Geological Time, p. 20
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Mica in High Rock Canyon

The High Rock Canyon / Black Rock Desert Wilderness Area was created as one of President Clinton’s parting shots before leaving the White House, a fact that doesn’t sit well with the local libertarian landowners who subscribe to Range magazine. From their point of view, regardless of the recreational and historical value of the property, Nevada has done its bit to provide a backyard for the rest of the country.
After all, 83% of the state is now in federal hands. However they would agree that it is an area of pristine awe-inspiring vistas, rolling rocky hills flanked by towering cliffs with narrow-walled canyons. The routes through this area are now marked with signs protecting the off-road landscape from all mechanized traffic.

 
The historical value of the High Rock Canyon area stems from a 19th century scam, the Applegate-Lassen Emigrant Trail, which passes through the canyon. After acquiring property along the route which they planned to sell at great profit, the eponymous entrepreneurs offered to send emigrants to Oregon on a path that would save them many days of travel. In truth, their trail added not only 200 miles, but also a trek through the unforgiving Black Rock Desert.
Along the way many emigrants left their marks in graffiti carved into the canyon walls.

There is a note left by an emigrant at the base of
this canyon wall. Click on the red target to
read the note.
Today you can still find wagon-wheel ruts worn into the rock from the more than 1,500 covered wagons which made the trip during the gold rush from 1849 to 1852. The apocryphal tale says that the route was so littered with the fallen that pioneers could travel the trail without touching the ground, walking instead on the carcasses of dead animals.

 
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