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Austin, Mount Jefferson, Arc Dome, Manhattan
and the Geographic Center of the State
by John C. Evanoff
February, 2006
Many people have asked me what was worthwhile or
noteworthy about being in the middle of nowhere in Nevada. Well,
for the residents of Austin and the visitors to the Alta Toquima,
Arc Dome and Table Mountain Wilderness areas the answers are some
of the best backpacking trails in the west with massive glacier
carved canyons, rivers and streams full of fish and breathtaking
terrain that will exhaust your camera finger. You’ll have
thousands of pictures you will want to exhibit to all your friends.
Located on Highway 50, “the loneliest highway,” Austin
was once home to more than 10,000 people. The silver vein there
was discovered in 1862 and the area produced more than 50 million
dollars in just a few short years. The little town is now home to
just a few hundred folks, but the area is rich in history and if
you are interested in seeing ghost towns, this is the region to
go. Austin, Manhattan, Bunker Hill, Kingston, Belmont, Canyon City,
Jefferson and of course, Berlin, to name just a few of the most
notable, all lie within this region. What makes this area so wonderful
to explore is the terrain. For backpackers and mountain bicyclists,
the network of trails extends through three mountain ranges and
two long valleys. Once you discover the many trails, you may not
want to hike anywhere else. The Toiyabe Crest Trail and the Reese
River Valley are as diverse in ecosystems as anywhere in Nevada.
Bunker Hill at 11,474 ft in elevation and Arc Dome at 11,775 ft
are the major peaks in the Arc Dome Wilderness area just south of
Austin on the eastern slope of the range on SR376. One of the areas
to access the wilderness is located in Kingston Canyon just about
six miles east of Austin Summit and about twelve miles south of
Highway 50 on SR376. Groves Lake in Kingston Canyon and the creek
that feed it are full of trout, so bring a fly rod. You can follow
the spine of the Toiyabe Range more than 70 miles south from there.
This trail hike is spectacular to say the least. If you have the
time, take the entire crest trail and you will be amply rewarded
with incomparable views of both sides of the Toiyabe. The Reese
River Valley can be found west of Austin about six miles on a gravel
road leading 50 miles south almost to Ione. The Reese River flows
north out of the Shoshone Range and Arc Dome Wilderness all the
way to the Humboldt River near Battle Mountain. It is only a river
for a short distance though. It very rarely reaches the Humboldt
except during floods but at its headwaters, the river is full of
trout and the valley and hillsides are teeming with wildlife.
East of the Arc Dome Wilderness is the Toquima
Range in the Alta Toquima Wilderness. Mt. Jefferson and its three
massive peaks at more than 11,900 ft stand above the little mining
ghost town of Round Mountain and several trails and roads lead into
this unbelievably magnificent area. The hills are full of Sage Grouse,
Chukar, Golden Eagles, Quail, Mule Deer, Elk, Coyote and Big Horn
Sheep. You may even see a Bobcat or Mountain Lion along the way.
There are coves of cottonwood and quaking aspen throughout the hills.
My idea of hiking in a wilderness area is to be in a state of complete
and utter isolation away from anything resembling a crowd. Yosemite
National Park in California is beautiful but has nothing on this
region. The glacier carved rocks and alpine beauty here are beyond
the normal exorbitant adjectives. This landscape must be truly experienced
by hiking it though, so if you like to spend a weekend or week in
the solitude of the middle of nowhere in Nevada, this is the place
to go. The Paiute Indians who lived in this area for thousands of
years held Jefferson Peak in high regard. In fact, the highest known
archeological site of an Indian settlement in North America sits
atop Mt. Jefferson. It is thought the Indians used the summit to
watch for intrusions into their lands by other tribes and also as
a post to capture views of migrating herds of deer on the hillsides
below. There are also many Indian caves and petroglyph drawings
along both sides of the Toquima Range, a testament to the hunting
importance of this area to early man.
South on SR378 and east on SR377 is the little
town of Manhattan. Actually, there are three Manhattans. North,
Central and South Manhattan all existed for short periods of time
depending on the magnitude of the silver veins. Central Manhattan
is a picture postcard of a mining ghost town though. Sitting just
below Bald Mountain at an elevation of 7,000 feet, this mining camp
was one of the more active in the area. Mining continued throughout
the Manhattan district, which included more than a dozen mining
camps, during two periods from 1866 to 1870 and 1901 until 1909
with on and off discoveries leading to the building of the town.
Manhattan had several saloons, two hotels, two boarding houses,
two schools, two churches and three banks. With a population at
its peak of more than 1,000, and the many camps around it including
more than 3,000 miners, Manhattan remains an interesting look into
our Nevada past.
Heading east from the Toquima Range sits the Table
Mountain Wilderness and the Monitor Mountain Range. This area is
very popular for horseback packers and equestrians because of the
many wide trails winding through the pinion and juniper forest in
the area. The best access is east on Highway 50 past Hickison Summit
20 miles to a gravel road leading south into the eastern base of
the Monitor Range just below Summit Mountain at 10,461 ft in elevation.
This is the most accurate definition of the middle of nowhere in
Nevada. The Table Mountain Wilderness extends more than 100 miles
south and leads my list of best Nevada pack trail locations. Because
I have ridden this range on many occasions, I can tell you from
experience you will be well rewarded with great fly fishing and
views of some of the largest mule deer and bull elk in the country.
I have also seen some of the largest blue grouse and golden eagles
in all of Nevada in this range. Be sure to pack in enough equipment
for a longer visit. You’ll enjoy Nevada as it really should
be enjoyed. The nights are crisp, clean, and dark and the days are
full of visual wonders.
Without a doubt, the geographic center of the State
of Nevada is second to none when it comes to adventure and sightseeing.
When you’ve visited and returned to your friends and family,
you can then say you’ve been to the middle of nowhere in Nevada,
but you’ve also seen more out-of-the-way incredible vistas,
some of the most notable natural flora and fauna and extraordinary
topography on earth. Make sure your 4x4 and hiking boots are in
good shape. Have plenty of supplies for your day-or-more-trip and
include a camera and binoculars. Next column down the road is about
the town of Eureka, the Diamond Mountains, Duckwater and the southern
entrance to the Ruby Mountains.
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