A Gem In The Nevada Desert

I used to hate driving through Nevada, dreading the hundreds of miles of dusty, scrubby terrain that seemed to stretch interminably in every direction. But I’ve come to appreciate the great expanses, the peacefulness, and the quiet beauty of the landscape. I’ve discovered that if you dig a bit beneath the surface, Nevada reveals her hidden treasures—and I don’t mean the ubiquitous slot machines and casinos.

Traveling along Highway 140 on our way from Goose Lake to Winnemucca, we discovered one such gem yesterday. It was pure happenstance, as so often occurs when there’s a bit of spaciousness in our journeys.

A Hot Spring, Oh My!

We pulled off the road for a quick rest stop, where there happened to be a kiosk for the Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge. Eric picked up a brochure. Looking at the map, we were intrigued by a small photo of the Virgin Valley Campground and hot springs. At only a few miles away, it was worth checking out.

Forty-five minutes later, we had set up camp at this beautiful, peaceful, remote wildlife refuge campground, replete with a warm spring natural pool and showers. And it was free! For this, we’re happy to pay taxes.

Rugged Souls In Rugged Places

We spent a leisurely afternoon driving several miles up the road where a handful of rugged souls have staked out mining claims. Opal mining is popular here, and we stopped at a little homestead that advertised a free rock garden tour. We were treated to a deluxe tour of rocks mined in the area—feldspar, obsidian, and dozens of others—and saw opals mined on the property worth thousands of dollars, stored in little glass jars.

Best of all, we got a glimpse into life on a high desert mining claim. All water has to be hauled in. The nearest town for supplies is more than two hours away. And the temperature regularly exceeds 100 degrees in the summer. Pat, our friendly tour guide, told us that her husband brought in all of the soft sand for her garden pathways that make it possible for her to go barefoot in the Nevada desert.

Heading back to our campground, we encountered wild burros, swam in the warm springs pond, and had close encounters with several elusive American bitterns, which spend most of their time fishing in the pond. It was an unexpected, delightful stop in the desert.