Burro Pass Mining District

Burro Pass Mining District road winds through some of Nevada’s most remote desert mountains, accessing abandoned silver mines and ghost camps that produced millions in ore during the 1900s boom. The route climbs through Joshua trees and pinyon pines to reach Burro Pass at 7,200 feet, where crumbling mill foundations and open shafts mark the Burro Mining District. Technical rock sections and loose shale require careful tire placement, especially on the descent toward the Royston Hills where mine tailings still scar the hillsides.

This is difficult terrain requiring experienced drivers with lifted 4WD, skid plates, and recovery gear for the rocky technical sections. Summer heat is brutal—stick to fall through spring. No permits required but respect private mining claims still marked throughout the area. Cell service is nonexistent for 40+ miles. You’ll experience the isolation that defined Nevada mining life and understand why these camps died when the ore played out—nothing but wind and silence remain.