...and then the pavement stopped...

... but not quite where I expected.

The first turn off the pavement was fairly clear - relatively major intersection it seemed & a well-graded dirt road. The next turn however was a different story. The dirt road made a sharp right & the GPS indicated you should continue straight. Two deep wheel ruts when off in that direction, so I figured it must be the way. There were traces of a long-since abandoned road, but a road nonetheless. Eventually I saw a ranch in the distance & figured this much have been the old access road to the place.



After passing the ranch the road turned into a rocky/sandy path that showed signs of much use. The scenery just got better & better...

















The scars of old mining activity are all over this landscape: