In the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps and Army Corps of Engineers built the Toiyabe Crest Trail (TCT), which stretches for more than 70 miles through the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, including 35 miles within Arc Dome Wilderness. It has been described as the longest continuously maintained trail in Nevada, but unfortunately, the TCT is notably inaccessible, primarily due to overgrowth and lapsed maintenance. The trail is in need of heavy corridor brushing, downed tree clearing, drainage solutions, and tread repair to improve sustainability and minimize erosion. Additionally, signage is in need of assessment and restoration.
Working with the Recreational Trails Program, overseen by the Federal Highway Administration, GBI has begun implementation of trail maintenance on the Toiyabe Crest Trail, specifically targeting deferred maintenance on 25 miles of the trail from Ophir Summit Pass north to Washington Canyon. Nevada Conservation Corps crews worked three 8-day tours on the project, and a total of 17 AmeriCorps members participated in the maintenance efforts. Thus far, 5.5 miles on the Toiyabe Crest Trail have been addressed, with additional work being done on the access trails of South San Juan Creek and Washington Creek. In total, 11.7 miles of trail have been maintained so far. Furthermore, scouting has been completed on all feeder canyons to the TCT from the Reese River Valley side.
With the increased popularity of mountain biking, re-establishing the TCT north of Ophir Summit would support tourism for the state of Nevada and local communities. Once complete, the TCT will be one of the American West’s great backcountry epic mountain bike rides, attracting mountain bikers to the rural communities of Austin and Kingston. This work will benefit all users, including equestrians and hikers, by developing a wider and safer corridor for passage.
Before and After photos:
