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Gentry Ranch Route - Historical Road Grader
Hiking Around Las Vegas, Gold Butte National Monument
Gentry Ranch Area
Gentry Ranch
The old road forks right to avoid another deep washout (view N)

Overview

The Gentry Ranch area is an interesting place to hike along the banks of the Virgin River, parts of which were underwater when Lake Mead was higher. There is some history here, but it isn't the most exciting place to hike. However, in southern Nevada, we seldom get to hike along a flowing river on our home turf, so that makes this hike a treat. The early spring wildflowers can be great at this low elevation.

Since leaving the pavement on Gold Butte Road, hikers have been following the Arrowhead Trail Highway, the first motor road connecting Los Angeles with Salt Lake City.

Here, at about 0.4 miles out, the route arrives at an old trailer-type road grader (Wpt. 02) that must have spent some years beneath the surface of the lake.

It is likely that the grader was used to maintain the Arrowhead Trail Highway. In 1938, St. Thomas flooded, and this area would have flooded soon after, probably by 1940.

Gentry Ranch
Old road approaching the road grader machine (view NE)
Gentry Ranch
Road grader is visible across the gully (view NE)
Gentry Ranch
An easy place to cross the gully (view N)
Gentry Ranch
Approaching the road grader machine (view NW)
Gentry Ranch
Road grader machine (view NW; front to back)
Gentry Ranch
Front end of the grader (view W)
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Gentry Ranch
Quite a long machine (view N)
Gentry Ranch
Metal wheels on the back of the grader
Gentry Ranch
The grading mechanism
Gentry Ranch
Departing the road grader (view W)

Happy Hiking! All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate.
copyright; Last updated 240325

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