Mormon Well Road - DNWR

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This page last updated on 09/10/2018

(Fig. 01)

DNWR Access: Today, Jim Herring and I decided to drive the entire length of Mormon Well Road in my new Jeep Cherokee. After driving approximate 30 miles north of Las Vegas on US-95, you turn right and head east onto a 4-mile paved road that leads to the Corn Creek Station ... Corn Creek Station Visitor Center - DNWR. Just past the visitor center you come to the t-intersection of Alamo Road and Mormon Well Road (Fig. 01),  the two main dirt roads that run through the range.

The more traveled Mormon Well Road is a 47-mile long expedition through a desert basin known as Yucca Forest, filled with thousands of acres of yucca, Joshua trees, and creosote bush. After winding across this basin you begin to climb into a high desert landscape filled with junipers and pines. About 28 miles out you reach the Mormon Pass Campground and historic Mormon Well, located in a grove of Ponderosa pine. Alamo Road heads north from Corn Creek and provides access to a number of roads that climb into the western base of the Sheep Range, one of which, Hidden Forest Road, leads to a historic backcountry cabin where hikers can spend the night. Visit the following page for a history of the Desert National Wildlife Range ... Desert National Wildlife Range - Summary Page. The map below (Fig. 02) covers the majority of the 60 mile journey we took across the Range and shows the locations of the areas of interest on the sign in (Fig. 01). 

(Fig. 02) - Map of Mormon Well Road

Mormon Well Road: In the mid 1850's Mormon settlers moved into southern Nevada. Around the turn of the century, one of the wagon trails, now known as Mormon Well Road, refer to (Fig. 02), was developed as a travel route by pioneers in this region. This trail served early efforts at mining and ranching in this part of the state. Not shown on the map, the picture in (Fig. 03) shows the first 5 miles of Mormon Well Road leading to Yucca Gap with the Sheep Range on the left. (con't below)

(Fig.03) - Mormon Well Road

Yucca Gap: At Yucca Gap is the point where the road passes between the Sheep Range on the left and Fossil Ridge on the right. We have actually passed through this area several times on previous hiking trips to Fossil Ridge and the fossil filled ridges below Yucca Peak in the Sheep Range. The Yucca Fossil Ridge Trailhead Parking Area is shown on the map in (Fig. 02). The view in (Fig. 05) is pointing due East parked at the Yucca Fossil Ridge Trailhead Parking Area. (Fig. 06) is a view Southwest across the Yucca forest towards Yucca Gap in the center of the picture. (con't below)

(Fig. 04) - Yucca Gap

(Fig. 05) - Yucca Fossil Ridge Trailhead Parking Area

(Fig 06) - Yucca Forest looking Southwest from the parking area

Pine Nut Road: After crossing about another eight miles of desert playa filled with thousands of yuccas (Joshua trees), we came to Pine Nut Road (Fig. 07). This road heads Northwest, six miles to the Pine Nut Campground at the base of Sheep Range. It crosses an old burn area that burned in the early 1990's. It is amazing how long it takes for the vegetation to come back to what it once was. The road eventually gains enough elevation to climb out of the Mojave Desert Scrub zone and get into the Pinyon-Juniper Woodland zone where trees begin to provide shade (Fig. 08). Once you reach this traditional camping area, the campsites are shaded by Single-leaf Pinyon and Utah Juniper trees.  There are 6-7 campsites variously tucked under or around the trees (Fig. 09). One campsite has a nice cliff-edge view to the south (Fig. 10). This side road (Fig. 11) is a nice drive in the desert and an easy way to get away from town or camp out in the desert with some shade, but it is wild and remote country without any services. (con't below)

(Fig. 07) - Beginning of Pine Nut Road

(Fig. 08) - View toward the Pinyon-Juniper trees at the base of the Sheep Range

(Fig. 09) - One of the campsite parking areas

(Fig. 10) - Campsite with a cliff view

(Fig. 11) - Pine Nut Road Yucca Forest heading south on the return

Peek-A-Boo Canyon: After we backtracked to Mormon Well Road we continued north two more miles to Peek-A-Boo Canyon (Fig. 12). This was a nice canyon with some unique geology and a wide variety of trees and vegetation (Figs. 13-16). We actually got out here and hike around a little before continuing on. (con't below)

(Fig. 12) Entry to Peek-A-Boo Canyon

(Fig. 13) This canyon had some nice geology (Notice the cave center)

