November 2023: the road is in standard condition and passable in 2WD-HC vehicles.

Overview

Mud Wash Road is located out in Gold Butte, northeast of Las Vegas. The road runs from Gold Butte Road at the Devils Throat turnoff west to Red Bluff Spring, traversing spectacular country, passing a petroglyph site, and passing an historic corral. This is historic land with a lot of grand scenery. This road is part of the Gold Butte Backcountry Byway.

The road is mostly hard dirt and gravel, and generally is passable in a 2WD high-clearance vehicle (assuming dry conditions), but it would be safer to have a 4WD because in a gravel wash, you just never know when a bit of loose gravel is going to suck you down.

Link to Road Map.

Watch Out

Other than the standard warnings about hiking in the desert, ... this is a wild and remote area 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. Cell phones only work along parts of the paved road.

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 Mud Wash Road

Mud Wash Road is located out in Gold Butte northeast of Lake Mead, about 2.5 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 7.25 miles to the signed Mud Wash, Devils Throat turnoff.

See also the Gold Butte Area overview map.

The Road

From the unpaved Gold Butte Road (Table 1, Site 0807), turn right onto Mud Wash Road and drive west towards Devils Throat and Red Bluff Spring. The road gradually descends into a broad wash where the road is bumpier than it looks.

After about 0.31 miles, the road forks (Site 1671). The road straight ahead, Devils Throat Road, runs another 0.1 miles to Devils Throat, which is worth a visit. From the fork, the road right runs down towards Mud Wash and Red Bluff Spring.

Shortly the Mud Wash Road passes another side road that runs left and up to Devils Throat (forming a big triangle). Continuing, the hard-packed dirt road runs northwest towards a gap in the mountains far ahead.

At about 2.5 miles out, the road passes an intersection with Tramp Ridge Road (Site 1674), on the left at a bend to the right.

At about 2.9 miles out (just before the gap in the mountains), the dirt road enters Mud Wash, proper (Site 1675). From this point on, the road runs down the wash. Most of the road in the wash is fine for 2WD, high-clearance vehicles, but watch for soft spots. I usually drive in 2WD, but I got stuck in the sand at one spot (shifted in 4WD and drove out, but still, this stuff can sneak up on you).

Continuing, at about 3.6 miles out, a side road branches right and climbs the steep north bank out of Mud Wash. This is Mud Wash Dunes Road, which runs 0.5 miles towards red sand dunes.

At about 3.7 miles out, Mud Wash Road passes tight against tall sandstone crags on the right. The Mud Wash Petroglyphs Panel sites high on the wall above, and an oddly placed USGS survey marker is attached low on the wall along on the wash. As with all other things of this nature, please be careful and don't disturb the site. Unfortunately, some morons shot up the petroglyphs and the marker, but most of the artwork remains undamaged. Some people are so stupid that I can't even imagine what they were thinking.

Continuing, Mud Wash Road passes a side road to the south at 4.3 miles out (Site 1678; Mud Wash Shortcut Road), and then passes an old corral in the wash at 4.7 miles out (Site 1679). The Mud Wash Corral is an interesting historical site to visit. Imaging how much work it was to build such a structure, let alone run cattle in this dry country. Note that the land hasn't always been this dry.

Mud Wash Road runs down the canyon, and at 6.9 miles out (Site 1680), Little Finland Road branches to the right (northeast). This side road leads to Little Finland, an interesting place with oddly eroded and sculpted sandstone formations.

Continuing, Mud Wash Road runs west, and at 8.1 miles out (Site 1685), meets Red Bluff Spring Road, which comes up from Gold Butte Townsite to the south. One road ends, and the other starts, so it isn't really an intersection, just a change of names where the road leaves the wash.

Just below the end of Mud Wash Road, fencing across the wash is intended to keep cattle and burros out of the riparian area, but vandals have cut the fence to allow cattle and ATVs access to Red Bluff Spring.

Walking down to Red Bluff Spring, water flows in the gravel and across the rocks, marsh vegetation and salt grass grows, and it is a nice place to sit and listen to the birds. You might even see some thirsty mammals show up for water, unfortunately, including cattle that damage the habitat and make it less likely that birds will come here.

From the end of Mud Wash Road, either turn back up the wash, turn south on Red Bluff Spring Road towards Gold Butte Townsite, or consider making a loop by heading south and then turning back on Mud Wash Shortcut Road.