Exploring new territory near Pioche Nevada

After a quick visit to Cathedral Gorge State Park under dramatic yet threatening skies I continued north on US93 towards Pioche, Nevada.

Found a nice boondock site that met my criteria of quiet with big views.

Pulled in for a night and stayed five days.

The next day brought more wonderful skies along with rain and I was glad to be parked on high ground watching the drama unfold around me.

Plus I had a great signal and spent most of the day inside writing and editing photos for the Chiricahua National Monument blog post and a short video from my Tubac camp.

I actually went outside frequently during the day for the amazing light on the land.

The skies continued to change rapidly putting on a show that included anti-crepuscular rays.

And a grand finale glow for sunset.

The heavy clouds continued for another day.  I watched but didn’t receive much rain.

However, high wind rocked the camper a bit.

And that same wind blew the storm away in time for another spectacular sunset.

The show changed when a Flycatcher flew at the camper windows several times.

Could have seen its own reflection, maybe there was a nest nearby, could it have seen Sierra looking out.  Just glad it never flew into the window.  I did get a short video you can watch here.

Another day, a blur of motion across the sky caught my eye and I saw what I think was an immature Swainsons hawk land and roost behind a lot of Juniper branches before soaring off again.  I don’t really consider myself a “birder” but sure do enjoy seeing them, and everything else in nature where I am at peace.

But sometimes, I have to go to town.  Pioche, Nevada, population 1400, was only a few miles away from my BLM camp along SR320.  Drove past a large compound of currently closed mine buildings and better understood why traffic had been so light.  Pioche has a free city RV park with water and sewer where I parked under a huge tree that protected some from the heavy wind.  Sites were not very level and I had to move a bit before leaving to get to the sewer dump but only because I don’t have a very long sewer hose.  Across the street, the city pool charged $2.50 for Senior me where I only used the unlimited hot shower.

The other direction at the edge of town provided a nice view for sunset over the closed GodBe Mill.  Without agriculture, Pioche would be a true ghost town.

Pioche city park provided me a free, safe haven for two brutally windy days with 25mph gusts.  Finished a video about Tumacácori National Historical Site and worked on a plan for my next route and possible destinations.

Before leaving Pioche I wanted to explore the historic downtown, and ask locals how to say Pioche.  That started with breakfast at the Silver Café.

Utah State Historical Society

In my head I said “pee-ah’-ch-e”.  No, Pioche is French, “pee’-oach”, named in 1869 after François Louis Alfred Pioche, a San Francisco financier and land speculator originally from France.  By the early 1870s Pioche became one of the most important silver-mining towns in Nevada and had a reputation for being one of the roughest towns in the west.

The Commerce Cottage was originally a library in the late 1800s and now houses the Pioche Chamber of Commerce.  I wandered into the current library next door and spent time chatting with my morning waitress’ mom, the librarian.

Then I visited the museum which provided an entertaining step back in time.

Thompson’s Opera house was constructed in 1873 and used for dances and a movie theater until the 250-seat Gem Theater was built in 1937.  It operated until 2003 when the roof blew off in a storm and is still being restored.

The still famous million dollar courthouse was built in 1872 and next door sits the old Mountain View Hotel, where President Herbert Hoover is said to have stayed in 1930. Built in 1895, the hotel served the lodging needs of dignitaries visiting Pioche on court business (didn’t get photos).

The historic mining town of Pioche offered an interesting walk-about and I could, and should, have spent more time, however I was anxious to explore Nevada’s Loneliest Highway.

More history about Pioche can be found here.