Overton, NV to Whitney Pocket October 28, 2000 home: page 1 View maps, road map for this trip. Our trip begins in Overton, Nevada about an hour drive Northeast of Las Vegas. Our plan is to travel along dirt roads to the the Virgin River then follow the Gold Butte Road to Whitney Pocket. To travel from Las Vegas to Whitney Pocket, travel North on I-15 for 70 miles (1 hour, 12 minutes) to I-15 Exit 112. Turn South on SR 170 for 3 miles (5 minutes) to the New Gold Butte Rd. Then turn South on the New Gold Butte Rd for 22 miles (38 minutes) to Whitney Pocket. A group shot at our starting point in Overton, Nevada. Left to Right: Ed, Robin, Riley, Rocky, and Garren. To make a long story short, we made it to Whitney Pocket. Many sandstone outcroppings are located at Whitney Pocket. Here Robin, Riley, and Garren pass on their 6x6 Polaris ATV at Whitney Pocket. Here Ed is passing with an ATV loaded with two HAM radios, GPS, antennas, amber light and other miscellaneous hoosjiggys. On the way back we discovered an area near the Virgin River several possible native American ruins or graves near the Virgin River. We also found numerous flint chips for making stone tools around the area. In the same area we found a Desert Tortoise warming itself in the sun. Here Riley is investigating the tortoise. (No tortoises were harmed during this event). After crossing back over the Virgin River at Bunkerville, we decided to travel along the old Highway 91. Highway 91 was the first paved highway between Utah and Southern Nevada before I-15 was built. Parts of the highway are still paved but broken is certain parts. After following Highway 91 for several miles, we decided to head South toward Overton along a trail on top of Mormon Mesa. After a few miles we were surprised to come across an Old Spanish Trail Marker. The marker was placed there by a 4x4 club in the 1960s. More than 50 markers were apparently placed along the entire length of the trail. Prior to the 1850s, the Old Spanish Trail provided an important connection between Mexico and California. Here Garren is pointing out the direction of the trail to the East. While continuing on top of Mormon Mesa, we also discovered a NOAA remote weather station in the middle of nowhere. From what we could tell it was in good working condition and still in use. home: page 1 Contact the author at speleo@intermind.net Photographs and information in this website may be copied or distributed for personal use only. For other uses, express permision by the author must be given. Use of appropriate photo credits requested.