Adrian Valley runs between Silver Springs and Yerington. You can see it west of Highway 95 between the two towns, flanked by the Pine Nut Mountains and the Desert Range. At first glance, this valley might not seem like one of the most scenic or interesting parts of Nevada, but looks can be deceiving. A ride through the Churchill Narrows will have you seeing the landscape a little differently.
There are some standout features here, from groves of sagebrush and cottonwoods to interesting rock formations. Plus, you’ll be riding where countless emigrants made treks across the desert to California. With virtually unlimited dirt roads and trails through the valley and the hills surrounding it, this is a great place to rack up some trail miles!
Ride along the south side of the Carson River, explore the hills, or head down the valley. With so many roads and trails, you can make many different loops of various distances. With a little elevation, you get nice views of Fort Churchill and Silver Springs to the north and the rolling hills to the south. The roads and trails tend to be pretty rocky, especially in the hills, so boots or shoes are recommended.
In the early 1850s, before Nevada was even Nevada, this valley was the Sonora route of the California Trail. Emigrants detoured off the Carson Trail onto the Sonora route, which passed through Adrian Valley to Walker Lake to Sonora Pass and into California. If you are lucky, you might find the historical marker atop a hill commemorating the route!
As you head south down the valley, you will come across one cattle guard with a cowboy gate next to it. Pass through the cowboy gate and you can ride on virtually forever. You will pass one ranch in the valley with open gates. The owners are very friendly but their horses and cows do wander off the property so be alert and prepared to shoo them off if they get too curious.
Around the ranch, you’ll see where the name Churchill Narrows came from. Here the rolling hills briefly turn to a jutting rock wall with craggy bluffs. You can meander around them, but the trails are pretty overgrown and dead-end at the ranch pasture fencing.
There is an active train line through the valley. Trains usually run once or twice a day so you might see one. Fortunately, the main roads are far enough off the tracks that you should be at a safe distance in case your horse gets scared. But, depending on which trails you decide to follow, you can ride alongside the tracks, in which case you’ll want to be extremely careful.
There is very little water to be found in the valley or the hills. There is one spring (Churchill Station Spring) with a trough before you get to the cattle guard. Usually, the ground around the trough is very muddy and horses won’t want to wade into it. Plus, the trough is crisscrossed in barbed wire. Best to carry a little collapsible dish to get water out if you need it.
This area is popular with target shooters though they generally tuck themselves into the hills. Otherwise, you aren’t likely to run into anyone in the valley, except perhaps the occasional cow. It gets hot out here in the summer, so this area is best ridden in the spring, fall, and winter. There can be a little snow in the winter months and some mud during the wet season.
Getting Here
Where to Park: When you turn off Highway 95 go through the gate (leave it as you found it). There is a large corral with room for several rigs around it.
