Table Mountain
Place Name: Nye County
Place Description: State: Nevada
Date: 06/14/2022
Elevation: 10,888Feet
Prominence: 3,648 Feet
Miles: 9.4
Elevation Gain: 2,672 Feet
Lists: Great Basin Peak List, Nevada Peaks Club, Las Vegas Mountaineers Classics, Nevada P2K
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Difficulty
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Solitude
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Kid Friendly
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Summit Views
Welcome To The Wilderness
Outside of hunting season, it appears the Table Mountain Wilderness gets very few visitors. It’s not because it’s a bad place, in fact, it’s probably one of the prettiest places in Nevada. However, it is probably one of the most remote areas of Nevada, and that says a lot!
If you are up for an overlanding adventure, Table Mountain is just what you need!
Overall
3.8Pros
- Good access road
- Easy trail
- Beautiful foliage
Cons
- Long drive out on dirt roads
- Would be hot in summer
- Just a long way from anywhere
When you think of the middle of nowhere, one place that comes to mind is Central Nevada. That’s not a bad thing however, especially when visiting Table Mountain.
At 10,888 feet, Table Mountain is high and long summit ridge on the eastern side of the Monitor Valley. Covered in aspens, wildflowers, flowing creeks, and abundant wildlife, the Table Mountain Wilderness is a sight to see!
Getting There
This is the hard part, well, more tedious than hard! The Table Mountain Wilderness lies between US-50 and US-6, the two loneliest highways in America.
From the North, follow US-50 east past Austin and look for a wide gravel road to the south either labeled as NV-82 or Belmont Rd. This is a great dirt road that can be driven 45-60mph and receives regular maintenance.
Monitor Valley Rd.
There are a couple turns to the left that bring you into the wilderness. The signs point to Morgan Creek TH. These roads are all good as well and none require high clearance to reach the start. It’s about 52 miles of driving from US-50.
Parking area for Table Mountain.
Another approach arrives from the south coming from Tonopah by heading up NV-82 to Belmont.
The Trail
The terrain changes quickly on this hike. With an 8000-foot elevation trailhead, it starts in classic Nevada foliage. However, this changes quickly as you climb through lush aspens up the rim above 10,000 feet.
First part of hike climbs up to that rim.
Following this route is easy. The trail is well maintained, although it’s a steep grade.Â
Once the crest is achieved, wide open plateaus and multiple stands of aspens come into view. It’s quite a beautiful area. There are game trails and faint use trails across the high plains as you gain the last 700-800 feet of elevation up to the highest ridge line. Views to the east open up and Mount Jefferson stares you down from the west.
Cresting the rim of the trail and viewing ahead to the upper ridge.
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View across to Mount Jefferson.
The Summit
As far as summits go, it’s not the most defined. You are walking across slightly sloping terrain that extends for miles and miles. Every bump you see looks like it could be the high point. Eventually a large rock pile comes into view and it houses the register.
On the summit ridge.
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Summit cairn
The summits views are beautiful and it’s a pleasant area to hang out for awhile and look at obscure Nevada peaks that beckoning a visit. Mount Jefferson towers across Monitor Valley to the west and Morey Peak looks super cool to the east.
Morey Peak to the east.
As a hunter, this terrain is just amazing. The aspen groves and open ridges screams elk country and while we did not see any, we saw plenty of elk sign.
View west from the ridge.
The Final Word
If visiting the Table Mountain Wilderness is not on your radar, it should be! This is a beautiful and unspoiled area of the state. Outside of hunting season, I don’t think this spot gets much visitation. Check out the geothermal wonder Diana’s Punch Bowl along the way as well!
Diana’s Punch Bowl
Getting here is the crux. Even though It’s over 4 hours of driving from Reno and there is no cell service or help for many miles, it is worth it. You are on your own and need to be prepared for that.
