40 to 95 through Homer Mountain

Trail Overview

Start by exiting I-40 at Water Road and heading north on Piute Valley Trail. The first section of this is pretty high-speed stuff--50 mph or more--but use caution, as there are desert tortoises, road runners, coyotes, and the like. No, this wasn't written by Warner Brothers. You should also take caution so that surprise washes don't sneak up on you. Continue north beyond Route 66 and the train tracks here. Around 10 miles in, you'll turn east following a rough, rutted, and washed-out powerline road over Homer Mountain. See incredible desert flora, views over the wilderness you just traversed, and eventually the site of Highway 95. Through this section, you need to be cautious. The route winds left and right over and over again where each corner created a washout, some bigger than others. Take extra care to move through this section, go slow, and enjoy the vast wilderness surrounding you. After coming down from the mountain, the road opens up a bit, but again, some washes have created ledges that are easy to miss. There are wide areas on either end to air up or down. In the summer, make sure you have plenty of water and food, although there is cellular service more than there is not.

Photos of 40 to 95 through Homer Mountain

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Difficulty

The section through Homer Mountain has washouts at every corner, creating steep climbs that take extra care.

Technical Rating