Miners Cove Wash Trail

Miners Cove Wash Trail is an unmaintained out-and-back in Jimbilnan Wilderness to a viewpoint above Miners Cove. Plan on about 3.1 miles round trip; one GPS waypoint account measures 3.3 miles, so treat both as estimates. Allow about 2½ hours. The route drops roughly 570 feet to the overlook and climbs back out, mostly over rocky wash with brush in the opening stretch.

From the road pullout, walk a few yards south and turn downstream. The wash starts narrow, with rocky walls and catclaw and other shrubs that slow you; it soon opens and the mountains rise around you. As the wash bends east, its sides close into cliffs. At the pour-over, the sandy floor suddenly drops away. Backtrack a few yards, climb out on the south wall (right when facing downstream), circle the cliffs and continue a short distance to the overlook. Return by the wash; continuing to Miners Cove or down Manganese Wash makes a different, much longer outing.

The overlook faces east across Lake Mead toward Gold Butte. Turn back toward the pour-over to frame the wash below, then look east for the lake beyond the canyon. The trailhead is a wide pullout on the left of Boathouse Cove Road, 4.4 miles from Northshore Road, just before the road crosses Miners Wash. High clearance is required to reach the pullout; 4WD is recommended and required to cross the wash farther along the road. There is no cell service, and the overlook has no guardrail. Dogs are allowed on a leash no longer than six feet.