The main backcountry byway is for LICENSED VEHICLES ONLY. All of the Byway is paved in California and improved gravel roads in Nevada. The Nevada segments can be driven by all types of vehicles when the route is dry, but may require high-clearance vehicles during wet seasons. Please stop by the Surprise Field Office in Cedarville for current road conditions.
From prehistoric stories to revisiting the Old West, this Back Country Byway Loop reveals some of the secrets of the Great Basin Desert. This distinctive 93-mile driving tour takes the traveler through a wide variety of natural settings and points of interest. The Byway forms a loop that begins and ends in Cedarville, California and takes a minimum of three hours without stops. But travelers will be tempted to stop, particularly if they are using the 32-page BLM Byway Tour Guide which tells the historic and prehistoric stories of the Surprise Valley, points out the myriad of attractions in the state line mountains (from fossils and a pictograph site to wildlife) and reveals some of the secrets here in the silent Great Basin dessert. Be sure to take your camera, especially if you’re crossing the highway causeway across Surprise Valley’s Middle Lake at sunset.
Trails are closed during winter and spring due to mud and snow.
Trails in this posting also include adjacent off-road trails and dirt roads which are open to OHV use. Please respect private property and travel responsibly.
Nearby services are located in Cedarville, Ca.
For an in depth history on Surprise Valley, read through the BLM pamphlet before heading out!
For more information visit the BLM website or contact:
Download map files for your own use.
From Cedarville, California:
From Vya, Washoe County, Nevada:
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