Overview

Cedar Basin Corral is an historic corral in Cedar Basin valley just over the mountains to the south of Gold Butte Townsite. The Tramp and Fork Fire in 2005 only scorched the west edge of the valley, so most the the "cedars" remain, which are actually Utah Junipers and Singleleaf Pinyon Pine. Here, at about 4,200 feet elevation, the Pinyon-Juniper Forest shares this elevation zone with lots of Shrub Live Oak and a few Joshua Trees.

Cedar Basin Road provides access to the area, and side roads run off to a variety of interesting places, including the Cedar Spring Corral, which is only somewhat dilapidated after years of disuse.

This is a nice place to explore and camp, so plan to spend a weekend looking for historic sites and natural wonders.

Link to map.

Watch Out

Other than the standard warnings about hiking in the desert, ... this area is fairly safe, but there are old mines in the area, and holes in the ground are never safe to enter. The access road requires a 2WD-HC vehicle, but would be safer in a 4WD vehicle because of sand on lower Cedar Basin Road.

This is wild and remote country 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. It is a big place and someone will find you eventually if you stay on main roads, but be prepared to survive alone for a day or two, or even longer on side roads.

While visiting the area, 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, even if you leave them in the car. Be sure to bring a trash bag to clean up after people who care less about the area than you do.

Getting to Cedar Basin Corral

Cedar Basin Corral is located out in Gold Butte National Monument at the northeast end of Lake Mead, about 3.5 hours northeast of Las Vegas in a wild, remote, and scenic area.

From town, drive out to Gold Butte National Monument. From Whitney Pocket, continue south on the unpaved Gold Butte Road to Gold Butte Townsite. Continue southwest on the main road, which is now Scanlon Road, for 1.9 miles to Quail Springs Wash (watch for a flashflood warning sign). Turn left and drive up Cedar Basin Road, which follows Quail Springs Wash southeast and up into Cedar Basin.

At about 3.3 miles out, where Cedar Basin Road forks at a white 55-gallon drum in a forested area, stay right on Cedar Basin Road to the historic Cedar Basin Corral, which is visible on the left.