Trail Overview
Belmont Monarch is a pleasant and evocative cut-across trail that carries explorers from the historic outskirts of Belmont toward the rugged hills of the Monarch Mine district. The route winds through a dynamic landscape of volcanic rock formations and high-desert scrub, offering a profound sense of isolation just minutes away from town. The driving experience is engaging, serving as a perfect "warm-up" for the more technical mountain loops nearby. Expect a mix of hard-packed dirt and soft, silty sand sections. As you cruise across this high-plateau desert, you are treated to expansive views of the Toquima Range. This area is a favorite thoroughfare for Pronghorn Antelope and the occasional Sage Grouse flushing from the brush. While the town of Belmont is nearby, it is a very small community with no gasoline or general grocery services. Ensure your vehicle is fully fueled and your provisions are stocked before arriving from Tonopah or Eureka. You may pick up a couple of bars of LTE service due to the line-of-sight toward the basins, but it is unreliable for heavy data use. Download offline maps before leaving the Tonopah area.
Difficulty
Rated a 3 due to technical wash crossings and slight off-camber segments. While the majority of the trail is smooth, drivers should remain alert for erosion-carved dips where the entry and exit angles are steep enough to challenge stock ground clearance.
History
The Monarch Mine was one of the many strategic silver and lead claims that dotted the hills surrounding Belmont during its peak in the 1870s and 1880s. While Belmont served as the majestic county seat complete with its brick courthouse, the Monarch and its neighbors were the industrial engines that provided the ore for the thundering stamp mills.
