Park Range (Nevada)

Park Range

location of Park Range in Nevada [1]

Highest point
Peak Unnamed peak[2]
Elevation 2,783 m (9,131 ft)
Coordinates 38°51′38″N 116°11′14″W / 38.86056°N 116.18722°W / 38.86056; -116.18722
Dimensions
Length 10.7 mi (17.2 km) NNE - SSW
Width 7.2 mi (11.6 km) WNW - ESE
Geography
Country United States
State Nevada
District Nye County
Range coordinates 38°53′28″N 116°09′28″W / 38.891°N 116.1578°W / 38.891; -116.1578Coordinates: 38°53′28″N 116°09′28″W / 38.891°N 116.1578°W / 38.891; -116.1578
Topo map USGS Park Mountain

The Park Range is a mountain range in northeast Nye County, Nevada about 40 miles south of Eureka. The Antelope Range lies to the northwest and the Little Smoky Valley lies to the northeast. The Big Sand Springs Valley and the Pancake Range are to the east. The Hot Creek Range is to the southwest.[2][3]

Peaks include an unnamed peak in the south end of the range at 9,131 ft (2,783 m) and Park Mountain in the north end of the range at 9,058 ft (2,761 m).[2] Andesite Ridge (peak elevation 8,045 ft (2,452 m)) runs adjacent and parallel to the southeast side of the range, separated from the range by Prichards Canyon.[2] Historic Summit Station, Prichards Station and Hicks Station were on the roads east, south and west of the range respectively.[3]

Wilderness study area

The Park Range Wilderness Study Area encompasses almost all of the range.[3] The range is rugged and ungrazed by livestock with natural meadows with good water sources existing in the volcanic bedrock. Forests of pinyon pine, juniper and mountain mahogany occur in the range.[4]

Geology

The range is typical of the Basin and Range in Nevada. It is bounded by high angle faults on all sides. Most of the range consists of Oligocene rhyolitic to latitic volcanic flows and pyroclastic deposits along with some andesites. The volcanic rock layers are tilted to the west with a dip of about 20° to the east. At the north end of the range Paleozoic sedimentary rocks including Ordovician Goodwin Limestone and Silurian Devils Gate Limestone are found along with other sedimentary rocks as fault blocks within the volcanic rocks. The block of Paleozoic sediments have been prospected for epithermal (hot spring associated) gold as has the Andesite Ridge area which lies just to the southeast of the main range.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "Park Range". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2009-05-04.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Mount Jefferson, Nevada, 30x60 Minute Topographic Quadrangle, USGS, 1978
  3. 1 2 3 Nevada Atlas and Gazeteer, DeLorme, 8th ed. 2012, pp. 47 and 55 ISBN 978-0-89933-334-2
  4. ↑ Park Range Wilderness Study Area, Friends of Nevada Wilderness
  5. ↑ Mineral Resources of the Park Range Wilderness Study Area, Nye County, Nevada, Mineral Land Assessment 25-86 1986 Open File Report, US Bureau of Mines


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