Railroad Valley

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Location of Railroad Valley within Nevada

Railroad Valley is a large basin in east-central Nevada. The valley, approximately 80 miles in length and up to 20 miles wide, generally runs in a north-south direction, with some southern areas running southwest to northeast. The southern end of the valley begins near Gray Top Mountain (7,036 feet) and stretches north all the way to Mount Hamilton (10,745 feet). To the east are the Quinn Canyon, Grant, and White Pine Ranges, while to the west are the Pancake and Reveille Ranges. Most of the valley lies in Nye County, but crosses into White Pine County at its northern end.

The Railroad Valley is home to four separate Wildlife Management Areas, all named "Railroad Valley WMA". Several small communities are located in the valley, including Currant, Crows Nest, Green Springs, Lockes, and Nyala. Most of Nevada's oil production (totalling about 553,000 barrels during 2002) comes from several small oil fields in Railroad Valley, including Eagle Springs, Trap Spring, and Grant Canyon oil fields.


The central portion of Railroad Valley, looking southwest from the summit of Troy Peak.
The central portion of Railroad Valley, looking southwest from the summit of Troy Peak.


[edit] References

  • Nevada Atlas & Gazetteer, 2001, pgs. 47, 55, and 61


[edit] Further Reading

"A History of Railroad Valley Nevada", by Robert D. McCracken and Jeanne Sharp Howerton (1996), ISBN 0-9639119-6-1