TRIP TO JARBIDGE (PART 1):
As you read earlier, there are 3 ways to get to Jarbidge; although I personally like taking the most adventurous route to places, we chose the easiest route, simply because most of you will be arriving in Jarbidge via this route: the Charleston Road. Along the way, we counted nine cattle guards, two seasonal creek crossings, two mountain passes and four road junctions. County Road 746 & 748 are traditional Nevada dirt roads best characteristic of true Nevada Experience.
We started out by heading north out of Elko on SR 225. Unfortunately, the blacktop was relatively uneventful, probably because we knew what was waiting off the pavement. After 56 miles of highway, the dirt fun begins. Note: The following mileages are as listed from SR 225.
Mile 0: CR 746 is the "main road" to Jarbidge, a well-maintained Elko County road to Charleston. You'll see this sign immediately after veering from SR 225...
...Austere views along CR 746, the Charleston-Jarbidge Road. I am more of desert lover than a mountain guru, so this section of road was a blast! Heather found this drive very relaxing, as we coasted through low sage and over gently rolling hills.
Mile 21: the Charleston junction...
Time for a quick break. This is the Charleston junction that meets with County Road (CR)748. To the right of Meryl (yes, Heather named her RAV4) is Charleston Reservoir (not shown), an intermittent cattle pond that's usually dry by this time of year. The sign on the right shows us that its still another 27 miles to Jarbidge.
Mile 23: Onward to Jarbidge! Even more curves lie ahead. This shot is a nice pre-cursor to what you'll expect on the final 27 miles to Jarbidge -- no doubt, the longest 27 miles I myself have ever driven!
Mile 26: Oh, let those curves get even more sinuous! (And we're still on the desert, folks.)
Mile 34: The site of Charleston lies just up ahead and a handmade board signs the way to Jarbidge. The left turn is the Gold Creek Rd, a road that will eventually lead you back to SR 225. Only the first ten or so miles of Gold Creek is passable in a two-wheel-drive vehicle.
Mile 36: Just north of the site of Charleston, the first hint of vegetation finally appears in the form of streamside willow. A golden rule in Nevada: where there are willows, there is usually water. From here, CR 748 begins its slow ascent into the Jarbidge Mountains. This particular stretch of road offers great camping under the shade of willows and old growth cottonwoods, alongside a seasonal creek. An added plus in the spring and fall is that it's about five degrees warmer down here than in Jarbidge!
Mile 37: Leaving the desert, we enter a whole new ball game.
SR 225 - COPPER BASIN
