High Rock - Emigrant Trails NCA Via Bicycle

May 2018 Posted by Doug.
It's been a wet May. I guess I was expecting to be chased by thunderstorms. It did however cause me to modify my route as well as shorten it. My 165 mile route got cut down to only 63 miles over 1.5 days. Sitting here on my couch as I write this report watching the rain pour down, I'm not entirely unhappy with that decision.

My route traveled very lightly used back roads through the Black Rock Desert ~ High Rock Canyon ~ Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area and along the perimeter of the encompassed Wilderness Areas. This was my first visit to the area and I'm suitably impressed.

Wild Horses, Antelope, Obsidian, thunderstorms, re-routing mid-ride, ticks, all manner of birds, road closures, awesome! Summarizes the trip nicely.

As always, the visuals.

Massacre Cabin, start/end point

Obsidian covered the roads, in some areas, more than the dirt.

Applegate immigrant trail to Oregon

The remains of Grassy Ranch

Cows have kinda messed this one up.

I opted not to test what "impassable" really meant. So I re-routed.

Wild Horses

Stevens Camp. An idyllic spot with a cabin built by Tennessee Ernie Ford

Gushing spring at Stevens Camp

Denio camp. Also in slight state of disrepair, an important water source for me though.

The springs at Denio camp.

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