Friday, June 10, 2011

Hike in the Goshute Mountains of Nevada June 8, 2011


Looking south from the top

Today, I decided to hike to one of my favorite destinations near West Wendover, Nevada, which is the Goshutes Raptor Migration study site in the Goshutes Mountains. The view from the top is one of the best in eastern Nevada with 11+ mountain ranges visible in a fabulous 360 view. The range is a major flyway for migrating raptors and during the fall Hawkwatch International conducts banding and aerial surveys.

Directions: From West Wendover travel south on 93A approximately 15 miles until you see a NDOT station on the right side of the road (a pair of binocs will also show the turnoff). Follow the main dirt road straight back into the mountains going over small hill. Follow the pair of binocs to the trailhead. The turnoff for Goshute Peak Trailhead is shown in the picture below. From 93 A it is six miles to where the trail starts.

The hike: Overall, the trail is three miles one way and gains 1500 feet in elevation. It starts off on an old two track going into the Goshutes Peak Wilderness Study Area. After a half mile to mile the trail leaves the canyon and climbs steeply by switchbacks to the site. The views are spectacular the whole way. Vegetation consists of Limber pine, Whitebark pine, White pine and maple in the canyons. Keep your eyes out for raptors especially during the fall. On this particulary day Nevada and I chased a storm out of the mountains making for spectacular desert scenes.

The storm over the mountains two miles from the trailhead. As I was leaving and going back to town.
My favorite desert scenes; the clouds of an isolated storm
Looking north from the Hawkwatch site
One my favorite pics of Nevada except for the jeans in the corner of the pic
Another pic of desert country. This time looking southwest.

4 comments:

  1. We're birders and hikers and we're going to be in the Goshute Peak vicinity soon en route to Great Basin. Do you know if the six mile drive to the trail head from route 93 A is drivable in a passenger car?

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  2. Yoi have to be careful. Rocks in places. I have taken a passenger car to the trailhead so it is doable. Make sure to also watch for thunderstorms as the road will be impassable wet.

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  3. This is great! I can't find much info on this trail/area. Looks like your dog made it ok - I have a 4 year old golden lab that hikes everywhere with me, and he would love this. I'm going to try and do this next late spring (2016), and put it on my blog as well. Great pics! Any advice? Did you camp out near the TH? Alicia @ www.girlonahike.com

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    1. I didn't camp at the trailhead but up at Raptor observatory. At the time I hiked this trail I lived in West Wendover.

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