Ophir Creek                                                        
  1. DIFFICULTY:   moderate (stream crossings)
  2. ESTIMATE DISTANCE TO CLIMB (feet):   1200 (Trail Cross Section)
  3. DISTANCE FROM I80/395 INTERCHANGE (miles):   20.2
  4. Key LAT/LONG COORDINATES:
    Trail Head (parking lot):   N39 deg 18.306' W119 deg 50.030'
    Crossing Ophir Creek:       N39 deg 17.850', W119 deg 51.615'
    Trail End (Rock Lake):     N39 deg 17.587', W119 deg 51.860'
  5. ROUTE TO TRAIL BEGINNING (first number is distance in miles):
    0.0 Take I580 south from I80/US395 interchange
    18.4 Exit 50 Old 395 and Bower Mansion
    18.9 Turn Right onto Old 395.
    19.0 Turn right on Davis Creek Rd.
    19.3 Turn right on Davis Creek Rd.
    19.4 Turn left on Davis Creek Grid Rd.
    19.5 park in parking lot.
  6. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MAP QUADRANGLE:   Washoe City A small trail map which loads rapidly and a large printable trail map which takes several minutes to load into a separate window.
  7. TRAIL SYNOPSIS:   Well groomed trail to a lake (photograph). Travels from a camp ground with a mixture of desert shubbery and pine into an alpine area. As the trail travels up the side of the valley, views of the Washoe Lake and surrounding valley. Higher up views of Ophir Creek travelling through a gorge. Finding the correct stream crossing for Ophir Creek is difficult. Do not cross too early. The correct stream crossing can be found using a gps receiver and setting up the stream crossing coordinates.
  8. TRAIL DESCRIPTION (first number is distance in miles):    
    0.0 park lot with Ophir Creek Trail Sign
    0.6 trail forks. Note sign indicating �Ophir Creek Trail' and make right turn.
    2.0 note maker pointing up hill to Rock Lake. Do not cross stream here
    2.3 cross stream
    3.0 Rock Lake
  9. Key Waypoint:    
  10. GEOLOGY:   granite. Slides (from Slide Mountain) and stream out flow
  11. PLANTS:   Jeffrey Pine on granite slopes, Quaking Aspen and (lower down) Arroyo or Mackenzie? Willow on streams, sage down low and manazita higher
  12. ANIMALS:   deer, squirrels, and chipmunks
Trail Map     Trail Cross Section     Photograph