Lakeview Mine Loop

What I'm calling the "RZR Gang" – Hugh, Vicki, Jerry and Gordon – took their latest offroading adventure down to Lake Mead, only this time onto the "back porch."

The western edge of the Gold Butte peninsula is probably close to being the most remote area within 500 miles. (How remote is it?) It's so remote that even Harry Reid doesn't think he needs to include it in his "let's block off Nevada" wilderness bills.

Of course there is the fact that the Park Service pretty much already owns between three and ten miles depth of shoreline all around the lake under the Lake Mead National Recreation Area (NRA).

There used to be many people down that-a-way working in the several mines along the shore – including the one that they visited on this trip; but now about the only warm blooded things there now are the wild burrows.

This trip offroad begins, as most all of them do, at Whitney Junction – the post and cable parking corral at the end of the pavement. Pack all of your desert riding gear, plenty of water and head south on the dusty Gold Butte Road.

Go as far as you can go on that road; then, go some more on the Scanlon Ferry Road (see the accompanying Google Earth Map). I'm almost positive that, on this route, Gordon was worried about how he was going to explain it to me – so he sent me a GPS track to the Lakeview Mine.   [A free Google Earth file of this route is available: Lakeview Mine.]

I'm glad he did cause I probably would not have had a clue which washes and trails to take if I hadn't been able to actually see it on a map. Then Hugh took pity on me and sent me some photos and a description.

"On Jan 8th we rode from Whitney Junction to the Lakeview Mine. The trail is off of the Scanlon Ferry road and WOW! what a scenic ride it was.

Our trip included a side trip down Cataract Wash until the trail comes to an end and then a short cut back to the Scanlon Ferry Road across Twin Springs Wash and back to the main Scanlon Ferry road.

Then on to Lake Mead via The Lakeside Bay Road, Which takes you clear to the lake. WOW what a view. South off of that trail is a trail that takes you past the camp which housed the miners that worked the mine and on to the mine itself. We encountered at least dozen burros during this trip."

Trip Photos

1 (above) A burro that we saw.
2 (above left) Lunch Break near the corrals on the Scanlon Ferry Road.
3 The Lakeview Mine camp from the trail.
4 The Lakeview Mine camp.
5 The trail, Lake Mead and the mountains beyond I believe including Mt. Charleston beyond Las Vegas.

Remember, pretty much most (if not all) of the Gold Butte trails below (south) of the old Radio Crystal Mine road are so un-kept that only ATVs and the like should try them.

When I asked Gordon how difficult they were he just replied "They're a bit tough in spots." But, just keep in mind that he drives his new RZR like he does his Caterpillar, up the sides of mountains, and nutin' phases him. [Well he's not to fond of snakes.]

When I put it to him in specifics: "Would I make it on my Yamaha (2-wheel drive)" he replied "we could always tow ya."