Pony Express Trail — Simpson Springs to Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge

The Pony Express Trail cuts west from Simpson Springs across the Great Basin’s emptiest stretch — eighty miles of hardpan, salt crust, and alkali flats before you hit the marshes at Fish Springs. Simpson Springs itself still has a functioning BLM water source and the reconstructed stone station house, and from there the trail traces the original 1860 route past Dugway, Black Rock, and Boyd stations before dropping into Fish Springs NWR where thousands of migratory birds mob the shallow impoundments. The Dugway Proving Ground boundary forces a hard southern jog, so know your route cold before you leave pavement.

Most of this is packed dirt and gravel that a high-clearance 2WD can handle in dry conditions, but rain turns the clay sections into axle-deep soup. Call it moderate when dry, difficult when wet. No cell service whatsoever. Fuel up in either Tooele or Delta — there’s nothing out here. The BLM Simpson Springs campground is the logical base. Best run is May through June and September through October — summer heat on the salt flats is genuinely dangerous. Bring more water than you think you need.