(Fig. 14) Peek-A-Boo Canyon

(Fig. 15) - Peek-A-Boo Canyon vegetation 

(Fig. 16) - Peek-A-Boo Canyon trees 

Mormon Pass Picnic Area: The Desert Pass Campground is located at Mormon Pass, elevation 6,640 feet (Fig. 17). This campground is a pleasant area with tall ponderosa pines and wide open skies, and makes a nice place for camping or just having a picnic. There are three family campsites, one group campsite, and two picnic sites that easily could serve as over-night campsites. Each site has a fire ring and a picnic table, and there are two vault toilets (Fig. 18). We selected one of its sites that had a fire pit designed for using charcoal (Fig. 19). We stoked up a nice fire and had a great picnic lunch. Waiting for the charcoal to heat up we hiked around the area and got several pictures of various wildflowers (Fig. 20). We had a nice lunch of hot dogs with all the condiments. (con't below)

(Fig. 17) - Desert Pass Campground

(Fig. 18) - Site with toilet facilities

(Fig. 19)

(Fig. 20) - Flowers around the Mormon Pass Picnic area

Mormon Well Spring & Corral: Our next stop was an unmarked spur road on the right about two miles past the Mormon Pass Picnic area (Fig. 21). There is a parking area with an old watering trough (Fig. 22). From the watering trough, the route runs south-southeast on an old, closed road. The hike is only about 3/4-miles round-trip,  After a few hundred yards, the old road turns east and cuts up a steep hillside. Halfway up the hill, the trail passes the foundation of what was a water tank (Fig. 23). Atop the hill, the corral sits on a flat area (Fig. 24). This historic site was developed by Mormon ranchers around 1900 as a summer pasture. It was abandoned about 1924. The corral was made from Singleleaf Pinyon Pine and Utah Juniper branches, with the uprights wired together into a circular structure (Figs. 25 & 26). There are open gates on the north and south sides of the corral, making it easy to climb inside. The Mormon Well Spring itself is located about 25 yards at the base of the hill on the south side of the corral (Fig. 27). The area surrounding the spring is covered with thick shrubs and bushes (Fig. 28). Its year-round source of water attracts wildlife from near and far and there is evidence of Bighorn Sheep scat, dozens of birds and lizards (Fig. 29). (con't below)

(Fig. 21) - View on Mormon Well Road at Mormon Well Spur Road

(Fig. 22) - Mormon Well trailhead parking and watering trough (view NE)

(Fig. 23) - The old water tank foundation

(Fig. 24) - The old round corral

(Fig. 25) - Wired uprights of the corral

(Fig. 26) - Wired uprights of the corral

(Fig. 27) - The spring

(Fig. 28) - Thick shrubs and bushes surrounding the spring.

(Fig. 29) - Well camouflaged Lizard

Sawmill Canyon and Elbow Canyon: The road to Sawmill Canyon looked rather rough and we decided to take a pass. For the next 12-15 miles of driving, the road winded its way through the wooded mountain tops (Fig. 30). As we began to decend we came to Elbow Canyon. This is a very deep wash about 75 feet below the road (Fig. 31). As we dropped down even more from the mountains we had some nice views on the way to highway 93 (Figs. 32 & 33). With all our stops, picture taking, hiking and lunch at the picnic area, the trip took us nearly 6 hours to reach Highway 93. Though this is a rough road, there were only a couple of spots where we had to engage the 4WD. We both enjoyed the ride, scenery, peace and quiet, and the fresh country air. It was wonderful, we never encountered another person for the entire trip.

(Fig. 30) - Road follows a deep wash for several miles

(Fig. 31) - Part of Elbow Canyon

(Fig. 32)

(Fig. 33) - On the way down to Highway 93

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Corn Creek Station (DNWR) - Trip Notes for 05/27/2017

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This page last updated on 05/27/2017

(Fig. 01)

05/27/2017 Trip Notes: Today, Jim Herring and I visited Corn Creek Station for a short afternoon visit after going to the Paiute Powwow at Snow Mountain. Because of the recent months' lack of rain, it has left this place quite dry. We observed very little wildlife or bird activity and almost no flowering blossoms of any kind.  We did find one tree with some bright red blossoms. I think it was a Pomegranate (Punica proto punica). It still had some unripened pomegranate fruit (Fig. 01), as well as some blossoms that had yet to fall (Fig.02). Near some of the small stream emanating from the spring, there we some Blue Dasher Dragonflies (Pachydiplax longipennis)   Blue Dasher Dragonflies (Pachydiplax longipennis) (Fig. 03), as well as some Flame Skimmer Dragonflies (Libellula saturata) (Fig. 04). Other than these, we found very little else worth photographing. 
                               

