South Fork State Recreation Area

Part of the Nevada State Park System, the South Fork State Recreation Area (SRA) is located 5 miles due south of Elko, Nevada. Covering 1,650 acres, the recreation area’s central feature is the man made reservoir. Surrounded by lovely meadows, rolling hills and views of the Ruby Mountains in the distance, it is a wonderful place to relax and enjoy nature.

Campground

The developed campground, located on the east side of the reservoir just south of Tomera Cove is small and offers incredible views as well as a bathroom with hot showers.

From the overlook at the southwest corner of the campground we are offered panoramic views of the reservoir; which we take advantage of on one afternoon and another day at sunset.

Path Around the Reservoir

Today we head out on the bikes to ride the path all the way around the reservoir. We explore each cove, the dam, the South Fork Canyon, and see some interesting wildlife along the way.

There are several hiking/biking paths through the recreation area, offering a wide variety of trail surfaces as well as scenery.

Wildlife

This area is known for it’s birding opportunities and it didn’t disappoint, even during a non-migration period.

Wind

Due to some really high winds in the forecast today, we decide to stay inside and catch up on some administrative items. As you can see from the wind speed chart below, we made a good decision, as being outside would not have been very enjoyable. This graph is from a weather station we put up on the camper at each stop.

Ruby Mountains

On our final day in the area, we decide to explore part of the Ruby Mountains. They’ve been providing us with such incredible scenery throughout out time here, that we can’t resist exploring them up close.

Lamoille Canyon Road

Reviewing what’s available, we decide on taking the Lamoille Canyon Road; which is a 12 mile scenic byway into what’s known as the “Grand Canyon” of Nevada. This incredible road winds around the base of the Ruby Dome; and climbs through the glacier-carved canyon up to nearly 9,000 feet. The road is paved all the way to the top and offers several stops along the way, each with it’s own unique charm and geological wonders.

Thomas Canyon

From the entrance of the Thomas Canyon Campground we can see all the way up into Thomas Canyon. At 7,200 ft elevation, there’s a trail that begins here leading past several waterfalls, through alpine meadows, and finally into a glacial cirque.

Lamoille Creek

Our next stop is a pullout that runs near Lamoille Creek. The creek is one of the largest in the Ruby Mountains, begins at Lamoille Lake and offers incredible views. Nearly the entire length of the creek is fishable and throughout the day we do see several anglers enjoying the day.

End of Scenic Drive

At the end of the scenic drive, is a loop with a large parking lot, pit toilet, and several trailheads.

We opt for the Island Lake Trail; which we’ll walk through at the bottom of the blog. For now, we’ll continue with the stops we took advantage of on the way down.

Hanging Valley

A hanging valley is a valley that’s formed by a glacier and whose bottom is higher than the nearby valleys. It’s here we take a short interpretive nature trail, where we learn that where we’re currently standing was once covered by over 1,000 feet of snow and ice. And, you can see the glacier’s path by looking at the valley walls surrounding us. Where the glacier moved through, the walls are smooth and the jagged walls at the very top were above the glacier.

South Fork Lamoille Canyon

Our final stop along the scenic byway is South Fork Lamoille Canyon. It’s here we learn, that this canyon was also carved by the glacier and part of it is still visible in the distance.

Island Lake Trail

Because we waited until the last day to come explore the Ruby Mountains, we were only able to do one trail. We chose the Island Lake Trail because it offers wide views of the canyon, a small waterfall, and an Alpine Lake. The path along the trail is well groomed and offers many switchbacks, making the ~1k feet of elevation change much easier than going straight up.

Island Lake

Formed within a cirque left by the glacier, Island Lake is only 22 feet deep. The water is cold and very clear with the surface water color being heavily influenced by the materials lying directly beneath. There is a slight breeze rustling through the leaves and creating a slight disturbance on the water’s surface. The only other sounds we hear are a few birds, some small critters in the undergrowth, and the tinkling of water escaping the lake and heading down the mountain stream to join Lamoille Creek in the valley below. We are the only ones up here today, and the peace we feel sitting on a rock slightly above the lake is like no other.

Our day in the Ruby Mountains has made us realize that there’s so much more to explore here. We’ll definitely have to come back and spend time exploring more of what’s on offer in the Ruby Mountains.

Next stop… Ely Nevada & Surrounding Area