Wednesday May 31, 2023
Clifford and I arrive at Cave Lake Nevada State Park after leaving Patterson Pass this afternoon. This small campground is very popular, but we find an available site on the downhill side of the campground. We are happy to be here, but will only be able to spend a week.
Cell service is marginal, but using Clifford’s hotspot, I am able to make contact with family and friends to let them know where we are and to keep abreast of the news.
Hot showers are a real plus at this campground. Since there is no one camped near us, we can play music outside, which is something we always enjoy.
Although there are not many wildflowers here, the views are good and I enjoy the walkabouts.
I can see a mountain range to the west with snow-capped peaks even though it is June, but in looking at the map, I can’t tell what range I am seeing. There are numerous mountain ranges running in a north/south direction in this state with wide valleys between.
When we were here last fall, we drove up the mountain for a picnic and to take photos of autumn color. This time, we go on an exploratory outing to find where we might camp when we leave here. Ward’s Charcoal Oven State Park, about 10 miles south of Ely, is one of our outings. Quite the history of how all the trees were cut and burned to make charcoal needed for smelting steel for the railroads carrying silver ore. The land has never recovered and is barren for miles, but fortunately, the campground in this state park, Willow Creek CG, is situated in what remains of a juniper and pinon pine forest.
We also check out a large forest service camp to the southwest of Ely, but all the sites seem to be reserved although there is almost no one there. Odd. There is a BLM road across the highway, but no sites, not even any good places to pull off the road. Then Egan Summit, another BLM area with cell service and a good view of the nearby mountain range, but no shade and it appears to be an ATV place, which is not so good for camping. There could be dust and noise much of the time.
We go to the little village of Ruth, just to check it out, desolate, almost a ghost town. Back in Ely, we find a city park with picnic tables and have a picnic before heading back to camp.
Wednesday June 6 is our last day here. I pack up as much as I can to make moving preparations easier tomorrow. We have enjoyed our time here, and perhaps we will come again.
