A Day of Possibilities

Approximately 40 miles west of Delta in the House Mountain Range, Amasa Basin is the ATV rider’s dream, with 33 miles of ATV trails ranging from easy to very difficult, beginning at the Miller Canyon trailhead. This beautiful area is home to diverse wildlife, ranging from wild antelope to hawks and eagles. Riding the trails, you’ll be immersed in greenery, interesting rock formations, hiking opportunities, and a rich mining history. Miller Canyon’s old tungsten mine still has its head frame, shed, mine chute, and cold house intact, and miner’s cabins have been well-preserved. Visitors also enjoy scaling the granite boulders, panning for gold, mountain biking, camping, and taking in the views from the top of the canyon looking down. 

If you consider yourself a rockhound, you may enjoy working on old abandoned mining claims around the Amasa Valley for placer gold. Some people find small quantities! A granitic upthrust in the middle of a limestone formation also provides many other rockhounding opportunities and scenic delights. The types of rocks you can find around the site include albite, biotite, diopside, garnet, molybdenite, gold, pyrite, quartz, scheelite, tourmaline, tremolite, vesuvianite, and wollastonite.

Venturing out to this remote corner of the world means the next-closest place for food, water, and lodging is in Delta, so plan accordingly!

What to bring: When traveling to this area, please consider that emergency services may take several hours to reach. In case the rugged terrain damages your vehicle, it’s a good idea to bring tow straps, tire patch kits, and basic repair tools. Especially in the summer, you should always have plenty of water for every person in your group.

Amenities: The canyon entrance offers a modest rest area with toilets and covered tables.

Accessibility: This area offers easy to challenging hiking terrain and ATV trails ranging from beginner to extreme. Plan your adventure ahead of time and bring a map so you don’t venture onto a trail you aren’t ready or equipped to take on.

Camping: Miller Canyon offers dispersed camping opportunities.

Precautions: Previous rockhounds have encountered rattlesnakes, so watch your step and keep your dogs on leashes! If you plan to camp somewhere in the area, check the BLM office for restrictions on open fires. Remember to pack out all your trash and leave gates as you found them.

Painter Springs is a beautiful canyon with pink granite, perfect for rock climbing and rockhounding. The canyon contains garnet, pyrite, muscovite, quartz, gold, tourmaline, and many other interesting rocks, which can be located in the canyon’s bottom and foothills with a little effort. The broader area features three canyons, including Painter Springs, a canyon just to the south, and the main canyon leading into the base of Notch Peak. All three canyons offer a variety of difficulty levels to satisfy any rock climber.

Painter Springs is very remote, but it offers various exciting hiking and camping opportunities. The main canyons have moderately traveled trails that extend the length of the wash bottoms and up. You can follow the trails until they disappear and go up from there to explore. Here’s what you need to know before you visit!

What to bring: Cell phone reception in the area is limited, so bring a map of the region, whether printed out or downloaded to your phone. You’ll need plenty of water, preferably a gallon per person, and food to get you through the day. Depending on whether you plan to hike, rock climb, or rockhound, you may also need gloves, tools, long pants, and sturdy shoes. Regardless of your plans, bring sunscreen, sunglasses, and insect repellent.

Cost: The Bureau of Land Management manages this territory. If you plan to rockhound for commercial purposes or in large quantities, you must obtain a permit, lease, or license from them.

Precautions: Past visitors say the rock is sharp and often loose in certain places, and the terrain can be steep. Even short hiking distances can take experienced hikers up to 5 hours to complete. We advise only experienced hikers and rock climbers to attempt the area with the proper gear and stay with a buddy.

Amenities: The area is so remote that there are no amenities, but there are plenty of places for remote camping. Check the Bureau of Land Management’s website to find out where you can spend the night. The canyons also offer several springs to refill your water while hiking.

The Historical Hermit’s Cabin

Hermit’s Cabin is located in the wall of a stunning limestone canyon. It was constructed by a man named Bob Stinson in 1929, who learned after returning home from WWI that his sweetheart married another man. As heartbroken Bob traveled west, his vehicle broke down near Marjum Pass, just 45 miles from Delta. He located a small natural cave on the side of the canyon, built a wall, and turned it into his new home.

Bob, affectionately called the Hermit of Marjum Pass, made a living keeping the pass clear of debris on Old Highway 6 & 50. He also trapped bobcats and coyotes, mixed poisons for the government to kill grasshoppers, and raised sheep. Stinson enjoyed having visitors passing through between Delta and Nevada and was said to be hospitable, always offering them his homemade alcohol. Once the new highway was built south of Marjum Canyon, Bob had to move on, but he lived to be 80 years old. Stinson passed away in 1960, and his ashes were spread near his cave in Marjum Canyon, where his rustic home still stands.

Although most people come just to see the cave, continuing up past Hermit’s Cabin offers visitors a pretty hike that ends at a dry fall where you can climb and explore or turn around. Please protect Hermit’s Cabin by not leaning on the walls or leaving marks behind and always packing out your trash.

What to bring: This historical site will captivate lovers of history. We recommend bringing a camera! The closest amenities are located an hour east in Delta, so bring enough gas, water, and snacks.

Accessibility: The cave is accessible to those of most fitness levels. It’s located near the base of Marjum Pass and requires an easy 0.5-mile hike to reach it at a 100-foot elevation. It typically takes people 0.5–1 hour. The landscape is also strewn with boulders, so wear sturdy shoes.

Cost: Free