Returning from the Burning Man festival earlier this month, I found an
excellent off-road route that I'd like to share. It's in the tri-corner area
of Northern Nevada where California, Nevada, and Oregon come together. There
are numerous off-road routes in this area--high desert, canyons, and open
range country tucked in between mountain ranges and the ancient dry lake bed
of the Black Rock Desert, where the land speed records are set. The route I
took leaves the town of Gerlach (about an hour and a half from Reno) on Hwy
34. It then cuts off towards High Rock Lake and Soldier Meadow where there
are some nice little hot springs to wash off the dust.In the day and a half
I was in the area, I saw no other vehicles. Parts of the road follow the
California National Historic Trail, the original route many of the 49ers
used to reach the gold fields in the gold rush. The road up through High
Rock Canyon looked very interesting, but I turned back after only a few
miles. The ruts were getting pretty deep and I wasn't comfortable with the
frequency with which the van was bottoming out. Coupled with the fact that I
was alone and had not informed anyone of my specific whereabouts, I thought
it prudent to save this gem for later. Needless to say, the entire area is
off the celluar grid.

A good map to have is the Surprise-Sheldon Interagency Recreation Guide,
which is available from any of the local BLM offices (or you can call the
branch in Winnemucca, NV at 702.623.1500).

-Mark McCulley
'87 syncro Westfalia