Silver Creek Road
Take an easy ride on this short but scenic trail connecting Oatman to Bullhead City. Pass numerous old mines including the active Homestake Mine which offers tours on some weekends.
Where to go:
From Oatman, head north on Route 66 for 1.1 miles. Turn left onto Silver Creek Road at mile marker 26. The road immediately turns to dirt. Parking/staging available on the left. From Bullhead City, head east on Bullhead City Parkway. The road turns south and after 5.0 miles, turn left at the light onto Silver Creek Road. The road immediately turns to dirt.
Trail Description:
From Route 66 north of Oatman, head northwest on Silver Springs Road as the road immediately curves right. The road remains wide and graded for its entire length. Pass an old mine off to the left at 0.6 miles. More mining foundations across the wash on the right at 0.9 miles. There are numerous old mines along this route – some may be on private property, some are right next to the road – explore with caution. The trail drops into the wash and then turns west. Stay on the main road as numerous side trails branch off to the right at 1.6 miles.
The road continues to gently twist through the Hardy Mountains before coming to the Hardy Mine off to the left at 3.0 miles. A few remnants and a fenced shaft are a quick hike up the hill. Continuing west, just before 3.4 miles you’ll come to 2-left turns. The first, lesser road, leads to the Homestake Mine. If there is a sign out front (usually on weekends), you can continue south on the road for a tour. You could also try and call and make an appointment with the owners. It’s definitely neat and gives you a glimpse into what goes into gold mining today.
After the Homestake Mine, continue west on Silver Creek Road. Stay right at 3.4 where a private drive goes left. Continue downhill passing more mine foundations on the left. Stay left at 4.8 where the road to the right leads to the Moss Mine. Unfortunately, the Moss Mine has been reopened and it appears that all the old ruins have been bulldozed making a stop pointless. The road continues south of Silver Creek where many numerous side trails branch off. If you want more difficulty or more time to explore, consider taking one. Stay right at 6.4 miles where Oatman Road goes left. The rest of the trail remains fairly uneventful although has a few scenic sections as it passes along the banks of Silver Creek on the right. The trail ends at 10.6 miles at a stoplight. Continue to the right for 5.0 miles to get to Bullhead City.
Notes & Trail Ratings:
Overall this is a very fast and easy trail. We’ve rated it a ‘1’ out of ‘10’. Just about any vehicle can make this scenic drive. Expect washboards but nothing more. For more difficulty, explore the numerous side roads mostly north of the road. To complete the 10.6 miles, allow for about an hour. Add more time to check out the numerous old mines in the area and if you’re lucky, tour the Homestake Mine. Scheduled tours are offered weekends from 10 AM – 4 PM. Call (928) 542-3236 for more info. Read more about its history here. Regardless of whether you tour the mine or not, this scenic drive allows you to drive through a very historic gold mining district. Don’t forget to visit Oatman while you're here.