Rides with Friends #3 Fly and High Rock Canyons with Kurstin Gerard Graham in Nevada

Meet at 41.140354, -119.370746, the start of the route, about 40 miles from Gerlach. Meet at 10 am.

Day 1 The group will ride down Willow Creek, Little Smoky Creek, and Smoky Canyon through sagebrush grassland that is primarily being used for grazing. The route will pass High Rock Lake and enter Fly Canyon on the Applegate Emigrant trail. The group will explore the wonders of the Potholes on foot.

Then the group will continue on the Emigrant trail in High Rock Canyon. The walls of the canyon are 500-800 feet above the canyon floor. Post Office Cave and the Garage are two historical highlights. Above Yellow Rock Canyon the route will turn off to Bernards Corrals on a cherry-stem road into the East Fork High Rock Canyon Wilderness Area.

End of Day 1 35 miles, 1,200’ of climbing, with challenging terrain and water crossings in High Rock Canyon.

Day 2 The route will descend High Rock Canyon and reverse our route past the mouth of Little High Rock Canyon. The group will meet the stewardship team from Friends of Black Rock High Rock to do a clean-up project at this high impact area. FBRHR will provide all the necessary tools for the job as well as a cooler of snacks and drinks. FBRHR also makes every stewardship project educational and entertaining. After that the group will ride out to our vehicles by 4 pm.

End of Day 2 31 miles, 1,400’ of climbing.

About Kurstin Gerard Graham: Author of Bikepacking Northern Nevada and host of regular bikepacking trips in Nevada.