Trail Overview
"Around The Back" is an aptly named and highly scenic bypass trail designed for those who wish to maintain their dirt-only momentum while avoiding the main thoroughfares of historic Belmont. This route offers an elevated tour of the surrounding hillsides, offering long-distance views across rugged canyons toward the shimmering mountain peaks on the horizon. The landscape is a visual showcase of Great Basin geology, featuring intricate volcanic rock formations and a vast "sagebrush sea" that defines the high desert. The driving experience is spirited and diverse. As you navigate this relatively direct route around the town’s perimeter, you are treated to a front-row seat to Nevada’s iconic wildlife: pronghorn antelope and raptors flying high in the sky. In the late spring and early summer, the trail is transformed into a vibrant botanical corridor as wildflowers erupt in "pops" of color. While the trail is a vital transit link, it also serves as a hub for numerous small offshoot spurs, many of which lead to secluded, high-vantage clearings perfect for a quiet, dispersed camp away from the more-traveled town-side areas. This is active cattle country. Maintain a cautious speed on blind corners to ensure the safety of livestock and wild horses that frequent the area. Expect zero cell service for the duration of this trail. The surrounding ridges create a total signal shadow. Download offline maps before leaving the Tonopah or Highway 376 area.
Difficulty
Rated a 3 due to several technical wash crossings and sustained off-camber segments. As is standard for the Toquima foothills, drivers will navigate deeper washouts where seasonal water flow has eroded the track. In multiple sections, one side of the trail serves as the primary drainage, creating a significantly "lopsided" driving surface.
