Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park Mining Loop

The Berlin-Ichthyosaur Mining Loop connects two of Nevada’s most unusual attractions: a perfectly preserved 1890s mining camp and the world’s most concentrated ichthyosaur fossil beds, all linked by 15 miles of rough mining roads through the Shoshone Mountains. The route follows the original Union Canyon freight road past tailings piles from the Berlin Mill and climbs through juniper forests to the fossil house at 7,000 feet. Key waypoints include the intact Berlin headframe and the Diana Mine ruins where silver ore was processed until 1911.

This moderate trail requires high-clearance vehicles and skilled driving through rocky washes and steep switchbacks carved by ore wagons 130 years ago. Spring and fall offer the best conditions, though winter access is possible with chains. The park provides water and restrooms at Berlin, but camping requires self-sufficiency. What makes this route special is the combination of industrial archaeology and paleontology you won’t find anywhere else in the Great Basin. Have a dirty day.