Overview

Out in the seldom visited, far northern end of Desert National Wildlife Refuge lies Desert Dry Lake, a playa that covers some 15 square miles. On the edge of the lake sits the site of an historic well and windmill that stands in silent testament to the hopes and hard work of ranchers, the slow progression and despair of a drying climate, and the ravages of time. The windmill that pumped water from the well is entirely gone (probably used somewhere else), but the wellhead and curious debris remain.

When cattlemen first arrived in these parts, the land had been wetter than average, and grasses and cattle flourished. Before long, the drying trend resumed, and ranchers needed to make "improvements" on the land to keep the cows watered. Here, they drilled a well on the edge of the playa and built watering troughs where cattle could drink. But the land continued to dry, and now the cows and windmill are gone. The land now lies silent, except for the wind whistling through the few remaining uprights.

Link to a map.

Watch Out

Other than the standard warnings about hiking in the desert, ...this is a safe hike. Depending on road conditions, the trailhead might be accessible with a 2WD-HC vehicle, but inquire locally or use a 4WD vehicle just to be sure. In this area, Alamo Road can get pretty muddy after rainstorms: don't drive in muddy places -- you may never get out.

While hiking, please respect the land and the other people out there, and try to Leave No Trace of your passage. Also, even though this hike is fairly short, it is remote, so be sure to bring the 10 Essentials, even if you leave them in your vehicle. This is a wildlife refuge, so pay extra attention to respecting the land and the wildlife out there. Don't remove any more items of historical interest -- leave for future generations the thrill of discovery and the enjoyment of old junk.

Location

Desert Dry Lake is located on the Desert National Wildlife Refuge, but up towards Alamo (northeast of Las Vegas), and it is a full day trip to get there from Las Vegas.

From town, drive north on Interstate-15 for 21 miles to Exit 64. Exit onto Highway 93 northbound. Consider topping off the gas tank at the truck stop, as this is the last gas station except for going out-of-your-way to Alamo.

At 66.5 miles out, turn left onto Pahranagat Visitor Center Road, then stay right onto Alamo Road (North). Drive south, then west, and south again. Pass North Dunes, the large and obvious white sand dunes, on the left, and head towards South Dunes, smaller dunes farther ahead on the left.

Continue south on Alamo Road North for a total of 26.6 miles to a faint spur road on the right. Park here; this is the trailhead for the historic windmill.

The Hike

From the trailhead (Table 1, Wpt. 01), an old road runs northwest about 300 yards to the edge of the playa and the site of the old windmill (Wpt. 02). All that remains is the well casing, a couple of rusting watering troughs, and a few other bits and pieces of historic debris.

This is an interesting site where modern visitors can contemplate the rigors of making a living in these remote desert lands in the old days and how ranchers did what they could to stave off the day when changing climate would dry out the land and force them away.

Unfortunately, the "curious structure" has been vandalized and little remains. If anyone knows the purpose of the "curious structure," please let me know and I'll share the info with everyone.