The combined corridor of Bell Vista Road in Nye County, Nevada and State Line Road in Inyo County, California forms an approximately 27.5-mile rural Mojave Desert highway corridor. The Bell Vista Road corridor begins in the community of Pahrump and extends west to the California state line near Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. The State Line Road corridor continues west to California State Route 127 at Death Valley Junction. Bell Vista Road and State Line Road have become a popular path of travel in modern times due to ease of access to Death Valley National Park.
The original portions of Bell Vista Road west of Pahrump Valley was constructed as part of the Lila C Mine traction road in 1907. The corridor of State Line Road was constructed after Death Valley Junction was plotted as the terminus of the Death Valley Railroad in 1914. The remaining balance of modern Bell Vista Road east of Ash Meadows Road as constructed after the population boom in Pahrump during the second half the twentieth century.
Part 1; the history of Bell Vista Road and State Line Road
In 1907 the Lila C Mine opened at a colemanite strike in the eastern Amargosa Mountains of Inyo County, California. The Lila C company town would be renamed to Ryan in 1908. The community of Ryan was connected east to Pahrump Valley in Nye County, Nevada via an automotive traction road. The Ryan traction road would form the basis for much of what is now Bell Vista Road.
The Ryan traction road can be seen in detail on the 1908 United States Geological Survey map of Furnace Creek. From Pahrump Valley the highway is seen jogging northwest and eventually picking up much of what is now Bell Vista Road. The corridor is seen turning southwest from the Winter Holes of Ash Meadows into Inyo County, California. From the state line the highway is seen heading generally west to the Lila C Mine.
In 1914 Death Valley Junction would be established as the eastern terminus of the Death Valley Railroad. The line was constructed to serve the relocated Ryan Mine at the western flank of the Amargosa Mountains. The Death Valley Railroad was a narrow-gauge line which connected to the Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad. The line operated until 1931 when it was shuttered due to the closure of the borax mines in Death Valley.
The plotting of Death Valley Road also led to a spur roadway being constructed to the earlier Ryan traction road in Nye County, Nevada. The so-called "State Line Road" can be seen extending east of California State Route 127 in Death Valley Junction to the Nevada state line on the 1935 Division of Highways map of Inyo County.
Modern Bell Vista Road can be seen connecting to State Line Road west of the Winter Holes on the 1948 United States Geological Survey map of Death Valley. The eastern terminus of the corridor is shown realigned to Nevada State Route 52 (now post-1976 Nevada State Route 372).
Pahrump would begin to see exponential population growth following the completion of the Pahrump Valley Highway (post 1976 Nevada State Route 160) west of Metro Las Vegas by the Nevada Department of Highways during their 1955-1956 Fiscal Year. The rapid subdivision of Pahrump led to the realignment of Bell Vista Road to Nevada State Route 160. The prior corridor south to Nevada State Route 372 would become known as Ash Meadows Road.
Modern Bell Vista Road appears on the 1986 United States Geological Survey map of Death Valley Junction. The blue pin indicates where modern Bell Vista Road and Ash Meadows Road now split.
In June 1984 the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge was established by the United States Fish & Wildlife Service. Bell Vista Road began to see regular use for those wishing to visit Ash Meadows as well as taking a direct route from Las Vegas west to Death Valley National Park. In recent years the Nye County portions of Bell Vista Road have seen been resurfaced.
Part 2; a drive on Bell Vista Road and State Line Road
Westbound Nevada State Route 160 intersects Bell Vista Road in Pahrump. Bell Vista Road extends approximately two miles eastward as a dead-end neighborhood street. Traffic wishing to access Death Valley National Park and Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge are directed to use westbound Bell Vista Road.
Bell Vista Road departs the Pahrump area and intersects Ash Meadows Road. Signage at the intersection indicates the southern entrance to the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge is 8.1 miles away.
Belle Vista Traffic west of Ash Meadows Road passes through the community of Amargosa Valley.
Bell Vista Road intersects the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge road near the California state line.
Bell Vista Road terminates at the California state line and becomes State Line Road in Inyo County.
State Line Road continues west and terminates at California State Route 127 in Death Valley Junction.
Death Valley Junction is now a ghost town but still remains popular for tourism given it is located on several of the most traveled paths to Death Valley National Park. Most of the buildings in Death Valley Junction was built in the 1920s including the Amargosa Opera House and Hotel which was completed in 1925.
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