Overview

Timber Mountain Pass Road is a well-maintained dirt road that normally is suitable for 2WD vehicles. The road starts along Highway 318 north of Hiko and runs southwest over Timber Pass, down across Coal Valley, and ends at an intersection with Seaman Wash Road at a gap in the Golden Gate Range called Water Gap.

Timber Mountain Pass Road provides access to Heizer's City, the community of Cherry Creek in the Quinn Canyon Range, and it provides sightseers spectacular scenery, ranchers access to their herds, and residents a way home.

For eastbound photos, see Timber Mountain Pass Road - Eastbound.

Link to Area Map or Road Map.

Watch Out

Other than the standard warnings about driving in the desert, ...this road is pretty safe, but be sure that your vehicle is in good working condition, carry plenty of water (radiator and drinking), and pack a lunch. Always drive carefully; even though the road is well maintained, there are occasional hazards such as errant boulders in the roadway.

While out, please respect the land and the other people out there, and try to Leave No Trace of your passage. This road goes into remote areas, so be sure to bring the 10 Essentials. Cell phones don't work.

Getting to the Road

Timber Mountain Pass Road is located in the east-central part of Basin and Range National Monument, about 2-1/4 hours (156 miles) northeast of Las Vegas driving directly, or about 50 minutes (49 miles) north of the intersection of Highway 93 and Highway 318.

From Las Vegas, drive north on Interstate-15 21 miles to Highway 93. Turn left onto Great Basin Highway (Hwy 93) and top off the gas tank if necessary. Drive north past the towns of Alamo (95 miles from Las Vegas) and Ash Springs (102 miles) to the intersection of Highway 93 and Highway 318 (107 miles). Gasoline is available in Alamo, Ash Springs, Rachel, and Lund.

Turn left onto Highway 318 and drive west then north on Highway 318 for 49 miles to Timber Mountain Pass Road on the left (shortly beyond Mile Post 49). The 4-way intersection is marked only by a directional sign facing away from the highway. Nye County also marks roads with a spray-painted number on the pavement: look for #84.

The Road

From the pavement (Table 1, Site 1588), the one-lane Timber Mountain Pass Road turns southwest, crosses a cattle guard, and descends through a canyon (use caution on the blind curves) into a desert valley covered with low shrubs. The Black Cliffs of Timber Mountain tower ahead on the left.

In about 3 miles, the road crosses another cattle guard and continues straight across the valley. This is the White River, which flowed more regularly during the Ice Age, but ranchers drill wells here to water their cattle. The stock pond on the left occasionally holds water for cows, but it also provides water for birds and other creatures, so keep an eye out when passing through. The funny round thing with the solar panels is the water pump.

Past the pump, the road bends hard to the right and climbs rather steeply. Use caution on the blind curve to the left at the top. If coming back this way, remember the spot carefully. Beyond that spot, the road climbs gently below the Black Cliffs.

At about 7.1 miles out, Timber Mountain Pass Road leaves open BLM land and unceremoniously enters Basin and Range National Monument.

The road continues climbing and winding gently upward, and at about at 8.9 miles out, arrives atop Timber Mountain Pass The pass and the view westward is a bit of a letdown, but shortly (9.1 miles out; Site 1934), the road passes the historical wooden sheep corrals on the right (useful campsite). From the corrals, drivers get a glimpse down the canyon of the wondrous scenery to come.

The road winds down the canyon, still with gentle grades and gentle curves, and at about 11.5 miles out passes a sign announcing Coal Valley. By this time, the views across Coal Valley and across the Golden Gate Range are grand, but just ahead (11.6 miles), the road dips over a low slope, and from that point, the view truly is spectacular.

Timber Mountain Pass Road continues into the bottom of Coal Valley, crossing cattle guards and passing various road intersections (Site 1935; not a single sign), but always stays straight.

The bottom of Coal Valley is a nice place to stop, get out of the car, stretch the legs, and soak in the full glory of a wide-open basin and range. A few cows or pronghorn might join the scene, but it is very unlikely that another vehicle will pass by.

Continuing southwest, the road runs into the Water Gap, a gap in the Golden Gate Range where water flows from Garden Valley (to the west) down into Coal Valley. At about 22.4 miles out, the road crosses a cattle guard with a sign announcing Water Gap.

In another 0.4 miles, at 22.8 miles out, Timber Mountain Pass Road ends at a 3-way intersection (Site 1560) with Seaman Wash Road (to the left). Cherry Creek Road continues straight.

Visitors to Michael Heizer's City would continue west on Cherry Creek Road for 2.2 miles to Heizer Ranch Road, on the left.