The Dirt
Barrel Springs Backcountry Byway
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LICENSED VEHICLES ONLY. All of the Byway is paved in California and improved gravel roads in Nevada. The Nevada segments can be driven by all types of vehicles when the route is dry, but may require high-clearance vehicles during wet seasons. Please stop by the Surprise Field Office in Cedarville for current road conditions.
From prehistoric stories to revisiting the Old West, this Back Country Byway Loop reveals some of the secrets of the Great Basin Desert. This distinctive 93-mile driving tour takes the traveler through a wide variety of natural settings and points of interest. The Byway forms a loop that begins and ends in Cedarville, California and takes a minimum of three hours without stops. But travelers will be tempted to stop, particularly if they are using the 32-page BLM Byway Tour Guide which tells the historic and prehistoric stories of the Surprise Valley, points out the myriad of attractions in the state line mountains (from fossils and a pictograph site to wildlife) and reveals some of the secrets here in the silent Great Basin dessert. Be sure to take your camera, especially if you’re crossing the highway causeway across Surprise Valley’s Middle Lake at sunset.
For further information contact the Bureau of Land Management’s Surprise Field Station in Cedarville at (530) 279-6101.
Directions
From California side, begin on Hwy 299 in Cedarville, CA. From the Nevada side, begin at Vya on County Rd 8A in northern Washoe County.
Rules of the Road
Land Manager: Bureau of Land Management
BLM Field Station - Surprise
602 Cressler Street
Cedarville, CA 961045
530-279-6101
https://www.blm.gov/office/applegate-field-office
Motor vehicles are permitted on designated trails only. For local regulations regarding OHV use on county roads, visit the BLM OHV Website https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/OHV.
Always plan ahead and prepare for uncertainty. Travel with warm clothing, first aid, food, water and appropriate tools to fix a problem.
Traveling in groups is always a good idea, as well as informing someone of where you will be going.
- Register Your Vehicle
- Make sure your vehicle is equipped with a spark arrestor
- Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
- Dispose of Waste Properly
- Leave What You Find
- Minimize Campfire Impacts
- Respect Wildlife
- Be Considerate of Other Trail Users
Leave No Trace
Tread Lightly
Historic Preservation
Plan Your Visit
