Luminous Landscape Forum
Equipment & Techniques => Landscape Photography Locations => Topic started by: spreeg on September 28, 2011, 03:30:42 pm
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I am going to be heading to Devil's Fire in Nevada soon and was wondering if anyone has been there recently. Is it still possible to drive down the riverbed? Can you car camp there? It seems that most of the information on the web is pretty old. Also, does anyone have clearer directions than what's out there?
Thanks in advance.
Cheers
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Call the BLM Las Vegas Field Office.....phone number is here as well as information on Gold Butte which is what BLM calls it.
http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medialib/blm/nv/recreation.Par.30655.File.dat/backcounty_byways_flyer.pdf
You will want to get a good map and be prepared for desert travel. Generally, you can camp anywhere on BLM and Forest Service lands for fourteen days minimum UNLESS specifically prohibited for that area.
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Here is a map of the Devil's Fire area from a web site. That might help. I never been there but know about it 5 years ago.
http://www.kapplemultimedia.com/devils_fire/bin/images/devils_fire_map.jpg
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Generally, you can camp anywhere on BLM and Forest Service lands for fourteen days minimum UNLESS specifically prohibited for that area.
In some BLM areas, generally you can camp anywhere that is a 'disturbed area' or has previously been camped in. That is different from 'anywhere.'
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Southern Nevada caught some very heavy rainfall during the week of October 3. We got to see some amazing runoff and erosion near Overton and Logandale.
Those storms may have fouled the roads in the Gold Butte area. Good luck.
Regards, Rick
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In some BLM areas, generally you can camp anywhere that is a 'disturbed area' or has previously been camped in. That is different from 'anywhere.'
Sorry for being so brief. But it does not have to be previously camped in, however, it is a good idea anyway.
Here is the official BLM site on dispersed camping: http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/st__george/recreation/camping/dispersed_camping.html (http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/st__george/recreation/camping/dispersed_camping.html)
Forest Service lands are in the process of some significant change in dispersed camping rules. See this link for the change: http://usbackroads.blogspot.com/2010/07/forest-service-boondock-locations.html (http://usbackroads.blogspot.com/2010/07/forest-service-boondock-locations.html)
Forest Service and BLM lands are great for photography and exploring without the rigid rules and regulations of state and national parks.
Here is a summary of rules: http://usbackroads.blogspot.com/2010/06/ruleswho-needs-stinking-rules.html
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Just about a year ago I tried to drive out there in my full size Ford van but never made it. I got stuck and it took me a couple of hours to get unstuck so I turned around. I would still like to go out there but only in a high clearance 4x4 vehicle.
Gale
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Thanks for all your replies. I went out there with my brother and we camped in our trucks for the weekend. It truly is an incredible place. We did a number of hikes and did some night/star shooting as well. I highly recommend a visit there for anyone that gets out to the Vegas area.
Cheers
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How was the road going out there? Did you need four wheel drive? As I said, I had a problem last year but maybe it is better, at least I'm hoping it has.
Gale
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Well it wasn't totally clear how to get there at first, most websites I found talked about driving up a riverbed, which my brother and I did (we both had 4WD). At a certain point it merged with a dirt road which on the way out we took the all the way back to the main road, which had lesser requirements for a 4WD. In the end, I doubt you actually need 4WD but I do think you need pretty decent clearance even if you take the road. There are a couple spots that you would be going over some washed out/messed up parts of the road and a car would bottom out for sure.