12.4 miles from Georgetown. 4 steep miles to Nevada Point. MAP
On New Years Day 1997 the Rubicon River reached flood stage and we lost the Nevada Pt. bridge for the second time. It had been rebuilt after the Hell Hole dam failure in 1964 wiped it out.
Nevada Point is located on the north side of the Rubicon River across and above its confluence with Pilot Creek. This trail accesses a lot of territory not easily accessed without a long drive up and around on Eleven Pines Road across Ellicott’s bridge.
Near Nevada Point, and close to Dad Young Spring, is a prehistoric Indian village site (looted many times). This site was linked to another village site at Big Meadows (20 miles away) by the Belix Trail.
Directions: Follow Wentworth Springs Rd. upcountry 8 ¼ miles to turn L on Volcanoville Rd. Go another 1 ¾ miles and turn R on Rubicon Rd. Realize that this used to be the main road to Loon Lake before 1963. Follow the main track for about 2 1/3 miles to the Nevada Pt. trail sign where you’ll turn R to park up a short ways. Along this route, at a very scenic overlook the main G.T. ditch rounded what was called “The Horn” before the water got shortcut through a tunnel. The old ditch can still be seen if you look up along the road. The vast view here spies the immense Rubicon Canyon. Way off in the west you can see the conveyor that steals most of the water from Long Creek and redirects it to the generators at Oxbow Reservoir.
The Trail begins going north by dropping steeply 2 miles down to Pilot Creek. At Pilot Creek a bridge helps you cross and after an eighth mile you get to the remnants of the river bridge. There’s a great swimming hole here under the missing bridge. If the water isn’t running high you can cross on rocks upstream to access the continuing trail (mostly unused and not maintained) that climbs up to Nevada Point. At Nevada Point the almost forgotten Tillotson trail heads west towards Ralston Ridge (see Obscure Trails).
Click HERE to view the Take A Hike! version of this hike.
Get Off Your Gass 