Exploring Lamoille Canyon

We hiked in Lamoille Canyon twelve years ago, and have wanted to return ever since. Deep in the Ruby Mountains in northeastern Nevada, these gorgeous rugged mountains are like a miniature Zion canyon, without the crowds.

We arrived mid-day after spending Saturday night in a BLM campground above Winnemucca. Our site at Water Canyon was spacious and shaded in this hot, dry terrain, and surprisingly—especially given that it was a Saturday night—we were the only people there, except for the camp host.

A Night In The ‘Party Site’ In Water Canyon

Shortly after setting up camp in Water Canyon, a BLM ranger stopped by to welcome us. And to tell us that we had chosen the favorite “party site” for the locals, who generally show up on Saturday nights. Great. He told us they wouldn’t bother us, but they would just move further up the canyon.

Shortly after he left, a parade of ATV’s and beat-up Jeeps started to cruise up and down the winding canyon road. We had our doubts about our campsite choice, but found everyone friendly, waving at us as we took a late afternoon hike up the canyon. During the night, we heard a few vehicles drive slowly past our site, hesitate, and then move on—just as the ranger predicted. Fortunately, it turned out to be a fine place for an overnight and was perfectly quiet after about 10:00. The price was right, too, at $0.

Moving On To Lamoille Canyon

After our brief overnight in Water Canyon, we moved on to Lamoille Canyon and the Thomas Canyon Campground. Our campsite was spacious and surrounded by aspens, with gorgeous views of the canyon rising high above us in every direction. Just a few hundred yards from our door was the start of the Thomas Canyon Trail, a spectacular two-mile hike that follows a stream up to a glacial lake.

Because it was late afternoon, we only had time to follow the trail for about a mile up into the canyon. We hiked beside a series of cascading small waterfalls, through groves of aspen, and discovered along the way the largest beaver dam that we’ve ever seen. We crossed the stream to get a closer look and had a spectacular view of the dammed creek. This must be where landscape designers got the idea for infinity pools—the beavers certainly chose a fantastic location, with the rocky canyon reflected in the waters around their lodge.

This is, once again, a place we intend to return to.