Bitter Springs Backcountry Byway

The Bitter Springs Backcountry Byway is a 28-mile trip around the foothills of the Muddy Mountains. The route begins about 2.5 miles from the Valley of Fire State Park exit on Interstate 15, about 40 miles north of Las Vegas. The route travels past abandoned borax mining operations and through several dry washes to end on North Shore Drive in Lake Mead National Recreation Area, right across the road from the Jimbilnan Wilderness. Along the way you'll be able to see lots of desert wildlife and gold and red sandstone formations as you look out for intermittent stream flows and a crossing of the Old Spanish Trail. The last 5 miles of the byway should be accessed by high clearance 4WD vehicles only. Primitive camping is available along the byway but be careful of open mine shafts and tunnels. Access to the Muddy Mountains Wilderness is reasonably easy from the byway.