1972 Map of Bell Canyon

About this map

The Nevada Hills Mine and its accompanying tailings define the northern slopes of this desert landscape, where historical mining activity meets modern military utility. During the early 1970s, this area of Churchill County was characterized by a concentration of silver and gold prospects, including the Mizpah Mine, Gold Coin Mine, and Bell Mountain Mine. These sites are linked by a network of four-wheel-drive trails that navigate the steep terrain between Fairview Peak and Slate Mountain. The western portion of the map is dominated by the Fairview Valley, a broad depression largely occupied by the U S Naval Reservation (Target Area). Geologic features are prominent throughout, with numerous fault lines bisecting the mountains and several prospect locations near the drainage of Bell Canyon, which terminates in the alkaline expanse of Bell Flat and the Bell-Flat Well.