Trail Overview
This is a fascinating short tour that takes explorers directly into the heart of the region's industrial-archaeological treasures. The route meanders through the rugged, sagebrush-covered hills just south of the historic Belmont townsite, leading you to the impressive ruins of the Monitor Belmont Flotation Mill. Unlike many of the older wood-frame mills in the area, this complex features massive concrete and block foundations that have remarkably defied the elements for over a century. Travelers can still view intact window frames, arched doorways, and high-reaching walls that offer a skeletal look at the massive scale of Nevada’s mining history. The drive itself is a pleasant experience on a well-established dirt road. The trail serves as a primary artery through a complex "spiderweb" of historical spurs; countless offshoots branch away from the main track, leading to hidden foundations and smaller prospects scattered across the hillside. As you navigate the loop around the backside of the complex, you will pass the lower workings of the Canfield Mine before the trail descends into the vast desert valley below. Expect zero cell service for the duration of this tour. The hills around Belmont create a total signal shadow. Download offline maps before leaving the Tonopah or Highway 376 area.
History
The Monitor Belmont Flotation Mill represents the "Second Silver Age" of the district. While the initial 1860s boom utilized massive stamp mills to crush ore, the flotation process seen here was a 20th-century innovation. This technology used chemicals and air bubbles to separate valuable silver from complex ores that earlier miners simply couldn't process. The massive concrete walls you see today are the footprints of an era of industrial optimism that swept through the Toquima Range between 1910 and 1920, proving that Belmont’s mineral wealth was far from exhausted even 50 years after its discovery.
