Overview

Along the north end of the Red Bluff Spring Road section of the Gold Butte Backcountry Byway, a short spur road leads out to an overlook atop bluffs overlooking Mud Wash and Red Bluff Spring. This road provides a nice overlook of the spring area and a primitive campsite suitable for one party in the turn-about loop at the end of the road.

Link to map.

Watch Out

Other than the standard warnings about hiking in the desert, ... this is a fairly safe drive, but the region is wild and remote without services of any kind (no restrooms, no water, no gas, no food). Bring what you need to survive. Be prepared and be self-reliant. Someone will find you eventually if you stay on a main road, but be prepared to survive alone for a day or two.

While out, please respect the land and the other people out there, and try to Leave No Trace of your passage. Also, this is a remote area, so be sure to bring the 10 Essentials.

Getting to Red Bluff Spring Overlook Road

Red Bluff Spring Overlook Road is located out in Gold Butte National Monument northeast of Lake Mead, about 2-3/4 hours northeast of Las Vegas.

From Las Vegas, drive out to Whitney Pocket at the end of the paved Gold Butte Road. Continue south on the unpaved Gold Butte Road for 3.9 miles to Mud Wash North Road on the right. Turn onto Mud Wash North Road and continue 3.2 miles southwest to a Y-intersection with Mud Wash Road. Stay right onto Mud Wash Road and continue generally west for 5.1 miles until the road abruptly turns left to exit Mud Wash up a side canyon to the south. For drivers who miss the turn exiting Mud Wash, the wash is fenced a few yards farther.

When the road leaves Mud Wash, the overlook is just above to the southwest. Drive south on Red Bluff Spring Road to the top of the cliffs. A directional sign marks the intersection with the Overlook Road.

The Road

From Red Bluff Spring Road (Table 1, Site 1627), Red Bluff Spring Overlook Road heads north along a ridgeline that runs out to the edge of the bluffs (Site 1686). The road is short, so don't drive too fast because the end of the road really is the end.