Overview

Seaman Wash Road is a well-maintained dirt road that normally is suitable for 2WD vehicles. The road starts along Highway 318 north of Hiko and runs northwest through a narrow canyon, up over a low pass, down across Coal Valley, and ends at an intersection with Timber Pass Road at a gap in the Golden Gate Range called Water Gap.

Seaman Wash Road is the shortest way to Heizer's City, the community of Cherry Creek in the Quinn Canyon Range, and it provides sightseers spectacular scenery, ranchers access to their herds, and residents a way home.

Link to Area Map or Road Map

Link to photos of Seaman Wash Road -- Southbound (select photos of returning to the pavement)

Watch Out

Other than the standard warnings about driving in the desert, ...this road is pretty safe, but be sure that your vehicle is in good working condition, carry plenty of water (radiator and drinking), and pack a lunch. Always drive carefully; even though the road is well maintained, there are occasional hazards such as errant boulders in the roadway.

While out, please respect the land and the other people out there, and try to Leave No Trace of your passage. This road goes into remote areas, so be sure to bring the 10 Essentials. Cell phones don't work.

Getting to the Road

Seaman Wash Road is located in the east-central part of Basin and Range National Monument, about 2 hours (124 miles) northeast of Las Vegas driving directly, or about 15 minutes (17.4 miles) north of the intersection of Highway 93 and Highway 318.

From Las Vegas, drive north on Interstate-15 for 21 miles to Highway 93. Turn left onto Great Basin Highway (Hwy 93) and top off the gas tank if necessary. Drive north past the towns of Alamo (95 miles from Las Vegas) and Ash Springs (102 miles) to the intersection of Highway 93 and Highway 318 (107 miles). Gasoline is available in Alamo, Ash Springs, Rachel, and Lund.

Turn left onto Highway 318 and drive west then north on Highway 318 for 17.4 miles to Seaman Wash Road on the left. The intersection is marked by a stop sign with a solar powered flashing red light, but no road signs.

The Road

From the pavement (Table 1, Site 1548), Seaman Wash Road runs west-northwest, passing the entrance sign and an information kiosk. The road continues across the valley-bottom desert flats covered with low shrubs towards a low point in the Seaman Range in the distance.

In about 0.6 miles, the road begins to run up Seaman Wash where low hills hem in the road can concentrate the view in the broad wash.

At about 4 miles out, the road enters the sinuous Seaman Narrows, a narrow section that lasts for about 0.3 miles. The road here is good, so be careful to keep the speed down in case someone is careening down the road -- don't meet on a blind corner.

Beyond Seaman Narrows, the road winds up the canyon, but the walls lay back providing fleeting views of the surrounding area.

At about 7.7 miles out, the road runs up a low canyon and crosses onto a broad ridge that seems like the highpoint. This spot provides nice views, but the road runs across rolling country for another mile before reaching the pass at the top of the Seaman Range.

At about 8.4 miles out, still in the Seaman Range, the road finally crosses a broad saddle into Coal Valley and straightens to head northwest into the endless distance. To this point, all side roads clearly appear to be side roads. However, at 8.5 miles out (just past the saddle), the road forks. Here, Seaman Wash Road stays right.

At this point, the road begins a long, gradual descent into Coal Valley, a grand, wide-open valley bordered by mountain ranges. The road runs more or less straight and smooth, but watch for errant boulders on the road. Coal Valley runs more directly north-south, so the road gradually crosses from the east side to the west side.

At about 15.5 miles out, the road crosses a cattle guard (Site 1589) where fencing stretches east and west as far as the eye can see. This is a good place to stop, get out of the car, stretch the legs, and soak in the full glory of a wide-open basin bordered by ranges.

A bit beyond the cattle guard, the road bends to the left (more northwest) and continues to run straight for another 3 miles. Here, near Coal Valley Reservoir and Sheep Reservoir, is a good place to look for cows and other animals coming in for water. Beyond the reservoirs, the road bends back to the north and now runs straight towards Water Gap, a gap in the Golden Gate Range.

The road slowly gets closer and closer to the Golden Gate Range. When the dark gray cliffs of the Golden Gate Range are almost close enough to touch, Coal Valley West Road (Site 1558) merges from the left, and shortly Seaman Wash Road rounds a corner to the left below a rocky buttress and turns west into Water Gap (25.5 miles out).

Passing through Water Gap, Seaman Wash Road runs west for another mile to a fork (Site 1559). The road to the left runs south into Garden Valley, while Seaman Wash Road stays right, crosses a bridge over Cherry Creek Wash, and ends at a triangular intersection (26.8 miles out; Site 1560) with Timber Mountain Pass Road to the right and Cherry Creek Road to the left.

Continue to the left to the Heizer Ranch and Cherry Creek, or return to Highway 318 via Timber Mountain Pass Road.