(Whitney Pocket to Highway 170)
Backroads Around Las Vegas, Gold Butte
 Gold Butte Road: start of the pavement a Whitney Pocket (view N) |
Overview The paved section of Gold Butte Road northbound runs from Whitney Pocket 21 miles to Highway 170 and serves as the only easy way to exit from the Gold Butte area. The road is poorly maintained, but it is paved and runs through spectacular country. Starting from Whitney Pocket, the paved road runs across broad, open desert flats with the Virgin Mountains towering to the right and the Overton Arm of Lake Mead far in the distance to the left. After crossing the desert flats, the road winds down canyons heading for the Virgin River, then threads between the verdant river bottom and towering eroded cliffs. The road dead-ends into Highway 170 where drivers can turn left to head for Las Vegas or turn right and drive into Mesquite. For details of the drive, see Gold Butte Road southbound, but here photos are presented for the drive northbound. Link to map. |
 First Whitney Pocket campsite (view NW) |
 Gold Butte Road departing Whitney Pocket area (view N) |
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 Gold Butte Road at minor side road right (view NW) |
 Smooth pavement runs towards First Rock Campsite (view NW) |
 Gold Butte Road approaching First Rock camp area (view NW) |
 Gold Butte Road approaching First Rock Campsite Road (view NW) |
 First Rock Campsite Road (view SW from Gold Butte Road) |
 Gold Butte Road approaching the cell phone parking lot (view N) |
 Cell phone parking lot -- best place to get email (view NW) |
 More to come ... |
 Gold Butte Road approaching Black Butte Road (view NW) |
 Gold Butte Road at Black Butte Road (view NW) |
 Gold Butte Road (view N) |
 Gold Butte Road (view N) |
 Gold Butte Road approaching side road (view N) |
 Descending across Fisherman's Cove bajada (view N) |
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 Descending across Fisherman's Cove bajada (view N) |
 Still descending across Fisherman's Cove bajada (view N) |
 Side road to the right (view N) |
 Side road to the right (view N) |
 Unusually tall Mojave Yucca along Gold Butte Road (view N) |
 Unusually tall Mojave Yucca along Gold Butte Road (view N) |
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 Unusually tall Mojave Yucca along Gold Butte Road |
 More tall Mojave Yucca along Gold Butte Road |
 Gold Butte Road (view NW towards Little Virgin Peak) |
 Gold Butte Road crossing Fisherman's Cove bajada (view N) |
 Gold Butte Road crossing Fisherman's Cove bajada (view N) |
 GB Road approaching Gravel Pit Campsite (view N) |
 GB Road approaching side road to Gravel Pit Campsite (view N) |
 Side road to Gravel Pit Campsite (view E towards Virgin Peak) |
 Gold Butte Road crossing Fisherman's Cove bajada (view N) |
 GB Road approaching Fisherman's Cove Road (view N) |
 GB Road approaching Fisherman's Cove Road sign (view N) |
 Fisherman's Cove Road sign (view N) |
 Fisherman's Cove Road sign (view N) |
 GB Road approaching Fisherman's Cove Road (view N) |
 GB Road at Fisherman's Cove Road (view N) |
 Fisherman's Cove Road (view SW looking back from GB Rd) |
 GB Road at unmarked Arrowhead Highway (view N) |
 Departing Fisherman's Cove Road (view N) |
 Gold Butte Road approaching Little Virgin Peak (view N) |
 Gold Butte Road at Little Virgin Peak Trailhead (view N) |
 Gold Butte Road at Little Virgin Peak Trailhead (view N) |
 Gold Butte Road (view N) |
 Gold Butte Road (view N) |
 Gold Butte Road approaching Key West Spring Road (view N) |
 Gold Butte Road at Key West Spring Road (view N) |
 Gold Butte Road (view N) |
 Gold Butte Road (view N) |
 Gold Butte Road approaching Little Virgin Wash Road (view N) |
 Gold Butte Road approaching Little Virgin Wash Road (view N) |
 Backside of Gold Butte National Monument boundary sign (view N) |
 Little Virgin Wash Road (view SW from Gold Butte Road) |
 Parking area for boundary sign (view S from Gold Butte Road) |
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 Gold Butte Road approaching short spur road (view N) |
 Gold Butte Road at short spur road (view N) |
 Gold Butte Road (view N towards Mormon Mesa) |
 Gold Butte Road (view N) |
 Gold Butte Road approaching sharp bend right (view N) |
 Gold Butte Road approaching Juanita Springs (view N) |
