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Nivloc Mine

Nivloc Mine

The Nivloc was first discovered in the early 1900s and worked briefly by Mr. Colvin (Nivloc spelled backward). In 1937, Desert Silver, Inc. built a 200-ton mill here and worked the mine until 1943. These were the peak years for the mine, and during this time, it was Nevada’s

Mockingbird Canyon Pictographs

Mockingbird Canyon Pictographs

Nestled in a rural neighborhood in Riverside, the Mockingbird Canyon pictographs are a hidden gem. Believed to be the work of the native Luiseno Indians, this is an impressive set of San Luis Rey style polychrome pictographs painted on the ceiling of a granite rock shelter. The circles, nets, and

Red Amphitheater Pictographs

Red Amphitheater Pictographs

I’ve been to this hidden pictograph site in Death Valley National Park several times over the years. Our first time was in 2007. Recently, in 2020, we went out there twice. Most pictograph sites are small, and while this is no exception, it is a great find. Most of

Rattlesnake Canyon Petroglyphs

Rattlesnake Canyon Petroglyphs

This is a collection of two very close sites in remote western Nevada. They are medium-sized sites with a variety of Western Desert Archaic petroglyph designs. We have visited the site a few times over the years. The site also has a 1909 inscription by Roy Hunter. The Hunter name

Brannigan Mine Camp

Brannigan Mine Camp

While heading out on a trip to Nevada, we rendezvoused for a quick exploration of the Brannigan Mine, also known as the Oro Fino. The mine is in the Old Dad Mountains of the Mojave Preserve. These days, the mines are closed by iron bat gates. The cabins, however, have

Boxcar Cabin

Boxcar Cabin

For more than two decades now, some friends of mine have been maintaining the Boxcar Cabin (also known as the Buckhorn) out near Death Valley. Before its life in the “Adopt-a-Cabin” program, this simple two-room cabin was once a train boxcar used by miners. Mining prospects were first worked here

Alta Silver and Rock Eagle Mines

Alta Silver and Rock Eagle Mines

Way back in 2004, I met up with Dan, my dad, Micah, Lewis, his son Aaron, Werner, John, and his cousin for a trip to some out-of-the-way mines out in the Mojave desert. Some of these are very old mines. This mine was discovered by Frank Riggs, who worked the