Buffington Pockets - aka Buffington Window (Introductory Loop) - 2/6/22

Landscape at Buffington Pockets

Newspaper Rock at Buffington Pockets

Water "Pocket" at the Buffington Dam

Heading into the Sun on the Bitter Springs
Trail Back Country Byway

Lying within the Muddy Mountains Wilderness and just south of the Valley of Fire State Park is a place called Buffington Pockets. Off roaders and hikers alike know of this area well since this is where the western terminus of the Bitter Springs Trail Back Country Byway is found. This road is only negotiable with the best off road vehicles. When we were there, we saw a few RZRs and a couple of Jeeps waddling their way along the rocky unforgiving two track. The club has never scheduled a hike to Buffington Pockets so David Hardy's special hike attracted some of the most curious members. There were eleven, I think, riding in three HCVs out the approaching dirt road. We parked just before the road entered a canyon narrows. We didn't have the best vehicles for the road from here on.

Rita and Ralyn on a Cold Breezy Morning

Following the Bitter Springs Road

Forking off to the Dam

Graffiti on the Dam by a Talented Artist

Referring to Buffington Pockets and according to rocdoctravel.com, "... On maps this spot is called Buffington Pocket because it is a topographic depression, but geologists call it a "window" because it is an eroded hole through an over-thrust sheet." Thus, the name "pockets." For more geologic information on this special and unusual thrust fault "window," go to

https://www.rocdoctravel.com/buffington-window-nevada. Other reasons to visit this place include an old dam, circa perhaps 1930-50, some excellent ancient native american petroglyphs, and a lot of colorful rocks on which to scramble. Our hike began by following the road through the narrows and after about a mile, we forked off to the right.

Dwelling? Shelter? 

Above the Dam

Climbing up through the Narrow Canyon above the Dam

Some of the Petroglyphs

We could see the dam in the distance. Someone has painted an owl in flight on the wall; something that has made the dam difficult to miss. We came to the dam and climbed up over it on the right side to drop down into sand. There was no water pooled in the narrow canyon "upstream." As we continued up, we noticed that there were several petroglyphs on the walls here. One panel was very long and could be classified as a "newspaper rock." Just past the petroglyphs, we turned to the right into a slot canyon. Our exploration was cut short by a dead end. We turned around and explored the slot across from the first one. This one had more to fascinate. Some animal bones and a high alcove above them suggested that a large cat had dined there recently.

David Morrow taking Photos

A Peek past the Main Canyon

Exploring a Side Slot

Side Slot with bones and Cave

We continued up the main wash into more yellow and golden sandstone heading straight into a junction with the Bitter Springs Trail and a grouping of beautiful red and yellow sandstone hills. We circled around the towers and settled in a large alcove for a lunch break. We had all started early that morning and we were ready for some nourishment. Little did we know but that David would take that as an indication that we were ready to stop exploring. So, after the break, we finished circling the group of rocks and returned to the byway. A couple of vehicles had passed through this section while we were having our break and, now, we were going to be sharing the road with the Sunday drivers.

Returning to the Main Canyon

Following the Main Wash up to the Road Junction

Scramble Out

David Morrow found a Nice Double Arch

The road climbed up a hill and over to the other side on the return. There were a few bedrock slabs that presented possible obstacles for the vehicles as we saw with the next Jeep that wandered by. After hiking the road for about a mile, we passed the dam to our left. There were two vehicles parked near the dam with people milling about. Another mile of walking the increasingly rocky road put us back at the cars. This was a short but interesting introductory hike in an area that shows extreme potential for longer hikes and scrambles. We drove back out the five mile dirt road to the Valley of Fire Road in our SUV no worse for the wear.

 

Circling colorful Rocks

Colorful Rocks

Exploring among the Red and Yellow

Starting back on the Bitter Springs Road

Stats: 4.5 miles; 620' gain; 3 hours

Thanks to David Hardy for the hike.

And, thanks to David Morrow for the two photo contributions.

Road Sign

Down the Bitter Springs Trail Back Country Byway

Nearing the Road Narrows