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Virgin Peak Road
Backroads Around Las Vegas, Gold Butte
Virgin Peak Road
Virgin Peak Road
Whitney Pass Road at Virgin Peak Road (view E)

Note (Mar 2022): The road is open (barely) for full-sized pickups to near the old trailhead, and for normal jeep-type vehicles to a bit past the narrows where for a decade the road was blocked by boulders. ATVs and rock-hopper jeeps can continue up the canyon for another 2 miles to 1/4-miles past Virgin Peak Trailhead.

Overview

Virgin Peak Road runs about 4 miles from Whitney Pass Road to about 1/4 miles past an old cowboy campsite. The road runs across desert flats and up into a deep, narrow canyon, which was totally washed out in 2018. The first mile has now been driven enough to make it generally passable in standard 4WD vehicles to Virgin Corral.

Stout vehicles can drive another mile (just before the old obstruction), and narrow vehicles can drive a bit farther into the narrow, washed-out canyon. Rock-hopper jeeps and ATVs can continue another two miles. Upper portions of the road remain totally washed out, so the road follows the wash, which is full of loose gravel and boulders.

Link to Road Map.

Virgin Peak Road
Starting onto Virgin Peak Road (view N)

Watch Out

Other than the standard warnings about being in the desert, ... this is a wild and remote area without services of any kind (no restrooms, no water, no gas, no food, no cell service). Bring what you need to survive. Be prepared and be self-reliant. It is a big place, but someone will eventually find you if you stay on a main road, but be prepared to survive alone for a day, or even two or more days if you get off the main road.

Upper portions of the road are totally washed out, so be prepared for self-rescue should your vehicle become high-centered on a boulder or otherwise stuck in this remote area.

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.

Virgin Peak Road

Getting to Virgin Peak Road

Virgin Peak Road is located out in Gold Butte north of Lake Mead, about 2-1/4 hours northeast of Las Vegas.

From Las Vegas, drive out to Whitney Pocket at the end of the paved Gold Butte Road. At Whitney Pocket, turn left onto Whitney Pass Road and drive east 2.3 miles. Whitney Pass Road runs through a narrow gap in a rocky ridge (Quail Point) and quickly arrives at a side road on the left. This is Virgin Peak Road.

Virgin Peak Road

The Road

From Whitney Pass Road (Table 1, Site 0937), Virgin Peak Road runs north up a broad valley. The road is a bit rocky in places, but it generally is a good road. As the valley narrows, the road begins to run along the base of the hills on the west side, then arrives at an old corral (Site 0938) with gates, fencing, a water tank, and old vehicles. This is an interesting place to stop and poke around for a few minutes. Please respect the history here and don't remove historic trash.

Continuing, at about 300 yards past the corral, the road forks. Virgin Peak Road stays right and begins to climb into a narrow canyon. The road is a bit loose with deep gravel in places, but generally is okay. This, however, is the road on which I decided I really needed a 4WD next time.

Virgin Peak Road

At about 1 mile out, the road winds up to a wide spot in the narrow canyon, which is a good spot to turn around full-sized pickup trucks. Narrower vehicles can continue up the canyon and past the old trailhead parking (Site 0939) at the narrowest spot, which had been impassable to normal vehicles for a decade. A few hundred yards farther up the canyon, obstructions block everything except OHVs and rock-hopper jeeps.

This is the new Virgin Peak trailhead and the end of the "regular" road, however, OHVs can continue another 2 miles up the canyon to a bit past the old cowboy camp.

