Overview

West End Wash North Road is now a well-used two-track road that follows a wash as it runs north from Northshore Road into the wild backcountry of Lake Mead National Recreation Area (which is actually BLM land) and provides access to primitive campsites, several side roads, and hikes in the Muddy Mountains Wilderness Area. This road leads through spectacular country for many miles and can be used to connect with Valley of Fire Road.

Driving up the wash requires a carefully driven high-clearance vehicle, although 4WD would be safer.

Link to map.

Watch Out

Other than the standard warnings about hiking in the desert, ...this is a fairly easy drive. The road is not maintained, but it is suitable for carefully driven 2WD-HC vehicles, although 4WD is safer because you just never know when a patch of soft gravel will suck you down. In my jeep, I stayed in 2WD, but it was reassuring to have 4WD just in case.

While out, please respect the land and the other people out there, and try to Leave No Trace of your passage. This road is long, so be sure to bring the 10 Essentials.

Getting to the Roadhead

This road is located along Northshore Road in Lake Mead National Recreation Area, about 40 minutes northeast of Las Vegas. From town, drive out to Lake Mead, and then to about Mile 13.3 on Northshore Road. Northshore Road crosses the wash, and then West End Wash North Road turns off to the left (north). There is no highway sign, but watch for a paved apron and dirt road to the left.

The Road

From the pavement (Table 1, Site 1412), West End Wash North Road turns north to wind through a big hairpin turn before dropping into the sandy West End Wash, which can be seen from near the pavement. At the wash, drivers can turn left to drive down to the Northshore Road bridge, or turn right and head north into the wild country. Turning north, drivers shortly pass a Road 92 approved route symbol sign (yellow arrow on a brown background).

At about 0.8 miles out, the road forks (Site 1488). West End Wash North Road stays left (north), while the road to the right runs northeast and eventually splits again. At that split, the left fork runs out to the edge of Muddy Mountains Wilderness Area, while the right fork used to connect with Anniversary Mine Road, but is now blocked by mining activities.

Continuing north on West End Wash North Road, the park boundary (Site 1489) is passed at about 1.0 miles out; from this point on, the road runs on BLM land.

The road runs up the West End Wash and passes through a gap in a ridge, then proceeds into a broad, sandy valley. The road eventually passes another narrow area, then the road splits (Site 1490) again. The main road stays right, but both merge in about 0.3 miles.

Now running northwest, West End Wash North Road runs across another broad valley and the road splits again (Site 1491). Here, West End Wash stays right to the north, while West End Wash North Road stays left and works its way out of the West End Wash drainage system.

Still running northwest, West End Wash North Road heads up a side wash and runs through yet another narrows into another broad valley where the road splits (Site 1492) yet again. Here, a faint road turns right to run up a wash (it is well used, but I'm not sure it is legal).

Staying left, the road runs in a wash along the base of a high ridge, then climbs out of the wash on a built road. This road winds about, passing a nice campsite on a corner, and then climbs southwest onto a high saddle (Site 1493).

From the saddle, the built road continues southwest out into the open desert. The road eventually turns northwest and winds through mining areas, crosses railroad tracks, follows powerlines, and generally runs north for as far as drivers want to go, including exiting back to Northshore Road, exiting to Apex, or driving north to Valley of Fire Road (Hwy 169).