Stretching 132 miles, the Schell Creek Range is one of the longest mountain ranges in Nevada. This dramatic range features several peaks over 11,000 feet, deep canyons, remote valleys, and stands of ancient Bristlecone pines. It is in the middle of this range, northeast of Ely, where you’ll find the Ranger Trail.
Technically, the Forest Service has designated this as an OHV/4×4 route, but the Ranger Trail is actually great for equestrians. The 40-miles of trail is relatively easy to ride, the terrain is diverse, and the views are beautiful. Plus, you’re almost sure to have it all to yourself as use is low.
Here’s the downside to the Ranger Trail: For now, it’s virtually impossible to access the northern 2/3 of the trail with a horse trailer. All the roads that lead to the trail off Highway 93 and Schellbourne Pass are really rough and not recommended for trailers. The northern end of the trail is blocked by private property. In theory, you could ride up to the trail from the valley floor, but you’d be tacking on quite a few more miles to do so.
Hopefully, the Forest Service can figure out a way to unlock the northern section of the trail for trucks with trailers in the future. In the meantime, the southern 1/3 of the trail – about 16 miles from Kalamazoo to Berry Creek – is accessible and well worth exploring on horseback.
Because it’s an OHV route, the trail itself is basically a road through the mountains. Don’t let the word “road” deter you. The Ranger Trail is only lightly used at best, motorized or otherwise. The trail is wide, well-marked, and there is nothing technical other than some small water crossings and steep sections.
The Ranger Trail crosses classic Great Basin desert terrain. Some of the trail crosses open rolling hills of sagebrush, Great Basin wildrye, and Mormon tea. Sometimes you’ll ride through dense groves of pinyon, juniper, and mountain mahogany. Down in the canyons, you’ll find creeks lined with beautiful aspens. Higher up, you’ll find vistas with 100 mile views of the nearby ranges and valleys.
The trail follows the contour of the mountain, so there is a lot of riding down and up canyons. Below, you can see the elevation profile for the entire trail. The low point is about 7,300 feet and the high point is about 9,800 feet. But, the bulk of the high elevation is in the northern 2/3 of the trail. The southern 1/3 is much more mild in terms of elevation, staying mostly below 8,000 feet.
The Schell Creek Range is home to the largest elk herd in Nevada. Also keep your eye open for deer, fox, grouse, and other critters. Some parts of the Schell Creek are open range so depending on the time of year you may see some cattle roaming around. (At Timber Creek I did see a horse on the range, but I am not sure if he was wild or a turned out domestic from a nearby ranch.)
The Ranger Trail is rideable spring, summer, and fall. You can expect colorful spring wildflowers and outstanding fall colors in the canyons. Remember, weed free hay is required in the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest.
Getting Here
Accessing the Ranger Trail with a horse trailer is very limited. Currently, the best access is in the Duck Creek Basin, between Kalamazoo and Berry Creek. Even then, there are only three access points recommended for horse trailers.
East Creek Campground
The Ranger Trail connects to the East Creek Campground. The Forest Service recently built a nice big turnout parking area just before the campground. You can stage here and ride through the campground to access the trail. The trail heading north is at the bottom of the campground. The trail heading south is at the top of the campground. There is a cattle guard and cowboy gate to ride through on the road to the campground. Horse camping is not allowed at the campground and there is no day use parking inside it.
Bird Creek Campground
The Ranger Trail connects to the back of the Bird Creek Campground. There is a day use/staging area at the back of the campground that can fit several rigs. There is a vault toilet and potable water spigot. From here, you ride through a green gate to access the trail in either direction. The road to the campground is a little rough and washboardy in places. Horse camping is not allowed at this campground.
Timber Creek
The Ranger Trail intersects with Timber Creek Road. The road is a little rough but doable with a trailer. Just before the intersection with the trail, there are corrals and a big dirt turnout area for parking. There is a cattle guard with a cowboy gate next to the corral. Go through it and the Ranger Trail is just a few feet up the road. This spot is about 1.75 miles from the Timber Creek Equestrian Campground, which does allow horse camping.
Trail Maps
