing pretty hard from one end to the other. We've been up to the visitors center at Great Basin NP but haven't explored any more of that.

Also interested in ideas for Bears Ears and Cedar Mesa.

I'm sure we've been missing some cool stuff over the years and hope some of you have ideas for us.

Thanks

[ctb]

Will you be anywhere close to rt 6 in Utah? If so, you could take the Dugway geode hunting area road(also a Pony Express structure) and along rt 6 is also a Trilobite fossil dig area run by the University of Utah...30 miles on an easy gravel road (BLM land) to shack where yo pay and go in and split shale (rock hammer included in your entry fee, lol)...those are my two suggestions...both would be fun and social distance max/possible if your worried about that too...

[unreng]

Where are the anticipated start-stop points along the way?
Cross Nevada in 1 day? 2 days? 3 days?

https://travelnevada.com/road-trip/l...ad-in-america/

Wheeler Peak campground is closed = https://www.nps.gov/grba/planyourvisit/conditions.htm 😒
Lehman Caves is closed = https://www.nps.gov/grba/planyourvis...aves-tours.htm

Ward Charcoal Ovens appears to be open = Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park | State Parks
Sand Mountain ($$$) = https://www.blm.gov/visit/sand-mountain-recreation-area

There are several hot springs along US-50.
https://thedyrt.com/magazine/local/h...ngs-in-nevada/
https://bearfoottheory.com/best-hot-...nevada-mapped/
Towns = Fallon + Austin + Eureka + Ely (that's about it).
There are opportunities to take side roads to US-50 that reconnect further east.
Middlegate has a decent burger+fries.

[Jeffrey]

The Nevada Northern Railroad is located in Ely. Worthy.

Once in Utah, if you're driving down US95 from Hanksville (you should), check out Fry Canyon (camp there up the hill at the far end), Natural Bridges NM, and I highly recommend turning south on 261 which goes right through Cedar Mesa. Just before it drops down the Moki Dugway, turn right and take that road to the end to Muley Point, a great place to camp. Then come back out and down the Dugway and turn into Valley of the Gods. This whole route is epic.

[bigriver]

Know that area pretty well but have not been into Fry Canyon nor turned west out to Muley Point. Last time we came up the Moki D we were planning to head out to Muley but the wind was blowing so hard we would have had to take the kayaks off in order to pop the top. Good stuff Jeffery.

We might come back via HW 6 CTB. The Trilobite fossil area sounds cool.

Thanks for the links Chris. We'll take a couple days for sure.

[deserteagle56]

The Bears Ears (and Elk Ridge just north of there) should have spectacular fall colors if you are doing this soon. I've camped on Elk Ridge multiple times; it is high country (8,000+ feet in elevation) so be careful of any weather moving in. If you don't mind some more primitive roads, drop off Elk Ridge down into Beef Basin - there are some fantastic Anasazi ruins in that area.

[deserteagle56]

Fall colors in Utah's Uinta Mountains this past weekend:


And on US Highway 6 just east of Spanish Fork:

[bigriver]

Yep - leaving tomorrow. Good intel de56 - thanks

[Gooseberry]

Cave lake in ely is a nice stop.

[olivelawn]

I’m all alone out here on Salt Valley Road (free BLM) near Arches (very close to tower arch...best spot in the NP) with some of the best views so far on my 4mo trip. 4 bars Verizon too.