GOLD BUTTE ROAD CONDITIONS
Conditions are subject to change — use your own good judgment.
There are about 300 miles of legal roadways in Gold Butte National Monument as identified in the 2008 Gold Butte Travel Management Plan. Only one section of Gold Butte Road is paved, all others are dirt roads, and few are maintained beyond the Gold Butte Back Country Byway roads. All roads beyond those identified below should be considered 4WD/OHV only roads, and some may be unpassable as they are not maintained.
Gold Butte Back Country Byway. The Byway is composed of several roads: Gold Butte Road (paved section and unpaved section), Red Bluff Spring Road, Mud Wash Road, and Mud Wash North Road. See below for details of each road. There are now milepost markers along the entire byway. Every 2-3 miles are posted on the paved road, and generally every mile on unpaved roads. Watch for the Gold Butte National Monument Byway mileposts to confirm that you are on one of the byway roads.
Little Finland Access Roads. Driving south directly to Little Finland requires using Gold Butte Road (paved section and unpaved section), Mud Wash North Road, Mud Wash Road, and Little Finland Road. See below for details of each road.
Falling Man Road. Falling Man is about 2 miles down Black Butte Road. See below for details of each road.
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Black Butte Road
Passable in a carefully driven sedan. 2WD-HC is better. Watch for rocks in the road. Beyond Falling Man Trailhead, 4WD is recommended.
JB 12/15/202
Cabin Canyon / White Rock Road
Roads have been recently graded for water district access, so 2wd-HC to the White Rock trailhead site and up the canyon to the old mine concrete ore processing pad. Past that point into upper roads in the Virgin Peak area is 4WD due to steep grades.
MF 4/15/2025
Catclaw Wash Road
Marginally 4WD due to deep sand. The steep end of the road down to the edge of Lake Mead is 4WD only.
JB 10/17/2022
Devils Cove Road
2WD-HC to the Lake Mead NRA. Watch for rocks in the road. Better in 4WD or AWD coming back out (northbound) because of very steep hills with loose sand and gravel. Past Lake Mead NRA Boundary, 4WD only.
JB 10/17/2022
Devils Throat Road
Passable in 2WD-HC. Road in rough and bumpy. Watch for rocks.
JB 10/17/2022
First Rock Roads
Passable in a carefully driven sedan; 2WD-HC is better. Road to the large campsite is fine.
JB 10/17/2022
Fisherman Cove Road
Passable in a carefully driven HC 2 wheel drive. A few washboard spots but potholes have been filled. The Virgin River Landing road is also in good condition. As soon as you cross into Lake Mead NRA, there are signs recommending HC 4×4 because of soft sand.
BS 4/3/2025
Gold Butte Road Paved Section – Riverside to Whitney Pocket (GBNM Byway mileposts 0-21)
Road is in standard condition. The fresh patch is holding up well. Watch for deep potholes and short sections of completely washed out pavement that has been graded.
RS 12/13/2024
Gold Butte Road Unpaved section – Whitney Pocket to Townsite (GBNM Byway mileposts 21-41)
Road in reasonable condition to the Townsite, but some ruts are deeper than usual and parts are washboarded. Road is exceptionally rough, with protruding rocks, for about the first three miles after leaving the pavement. Drivers in sedans need to exercise extra care. 2WD-HC is suggested.
RS 12/13/2024
Gold Butte Townsite Roads
Passable in 2WD-HC to the grave sites; 4WD farther back. In a carefully driven sedan, drivers can get to within 50 yards of the grave sites. The road to the mine requires 4WD-Hc and off road driving skills.
RS 12/13/2024
Lime Canyon Road
Passable in 2WD-HC; safer in 4WD.
JB 10/17/2022
Lime Kiln Canyon (County Road #242)
Northern access road to Gold Butte through AZ strip to Whiney Pass Rd. Unconfirmed reports are that the road conditions have deteriorated considerably and is challenging for even HC 4WD vehicles. Use caution.
MF 4/15/2025
Little Finland Road
Road passable in 2WD-HC; safer in 4WD. A high-step mid-way on the road is currently off-camber and washed again, this spot requires careful driving and HC. Lots of soft sand, but when the sand is wet, 2WD-HC vehicles can get through. We suggest visitors with 2WD vehicles access the Little Finland area by parking near the corrals on Mud Wash road and doing a short half mile hike north to visit the area.
MF 11/20/2024
Mud Wash Road (GBNM Byway mileposts 56-62)
Passable in 2WD-HC; safer in 4WD. Lots of soft sand, but when the sand is wet, 2WD-HC vehicles can get through. Wash is becoming heavily washboarded in places, exercise caution and slow down.
MF 2/1/2025
Mud Wash Bypass Road
Passable in 2WD-HC vehicles. The steep hillside where the road usually washes out did so again, but I was able to squeeze my truck between the cliff and the erosion ditch.
MF 2/1/2025
Mud Wash North Road (North Fork of Mud Wash)
Passable in 2WD-HC; safer in 4WD. Lots of soft sand, but when the sand is wet, 2WD-HC vehicles can get through.
MF 2/1/2025
Northwest Boundary Road
The roads have no major issues. Basic off-road driving skills required and HC. Sand is soft in the washes. Sharp drops in the road could damage front of vehicle.
BS 11/18/2024
Red Bluff Spring Road (GBNM Byway mileposts 41-56)
Parts are badly washed, rough and rocky in spots, but passable northbound in a carefully driven 2WD-HC vehicle. Southbound is 4WD only due to seep, rocky grades. Half mile north of the townsite there is a cattle guard with a sharp drop off, notice that there is a short bypass around this cattle guard.
RS 12/13/2024
St Thomas Gap Road
Most of the road is in good condition. Watch for deeper washouts on the downstream side of the road. 2WD-HC recommended.
JB 10/17/2022
Scanlon Road
The first mile or two past Gold Butte Townsite are suitable for a carefully driven sedan, but the road degrades farther out. Usually 2WD-HC to Catclaw Wash Road. About 6 miles out, a rocky wash area blocks larger vehicles, but it is passable in Jeeps and OHVs to Scanlon Dugway. Some drivers continue down the Scanlon Dugway, others swear they will never do it again, not even with OHVs.
MF 2/1/2025 & JB 10/17/2022
Virgin River Access Road
4WD to climb gravel hill past fork with Fisherman Cove Road, then 2WD to the end. Watch for soft, deep sand at the end.
JB 10/17/2022
Whitney Pass Road
Passable in a carefully driven sedan, 2WD-HC is suggested due to rocks on the road. The Aravada Ranch folks try to keep the road graded.
MF 1/25/2025
Notes:
- Sedan: a regular around-town car.
- 2-Wheel-Drive (2WD) high-clearance (HC): SUVs and pickup-type vehicles.
- 4-Wheel-Drive (4WD): Some all-wheel-drive (AWD), medium clearance vehicles and 4-wheel-drive, high-clearance vehicles.
- OHVs (Off-highway Vehicles): side-by-sides, quads, and similar vehicles
