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Garden Valley Road
Backroads Around Las Vegas, Basin and Range National Monument
Garden Valley Road
Garden Valley Southeast Road

Overview

Garden Valley Road is a well-maintained dirt road that normally is suitable for 2WD vehicles. The road runs east-west across Garden Valley between Water Gap (Golden Gate Range) on the east and Mail Summit Road on the southwest (middle of Garden Valley). Across Mail Summit Road, the road continues into the Quinn Canyon Range as Pine Creek Road.

Garden Valley Road provides access to central portions of Garden Valley, including a long-distance view into Michael Heizer's land art sculpture City. Before City opens to the public, this is one of the better views available to the public.

Generally, however, this road provides only an experience of being way out in the wild and woolly Great Basin.

Link to Area Map or Road Map

Garden Valley Road

Watch Out

Other than the standard warnings about driving in the desert, ...this road is pretty safe with no unusual hazards, 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 and mud puddles after heavy rains.

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.

Garden Valley Road

Getting to the Road

Garden Valley Road is located in the central part of Basin and Range National Monument, about 3 hours (150 miles) northeast of Las Vegas driving directly, or about 1-1/2 hours (50 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 Hwy 93 and 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 for 17.4 miles to Seaman Wash Road on the left. Turn onto Seaman Wash Road and drive northwest 26.5 miles to a fork in the road (stay "straight" at all forks and side roads to this point). At the fork, stay left onto Garden Valley Road.

Garden Valley Road

The Road

From the fork with Seaman Wash Road (Table 1, Site 1559), Garden Valley Road runs southwest heading out of Water Gap and into Garden Valley. The road winds through gentle curves leaving the Golden Gate Range, but after about 1.6 miles, it runs mostly straight southwest towards the Worthington Range in the far distance.

At about 3.0 miles out, a low ridge (Site 1564) along the road provides a bit of a viewpoint from which visitors can look right across some 1.7 miles of Great Basin Desert and see City in the distance. Be sure to bring binoculars.

Continuing, at about 4.7 miles out, the road forks (Site 1565) where Garden Valley Road bends right to run more due west. The left (straight) fork, Garden Valley Southeast Road, runs southwest and also connects with Mail Summit Road, but one small section can be either deep powder dust or deep mud, depending on conditions.

Garden Valley Road

Staying right on Garden Valley Road, the road descends the gradual slope and bends to the right to cross Cottonwood Creek (usually dry; 6.2 miles out). Shortly thereafter (6.5 miles out), on the right ranchers dug depressions (catch basins or tanks) in the desert that catch rainwater. This is a good area to watch for wild mammals and birds.

Past the catch basins, the road bends left and begins climbing the gradual slopes towards the Quinn Canyon Range in the far distance. At about 9.8 miles out, the road passes another catch basin on the right with an old corral on the left.

At 10.3 miles out, the road bends left, then at 11.0 bends back right to resume a northwesterly direction.

Garden Valley Southeast Road

At 12.8 miles out, the road curves left to cross a wash, then bends back right, and at 13.1 miles out, passes another catch basin and corral complex.

At 13.48 miles out, the road forks. Here, the main road bends left while another road continues straight. This is actually a triangular intersection. Staying left on the main road, Garden Valley Road intersects Mail Summit Road (Site 1566; 13.52 miles out).

Staying left onto Mail Summit Road for only a few yards and crossing a cattle guard, Garden Valley Road forks to the right to resume climbing towards Pine Creek Canyon in the Quinn Canyon Range.

Garden Valley Road Garden Valley Southeast Road
Garden Valley Road Garden Valley Road
Garden Valley Road
Michael Heizer's City in the distance (view NW)
Garden Valley Southeast Road
Michael Heizer's City in the distance (view NW)
Garden Valley Road
Michael Heizer's City with telephoto (view NW)
Garden Valley Road
Michael Heizer's City with binoculars (view NW)
Garden Valley Road Garden Valley Road
Garden Valley Road
Garden Valley Road and the Worthington Range (view SW)
Garden Valley Southeast Road
Garden Valley Road and the Worthington Range (view SW)
Garden Valley Road
Watch for washouts!
Garden Valley Southeast Road
Stay right on Garden Valley Road (view SW)
Garden Valley Road Garden Valley Road
Garden Valley Road
Descending towards the bottom of Garden Valley (view E)
Garden Valley Road
Watch for cows in the road
Garden Valley Road
Garden Valley wash (view E)
Garden Valley Road
Garden Valley stock pond in the near distance (view NE)
Garden Valley Road
Approaching Garden Valley stock pond (view NE)
Garden Valley Road
Garden Valley stock pond (view NE)
Garden Valley Road
Climbing towards the Quinn Canyon Range (view NE)
Garden Valley Road
Climbing towards the Quinn Canyon Range (view NE)
Garden Valley Road
Approaching corral on the left (view NE)
Garden Valley Road
Corral (view S)
Garden Valley Road
Another stock pond (view N)
Garden Valley Road
Climbing towards the Quinn Canyon Range (view NE)
Garden Valley Road
Pair of bulls after a fight (view N_
Garden Valley Road
Climbing towards the Quinn Canyon Range (view NE)
Garden Valley Road Garden Valley Road
Garden Valley Road
Wow -- another vehicle! (view NE)
Garden Valley Road
Winding towards the Quinn Canyon Range (view NE)
Garden Valley Road
Approaching corral on the right (view NE)
Garden Valley Road
Corral on the right (view NE)
Garden Valley Road
Old corral (view N)
Garden Valley Road
Climbing towards the Quinn Canyon Range (view NE)
Garden Valley Road
Approaching triangle intersection with Mail Summit Rd (view NW)
Garden Valley Road
Staying left and approaching Mail Summit Rd (view SW)
Garden Valley Road
Garden Valley Road at Mail Summit Rd (view SW)
Garden Valley Road
Cattle guard on Mail Summit Rd (view SW)

Table 1. Highway Coordinates and Distances based on GPS Data (NAD27). Download highway GPS waypoints (gpx) file.

Wpt. Location Latitude (N) Longitude (W) Elevation (ft) Point-to-Point Distance (mi) Cumulative Distance (mi) Verified
1559 Seaman Rd at Garden Valley Rd 38.03960 115.36902 5,040 0.00 00.0 Yes
1564 Garden Valley Rd at City View 38.01290 115.41010 5,200 2.90 02.9 Yes
1565 Garden Valley Rd at Garden Valley SE Rd 37.99721 115.43694 5,239 1.90 04.8 Yes
1566 Garden Valley Rd at Mail Summit Rd 38.03036 115.58113 5,657 10.40 15.2 Yes

Happy Hiking! All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate.
copyright; Last updated 240324

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