Fort Churchill to Wellington Back Country Byway

Nevada

BLM Back Country Byway

Map

Byway Details

Designation
BLM Back Country Byway
Length
68 mi in Nevada
Managed by
Bureau of Land Management

About Fort Churchill to Wellington Back Country Byway

Fort Churchill to Wellington Back Country Byway is a 67.6-mile scenic drive on Bureau of Land Management land in western Nevada. The route links the communities of Dayton and Smith Valley, making either town a natural starting or finishing point for the trip. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to make the drive. Typical averages from the nearby Lahontan Dam weather station put May highs around 76°F and October highs around 72°F, while July highs reach about 96°F. Several other destinations sit close to the route. Fort Churchill Road and Buckland Loop are hikes about a tenth of a mile away, Iron Butte offers rock climbing less than a mile off, and Simpson Road is another hike about 1.5 miles from the byway.

Scenic byway data: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration

Facts about this place

When to go

Best time to go: Mar–May. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 61–76°F and lows of 34–48°F.

Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Lahontan Dam, NV weather station, 16 mi away. High / low in °F.

  1. Jan47° high25° low
  2. Feb53° high28° low
  3. Mar61° high34° low
  4. Apr67° high40° low
  5. May76° high48° low
  6. Jun87° high57° low
  7. Jul96° high66° low
  8. Aug94° high64° low
  9. Sep86° high54° low
  10. Oct72° high42° low
  11. Nov57° high31° low
  12. Dec46° high24° low

Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020

Where it is

Towns along the route
Dayton · Smith Valley

Source: USGS GNIS populated places

Nearby

Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 2 miles of the route, PostGIS distance)