Adventure awaits in Lincoln County, where vast expanses of public land are open for exploration. Hundreds of miles of unspoiled wilderness offer low-cost, and socially distanced, outdoor activities.
Check out Lincoln County’s vast network of dirt roads, designed for all-wheel drive and off-highway vehicle exploration. Trails crisscross diverse terrain, offering access to stunning views. The renowned Silver State Trail, a 260-mile loop of well-marked backcountry roads that will take you up and down Lincoln County’s famous mountain/basin landscape.
Get your heart pumping on Lincoln County’s rapidly expanding mountain biking trails. Just four miles from Caliente, Barnes Canyon boasts 13 miles of singletrack trails with a variety of terrains from flowy to technical, for riders of all skill levels. New riders or anyone seeking a desert view will enjoy the seven-mile Kershaw Redemption trail in Kershaw-Ryan State Park. Also opening in summer 2021 is the Ella Mountain Trail, a nine-mile descent that promises a flowy ride with exposed slickrock.
The Basin Range National Monument offers visitors 704,000 extremely remote acres of sweeping desert valley basin and mountain landscape to explore. The monument includes several valleys and mountain ranges for climbing, hiking, bicycling, camping, hunting and OHV riding. History buffs should be sure to catch Mt. Irish Archaeological District and the Shooting Gallery rock art site, where petroglyphs were carved by the locals 4,000 years ago.
Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge is an oasis in the Mojave desert that offers quietude and an impressive array of wildlife. A favorite destination for birdwatchers, the refuge is a pitstop for hundreds of species of birds as they migrate or overwinter each year. The refuge also offers lakeside camping, with 15 free campsites available on the shores of Upper Pahranagat Lake.
These sites are only just the beginning. The recreational opportunities in Lincoln County are almost endless.
Photo and video by Leslie Kehmeier, The Wide Eyed World.