Overview

Curtis Canyon Road (northbound) is a 16-mile dirt road that starts from Badger Valley Road in the southern end of Badger Valley and runs north over the East Pahranagat Range. Descending steeply over the other side, the road finally bends east and descends into the town of Alamo and US Highway 93. For information on driving the other directions, see Curtis Canyon Road (southbound).

The road runs through grand, open Mojave Desert Scrub vegetation full of Joshua trees and blackbrush, but at the highpoint in the East Pahranagat Range, the road touches the lower edge of Pinyon-Juniper Woodland zone where pinyon pine and juniper offer some shade.

The road normally is graded by Lincoln County because it provides free access for ranchers to publicly owned grazing lands. The road provides access to vast public lands, the Shooting Gallery Unit of Basin and Range National Monument, and an alternative way to the Tikaboo Peak trailhead.

Link to road map.

Watch Out

Other than the standard warnings about driving in the desert, ...this road is pretty safe, but be sure that your vehicle is in good working condition, carry plenty of water (radiator and drinking), and pack a lunch. Always drive carefully; even though the road is maintained, there are occasional hazards such as errant boulders on the roadway, washouts, and past the Shooting Gallery, the road descends two very steep sections that could be dangerous if the road is muddy - use good judgment.

While out, please respect the land and the other people out there, and try to Leave No Trace of your passage. This road goes into remote areas, so be sure to bring the 10 Essentials. Cell phones don't work along most of this road.

Getting to the Road

Curtis Canyon Road (northbound) starts about 2 hours northeast of Las Vegas just west of the Pahranagat Valley.

From Las Vegas, drive north on Interstate 15 to US Highway 93. Exit onto Highway 93 and drive north towards Alamo. In the Pahranagat Valley, note the turnoff to Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, and continue north another 0.4 miles north of the visitor center turnoff to an unmarked dirt road (Milepost LN 32.2) on the left that goes under tall cottonwood trees. This is Badger Valley Road.

Turn left onto Badger Valley Road and drive west, then south, and finally northwest into Badger Valley. At about 13.6 miles out, Curtis Canyon Road forks to the right.

The Road

From Badger Valley Road (Table 1, Site 1142), Curtis Canyon Road runs north up through Badger Valley. When getting close to the towering ridge on the east (right) side of the valley, the road bends hard to the left (3.7 miles out) to run west.

Running west, Curtis Canyon Road quickly arrives at a T-intersection (Site 1829; 3.9 miles out). Here, Curtis Canyon Road turns right to head north, while another road runs straight west and eventually connects with Badger Valley Road.

Continuing north, Curtis Canyon Road winds across open, gentle terrain with mountain ridges on both sides. At about 6.1 miles out, the road arrives on a saddle in the Pinyon-Juniper Woodland zone. The gentle approach leaves drivers unprepared for the steep canyon that drops away to the north. On the saddle, a graded road to the right climbs steeply to a communications tower complex on the ridgeline to the east, and to the left a minor road runs west forming the southern boundary of the Shooting Gallery Unit of Basin and Range National Monument. From here until the steepness ends in Curtis Canyon Wash, everything to the left of the road is in the national monument.

Dropping over the ridgeline, the road begins descending, rapidly at times, into canyons to the north. At about 7.2 miles out, Curtis Canyon Road passes Shooting Gallery Road (Site 1124), on the left. Shooting Gallery Road provides access to the Shooting Gallery archeological area, but it can be washed out and quite rough because it follows the wash down the canyon.

At Shooting Gallery Road, Curtis Canyon Road begins climbing over a ridge to the east. Just out of view, the road bends sharply around the ridge and descends steeply across the next hillside. From this high point, the road north can be seen disappearing into the distance.

After descending for some time, the road begins climbing over another ridge, this time to the west. The road climbs through a shallow canyon, then crests the ridge and begins a long, very steep descent that would not be safe if the road were muddy.

The road winds down steep S-curves and finally arrives in the bottom of Curtis Canyon (Site 1123; 10.2 miles out). As the now gentle road turns down the wash, the boundary of Basin and Range National Monument cuts back left to follow the south edge of the wash.

In the bottom of the canyon, the road curves right to head east and down the hill towards the bottom of Pahranagat Valley.

The road stays right (south) of the wash, but at about 12.0 miles out, the road curves sharply left to cross the wash. At the curve, a side road to the backside of Alamo forks right. Staying left, the main road crosses the wash and immediately bends right to resume heading downhill.

At 15.8 miles out, the pavement begins. At 15.9 miles out, Curtis Canyon Road (now signed "Canyon" Road) ends at a T-intersection with Richardville Road (Site 1121). Richardville Road is the old Highway 93, and turning either way, north or south, leads drivers back to the modern Highway 93.