(Fig. 02)

(Fig. 03)

(Fig. 04)

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Gass Peak Road - Trip Notes for 04/19/2017

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This page last updated on 04/21/2017

(Fig. 01)

Directions: The Gass Peak Road is located on the Desert National Wildlife Range. From the Stratosphere Casino head northeast on Las Vegas Blvd about 3 miles and turn left onto US-93/95, keeping on the left for 95 North towards Reno. Following US-95 North towards the Mt. Charleston ares, drive 27 miles, past the turn to Mt. Charleston (Kyle Canyon Rd.), and continue on the freeway until you come t the small brown CORN CREEK sign and a row of mailboxes on the right (East side). Turn here and head East. Once you've turned off the freeway, you'll go 4 miles on the paved road. The Corn Creek Field Station will be on your left. Approximate distance is 35 miles and takes about 45 minutes. At the visitor center, continue east for about 250 feet to a T-intersection with a large directional sign. Turn right onto Mormon Well Road, and follow it south and then east for 4.3 miles to Gass Peak Road which turns off to the south (right) (Fig. 02).
                                     

(Fig. 02)

Description: The Gass Peak Road, is a bumpy dirt road that runs south from the Mormon Well Road west of the Sheep Range, then turns and runs east up a broad valley between major ridges in the Las Vegas Range. The road usually is a high-clearance road, but when maintained. Gass Peak Road provides access to Gass Peak, Gass Spring, Quail Spring Guzzler and Quartzite Mountain (see Fig. 02). There are two turnoffs that provide areas for camping.

04/19/2017 Trip Notes: Today, Jim Herring, Harvey Smith and I drove Gass Peak Road in search of Gass Spring and the Quail Spring Guzzler. 4.3 miles after leaving the Corn Creek Visitor Center we came to Gass Peak Road on the right. About 8 miles out on this well graded and bumpy dirt road you come to the parking area and trailhead for Gass Spring and Gass Peak trails. Driving up Mormon Road and this road we were presented will Great views of the surrounding mountains and ridges (Fig. 03), hundreds of gorgeous blooming cacti (Fig. 04) and wildflowers (Fig. 05), and thousands of Joshua trees (Fig. 10) at the higher elevations. This silence of this serene wilderness is only broken by the occasional fighter jets flying out of Nellis Air Force Base. Along the way we also had the opportunity to come across several long eared rabbits (Figs. 06 & 07). After nearly a mile hike down Gass Spring Road we were disappointed that there was no water to be found. We did have a nice view of Gass Peak (Fig. 08). The view in (Fig. 09) was on our way back to the trailhead. (note con't below)
                                   

(Fig. 03)

(Fig. 04)

(Fig. 05)

(Fig. 06)

(Fig. 07)

(Fig. 08)

(Fig. 09)

(Fig. 10)

Trip Notes Continued:  After looking for Gass Spring, we drove a little further up the Gass Peak Road to Quail Spring Road in search of the Quail Spring Guzzler. About 1.6 miles up this road we came to a parking area and then had to hike about a half mile of the "old" road to the guzzler as seen in (Figs. 11 & 12). Even though I have seen a couple of "guzzlers" on other hikes, this was by far the most to elaborate I have encountered. Fed from the roof, this water collection system had three large tanks (Figs. 11 & 12) for storing water that eventually flows out to two troughs. See (Fig. 13). Our find of the day while hiking back down the old road/wash (Fig. 14), was a baby desert horned lizard (Figs. 15 & 16). This was only the second I spotted in five years of hiking. The picture in (Fig. 16) was taken after Harvey picked him up and held him in the palm of his glove. He was no more than a couple of inches, though they grow to about 5.5 inches when full grown. Read more here ... Desert Horned Lizard.
We also saw a couple of lizards (Fig. 17). Read more here ... Great Basin Fence Lizard. Even though the "in-and-out" trip was a long, bumpy ride, it was a good day.

(Fig. 11)

(Fig. 12)

(Fig. 13)

(Fig. 14)

(Fig. 15)

(Fig. 16)

(Fig. 17)

(Fig. 18)

(Fig. 19)

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