Ophir, Utah

[Greg]

Has anyone been out to Ophir? That place is COOL!! I just got back from a lenghty drive and checked out the town, it's gotta be the neatest place in the West Desert. It looks like it has TONS of wheelin potential!! It's a old school mining town, est. in the 1870's.

I want to head back out there soon and continue up the canyon where I couldn't take the car and scout for wheelin trails. There was ice/packed snow on the road in spots up there, so time is short.

This pic is the Town Hall on the right and the Fire Station on the Left-

 

[MattL]

where is this and how far was it ??

 

[Hickey]

I'm w/ya.

 

[EZRhino]

Greg,
Sorry to disappoint you buy there really ins't anything in Ophir Canyon specifically. Been up there in the winter with the scouts, there is an absolutely fantastic place to winter camp up there where you can set up a gnarly tubing hill for the scouts to play on all night whilst you huddle around a fire staying warm. The trail continues a few miles past the town but dead ends. There is one turn off that I remember, and the map shows another one, both climb out of the canyon and access other areas to the north and south of Ophir Canyon (so possible crawling potential there). The one road climbs up to the north and goes to the Hidden Splendor Mine area (where that scout, Josh-somebody got lost in it (in the mine) for like a week way back 15 or so years ago.)

EZ

 

[harkinoff]

Jacobs City was above you to the north. there is a lot of history up there, lots of fun trails too

 

[Hickey]

I still think we need to cover the west desert out there, there has to be a good trail, say somewhere near the dugway turn off.

 

[EZRhino]

Oh that's right, Jacob city is up there. Never been there, lets go Randy, this time you lead.

EZ

 

[EZRhino]

Jeremy, I was thinking the same thing. We (or someone) needs to hike every single wash between five mile pass and Tooele looking for a nice rocky wash bottom that we can turn into a real gnarly trail.

EZ

 

[Shawn]

Originally posted by EZRhino
Oh that's right, Jacob city is up there. Never been there, lets go Randy, this time you lead.

EZ

That would be nice

 

[harkinoff]

probably lots of snow already, that would be interesting

 

[demon jeep]

Ophir and jacob city are pretty drives done them both last year wanted to do them again.. I been trying to check out every canyon that way but still not good lookens but If ya all want to hook up befor snow lets make a day out of it. Now if I can remeber were there was a trail I found that goes to a mine up Mercur mineing road we would be set but can not remeber MAN I NEED A GPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Come on santa make my day....

 

[harkinoff]

did you steal that pic off of ghost town gallery Greg, the weather looks real nice for being recent ??

 

[Ryan]

Thanks for the invite Greg

Just kiddin'.

I would LOVE to spend a day out there dinkin' around. I've got a couple of Ghost Town books that I've read through a few times, but I just haven't got around to checkin' any of the places out. They're both good books though, 'The Historical Guide to Utah Ghost Towns', and 'Some Dreams Die: Utah's Ghost Towns and Lost Treasures'. I remember way back spending weekends with my Dad out in the middle of nowhere looking for outlaw hideouts and stuff(ahhh those were the good ol' days).

The history of AF Canyon is pretty cool to dig into as well. It's kinda crazy to imagine everything that used to go on up there.

With all these old mining towns out there, there's GOT to be some old roads that they used to use that no longer look like roads(if ya know what I mean)

 

[Cruiser]

i've been out there a couple of times...pretty cool

there is a trail i found out there..
if you run allong the base of the mountains just to the left of the road going into Ophir there is a little canyon with a 4 wheeler/ 4 wheel trail.. i took a stock runner up it a little ways(really rocky) but didn't go to far. i think it is more of a cool trail rather than hard wheelen but should be fun to try if your out that way....

if you want better directions just yell..