Virgin Peak Road
Approaching worst washout on the road (view N)
Virgin Peak Road
Steep dip into and out of worst washout on the road (view N)
Virgin Peak Road
Virgin Peak Road continues (view N)
Virgin Peak Road
Flood debris still cover the road (view N)
Virgin Peak Road Virgin Peak Road
Virgin Peak Road Virgin Peak Road
Virgin Peak Road
Approaching an abandoned watering trough
Virgin Peak Road
Approaching Whitney Corral (view NW)
Virgin Peak Road
The road passes through an old gate (view N)
Virgin Peak Road
Inside the corral area (view N)
Virgin Peak Road
Exiting the corral through a second gate (view N)
Virgin Peak Road
Old water tank beside the road (view N)
Virgin Peak Road
The road passes the old truck (view N)
Virgin Peak Road
Beyond the corral, the road becomes much narrower (view N)
Virgin Peak Road
Narrow road on bench above the wash (view N)
Virgin Peak Road
The road enters the wash (view N)
Virgin Peak Road
The road runs in the gravel flood debris (view N)
Virgin Peak Road
Fork in the road; either side works (view N)
Virgin Peak Road
The fork to the right is narrow (view N)
Virgin Peak Road
Returning to the main wash (view N)
Virgin Peak Road
The road now simply follows the washed out wash channel
Virgin Peak Road
Following the washed out wash channel
Virgin Peak Road
Rocky obstacles don't show well in this lighting
Virgin Peak Road
The wash runs into a narrow canyon
Virgin Peak Road
Getting ready for more desert pinstripes
Virgin Peak Road
Approaching a narrow passage between two boulders
Virgin Peak Road
Narrow passage between two boulders
Virgin Peak Road
More large rocks in the road
Virgin Peak Road
A bit of easy road
Virgin Peak Road
This wide spot is a good place to park a full-sized truck
Virgin Peak Road
Beyond the wide spot, a narrow spot
Virgin Peak Road
Approaching more large rocks in the road
Virgin Peak Road
Approaching the previous Virgin Peak trailhead
Virgin Peak Road
Vehicle parked at previous Virgin Peak Road trailhead (view E)
Virgin Peak Road
Vehicles can get through the old washout at the narrows
Virgin Peak Road
At narrows, road used to be blocked by boulders (view E)
Virgin Peak Road
Beyond the old trailhead, a narrow track continues
Virgin Peak Road
Lots of gravel and big rocks
Virgin Peak Road
This rocky step looked worse in real life
Virgin Peak Road
More large rocks
Virgin Peak Road
A bit of open gravel
Virgin Peak Road
Another series of rocky steps
Virgin Peak Road
Yet another large boulder
Virgin Peak Road
More rocky steps
Virgin Peak Road
A final bit of open gravel
Virgin Peak Road
Designated route sign at new trailhead parking
Virgin Peak Road
Designated route sign
Virgin Peak Road
Steep, rocky gully that blocks all but the hardiest of vehicles
Virgin Peak Road
Hiker on the road
Virgin Peak Road
This road is washed out; stay left in the wash bottom (view N)
Virgin Peak Road
Old road follows the wash bottom (view N)
Virgin Peak Road
Old road follows the wash bottom, which is washed out (view N)
Virgin Peak Road
Old road follows the wash bottom, which is washed out (view N)
Virgin Peak Road
Old road follows the wash bottom, which is washed out (view N)
Virgin Peak Road
Old road follows the wash bottom, which is washed out (view N)
Virgin Peak Road
Old road follows the wash bottom, which is washed out (view N)
Virgin Peak Road
Old road follows the wash bottom, which is washed out (view N)
Virgin Peak Road
Old road follows the wash bottom, which is washed out (view N)
Virgin Peak Road
Old road follows the wash bottom, which is washed out (view N)
Virgin Peak Road
Old road follows the wash bottom, which is washed out (view N)
Virgin Peak Road
Old road follows the wash bottom, which is washed out (view N)
Virgin Peak Road
Old road follows the wash bottom, which is washed out (view N)
Virgin Peak Road
A short bit of road is not washed out (view N)
Virgin Peak Road
A short bit of road is not washed out (view N)
Virgin Peak Road
Old road follows the wash bottom, which is washed out (view N)
Virgin Peak Road
Watering trough and agave roasting pit on spur road right (view E)
Virgin Peak Road
Old road follows the wash bottom, which is washed out (view N)
Virgin Peak Road
Road exits wash to the right (this spot is badly washed out (view N)
Virgin Peak Road
Old ranching junk begins to appear (view N)
Virgin Peak Road
First of three water tanks (on the right; view N)
Virgin Peak Road
Old watering trough on the left side of the road (view NW)
Virgin Peak Road
Old campsite with ranching junk (view SW)
Virgin Peak Road
After campsite, road approaches spur road left (view N)
Virgin Peak Road
Spur road (view W from Virgin Peak Road)
Virgin Peak Road
Virgin Peak Road continues another 1/4-miles (view N)
Virgin Peak Road
Old truck at Cowboy Campsite (view SW)
Virgin Peak Road
Old truck at Cowboy Campsite (view W)
more to come
More to come ...

Table 1. Highway Coordinates Based on GPS Data (NAD27; UTM Zone 11S). Download Highway GPS Waypoints (*.gpx) file.

Wpt. Location Latitude (N) Longitude (W) Elevation (ft) Point-to-Point Distance (mi) Cumulative Distance (mi)
0937 Whitney Pass Rd at Virgin Peak Rd 36.53264 114.10125 3,856 0.00 0.00
0938 Virgin Peak Rd at old Corral 36.54405 114.10402 4,142 0.83 0.83
1882 Virgin Peak Road at Whitney Wash Overlook Road 36.54636 114.10468 3,962 0.17 1.00
0939 Virgin Peak Rd at Washout 36.55301 114.09788 4,481 0.88 1.88
0456 Virgin Canyon Road at Fork 36.55875 114.09190 5,430 0.63 2.51
1929 Virgin Peak Road at Spur 36.57435 114.09327 5,373 1.38 3.89

Happy Hiking! All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate.
copyright; Last updated 240326

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