Overview

Devils Throat Road is a spur road off Mud Wash Road that consists of two distinct parts. First, the well-used road runs a short distance out to Devils Throat parking area. Second, the road continues south into the desert where it becomes less and less used until it is barely a track and ends, for no apparent reason, in the middle of the bajada at a turn-about used for a campsite.

Link to map.

Watch Out

Other than the standard warnings about hiking in the desert, ... this is a safe road without any unusual hazards. The road normally is suitable for 2WD vehicles out to Devils Throat, but beyond there, it requires a 2WD-HC vehicle, but use your own good judgment.

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, but someone will eventually find you if you stay on a main road, but be prepared to survive alone for a day or two, or even longer on side roads. Cell phones don't work here.

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 hike, so be sure to bring the 10 Essentials. Cell phones don't work.

Getting to the Road

Devils Throat Road is located out in Gold Butte National Monument at the northeast end of Lake Mead, about 2.5 hours northeast of Las Vegas in a wild, remote, and scenic area.

From town, drive out the paved Gold Butte Road to Whitney Pocket where the pavement ends. Continue south on the unpaved Gold Butte Road for 7.25 miles to Mud Wash Road, a signed turnoff to Devils Throat and Red Bluff Spring.

Turn right onto Mud Wash Road and drive southwest for 0.3 miles to a fork in the road. Mud Wash Road continues right, while Devils Throat Road forks off to the left.

The Road

From Mud Wash Road (Table 1, Site 1671), Devils Throat Road forks left and continues southwest. At about 0.1 miles out, a side road to the right runs north to reconnect with Mud Wash Road (Site 1673). Bending a bit left, Devils Throat Road forks. Stay right at the fork as this is the start of the parking area loop.

The road then quickly enters Devils Throat parking area (Site 1672). The parking area is set off with post and cable fencing, and a gap in the fence provides access to Devils Throat, proper. A chain-link fence surrounds the sink hole, but the edge isn't safe -- even some of the fence has fallen into the sink hole.

Devils Throat Road continues out the far side of the parking area heading south. The road is little used, and few drivers venture the full 0.9 miles to the turn-about at the end of the road (Site 1752), but it would make a quiet campsite with great sunrises and sunsets.