Trail Overview
This is an excellent, scenic cut-through that offers a relaxing detour from the pavement. Serving as a convenient dirt connector to Highway 229, the route provides sweeping, expansive views of the towering East Humboldt Range and the rugged peaks of the Ruby Mountain Wilderness. The trail offers a great cross-section of Nevada's varied landscapes. The northern section passes through vast stretches of traditional farmland and open range, eventually transitioning into wide-open Bureau of Land Management land south. While access to many of the foothills and side trails in the mid-section is blocked by private property boundaries, there are still a few legal access points where you can hop off the main road and explore the surrounding hills. It is a peaceful, highly visual drive where you can expect to share the space with free-ranging cattle and watch hawks circling in the thermals overhead. Expect livestock on the Road, as this route travels through active open range. There is absolutely no cell service out here. It is recommended to download offline maps when traveling in this area.
Difficulty
This is a wide, well-graded dirt road suitable for most passenger vehicles and 2WD rigs under normal dry conditions. Seasonal Weather: Because there is no winter maintenance, approach this road with extreme caution or avoid it entirely during the winter months or immediately after heavy rainstorms.
History
The valleys surrounding the East Humboldt Range and the Ruby Mountains are steeped in rich pioneer and ranching history. The "Ruby" name actually stems from early prospectors and soldiers who found red garnets in the local streams and mistakenly believed they had struck it rich with rubies. During the mid-1800s, this region was a critical corridor for westward expansion. The nearby Ruby Valley hosted essential stops for both the Overland Stagecoach line and the legendary, though short-lived, Pony Express. The sprawling farmlands you drive past on the northern end of this route are a continuation of the deep-rooted agricultural and cattle ranching heritage that has sustained this remote region of Nevada for well over a century.
Offroad