After Tuesday's experience of sitting and waiting in crowds and traffic, I had something a little different in mind rather than visiting a popular national park. But, unfortunately, Zion will probably have to wait until the snow flies before the crowds thin enough to entice me back for a visit.
You can take several routes to visit Beaver Dam State Park in Nevada, depending on how familiar you are with the backcountry roads in these remote desert environments. However, use caution as it is easy to get turned around, and while a person can find signage giving directions, they are scarce, neglected, or shot full of holes by would-be signage hunters (no orange or sobriety required).
Getting lost can and does result in deaths every year due to exposure. Cell service is spotty or non-existent; however, it is a good reminder always to try 911 if you have an emergency, even if the phone shows no bars. Boosters are provided for 911, making them accessible when nothing else is available.
I pass through Enterprise, UT, and continue west on what is Crestline road. The blacktop ends at the state line; however, if you've seen the movie "The Thirteenth Floor (1999)," [1] this feels like the place. Briefly, the film explores the concept of virtual reality simulation and if the characters of the simulation know they are real or not. In the movie, the wise old partner directs his younger partner and hero to drive to the middle of nowhere, which he does. Throwing a rock from the middle of the road, he hits the outer wall of the simulation, realizing that he is a simulation that created a simulated environment within the simulation.
Crossing the blacktop, I'm tempted to stop and throw a rock. But it's a Friday morning, and not another car in sight. So I've mapped out my route to Beaver Dam and turned left when my map indicates. I pass by several mountain peaks where I have plotted access points along this main road, and I turn and venture down two routes to determine if I need to bring the quad with me the next time I visit.
“Welcome to Beaver Dam State Park” copyright BrickBarnBlog2022
Signs warn of the steep curves ahead and suggest no trailers. Unfortunately, the road has seen substantial erosion with the recent monsoon seasons, and I stay close to the inside, trying to avoid the washed-out sections. The Beaver Dam State Park welcome sign resides just before the road drops to a broad layer of land next to the river basin. The park is beautiful and well-maintained.
I pay the $10.00 entry fee for out-of-state visitors and follow the instructions toward campground B and the trailhead for the interpretative trail to the top of UNP5570. Unfortunately, on the first attempt to find the trailhead, I make a wrong turn, forcing me to loop back around the campground. Only one tent marks the dozen or so sites of campground B. Tables and firepits lay among the Juniper trees, and I am amazed when I see the camping site for the disabled.
“Interpretative Trail marker” copyright BrickBarnBlog2022
The interpretative trailhead parking area sits north of the brick-walled accessible restroom, which connects via sidewalk to a large patio area designated handicap only. It is a beautiful setup for someone in a wheelchair. And while porta potties reside around the campsites, two sites exist to allow access to wide-spaced lifted facilities complete with handrails. Someone on the Nevada state board needs a compliment for attention to detail.
“Interpretative Trail View South” copyright BrickBarnBlog2022
The hike is relatively straightforward, with the trail zig-zagging back and forth to help accommodate the steep hillside. I step off the path for a moment to claim a summit at the highest point and backtrack to pick up the trail once again as it circles the mountaintop. The views are spectacular, and I'll spend the next couple of hours driving the road and checking out the rest of the trails and ATV tracks. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to locate any maps of the trail system in the area, so it appears that next time I'll bring a tent (or trailer) and the quad. A couple of days worth of driving these backcountry ATV tracks should be a wonderful experience.
Written October 9, 2022
References:
[1] The Thirteenth Floor. (2022, September 25). In _Wikipedia_. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thirteenth_Floor