 Gold Butte Road approaching "Local color" road sign (view N) |
 "Local color" road sign (view N) |
 Gold Butte Road approaching Juanita Springs back gate (view N) |
 Gold Butte Road at Juanita Springs back gate (view N) |
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 Rough road descending towards Juanita Springs (view N) |
 Gold Butte Road approaching Juanita Springs Road (view N) |
 Gold Butte Road at Juanita Springs Road (view N) |
 Gold Butte Road crossing Juanita Spring Wash(view N) |
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 Gold Butte Road (view N) |
 Gold Butte Road approaching short spur road (view N) |
 Gold Butte Road at short spur road (view N) |
 Gold Butte Road (view N) |
 Gold Butte Road approaching Virgin Valley Overlook campsites |
 Gold Butte Road at Virgin Valley Overlook campsites (view NW) |
 Gold Butte Road at Virgin Valley Overlook Road (view NW) |
 Approaching caution sign: slow, curve ahead (view N) |
 Caution sign: slow, curve ahead (view N) |
 Caution sign: slow, curve ahead (view N) |
 Caution sign: slow, curve ahead (view N) |
 Gold Butte Road approaching the Virgin River (view N) |
 Washed out roadway and hard curve right (view NE) |
 Gold Butte Road with flash flood debris (view NE) |
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 Gold Butte Road (view N) |
 Gold Butte Rd approaching best view of the Virgin River (view NE) |
 Best view of the Virgin River (view NE) |
 Best view of the Virgin River; spring floods (view NE) |
 Tight spot at top of hill; watch for oncoming traffic (view E) |
 Gold Butte Road (view E) |
 Tight spot at top of hill; watch for oncoming traffic (view NE) |
 At bottom of hill; watch for oncoming traffic (view NE) |
 Approaching sandy spur road (view E) |
 Gold Butte Road (view NE) |
 Eroded cliffs along edge of Virgin River Valley (view SE) |
 Eroded cliffs along edge of Virgin River Valley (view SE) |
 Eroded cliffs along edge of Virgin River Valley (view SE) |
 Eroded cliffs along edge of Virgin River Valley (view SE) |
 Gold Butte Road climbing towards another hilltop curve (view NE) |
 Gold Butte Road (view NE) |
 Gold Butte Road at information sign (view NE) |
 Gold Butte Road (view NE) |
 Tight spot at top of hill; watch for oncoming traffic (view NE) |
 Gold Butte Road along dirt cliffs (view NE) |
 Gold Butte Road approaching second washed out section (view NE) |
 Gold Butte Road; no pavement (view NE) |
 Gold Butte Road approaching resumption of pavement (view NE) |
 Gold Butte Road (view NE) |
 Gold Butte Road (view NE) |
 Gold Butte Road climbs hill, then curves hard to the left (view NE) |
 Caution sign: Slow, blind curve ahead (view E) |
 Sharp curve at top of hill; watch for oncoming traffic (view NE) |
 Steep descent (view N) |
 Gold Butte Road passing fenced ranch (view NE) |
 Gold Butte Road at private driveway (view N) |
 Gold Butte Road at Bundy Ranch fields (view N) |
 Gold Butte Road approaching Bundy Ranch (view N) |
 Gold Butte Road approaching Bundy Ranch (view N) |
 Gold Butte Road approaching Bundy Ranch entrance (view N) |
 Gold Butte Road at Bundy Ranch entrance (view N) |
 Bundy Ranch Road (view NW from Gold Butte Road) |
 Gold Butte Road beyond Bundy Ranch (view NE) |
 Gold Butte Road (view NE) |
 Verdant Virgin River Valley (view NE) |
 Flooded farm field along Gold Butte Road (view N) |
 Gold Butte Road approaching mesquite thickets (view NE) |
 Gold Butte Road in thee mesquite thickets (view NE) |
 Nocturnal road hazards (view NE) |
 Gold Butte Road in thee mesquite thickets (view NE) |
 Gold Butte Road at old barn (view NE) |
 Gold Butte Road (view NE towards Virgin River Bridge; Hwy 170) |
 Gold Butte Road (view NE) |
 Gold Butte Road (view N towards Virgin River Bridge; Hwy 170) |
 Gold Butte Road at Kiosk Parking, west entrance (view E) |
 Gold Butte Road approaching Highway 170 (view NE) |
 Gold Butte Road at Kiosk Parking, east entrance (view E) |
 Gold Butte Road at Highway 170 road sign (view E) |
 Gold Butte Road at Highway 170 road sign (view E) |
 Gold Butte Road at Highway 170 road sign (view E) |
 Gold Butte Road approaching Highway 170 (view NE) |
 Gold Butte Road at Highway 170 (view E) |
More to come ... |
Happy Hiking! All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate.
; Last updated 240326
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