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The
Trip:
Winnemucca is rich in history and old west stories. Its past is preserved in its many historical buildings. There are 30 buildings in town listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Much of the area's history is remembered at the Humboldt Museum and the Buckaroo Hall of Fame. Around the turn of the 20th century, a number of Basque immigrants had moved into the Winnemucca area to herd sheep in the fertile meadows along the Humboldt River. Their influence is remembered at the Winnemucca Basque Festival, held every June. One of the best ways to enjoy the scenery of the high desert surrounding Winnemucca is on a mountain bike. So it's time to hit the Bloody Shins Trail! The bike trail starts on the edge of Winnemucca and offers miles of single track through the foothills of the Sonoma Mountain Range. To get to the Water Canyon Link of the Bloody Shins Trail System, we take East Winnemucca Boulevard to Highland Drive, then turn south onto Water Canyon Road and follow the creek south about two miles to the trailhead. The Bloody Shins Trail was designated in 1998 and completed a year later. The beginner loop is 7 miles, the intermediate loop is 12 miles, and the advanced loop is 24 miles. The trails offer great views of the mountains and can be challenging for riders at a variety of levels.
Unionville was established during the Civil War, and the impact of the conflict is evident in the naming of the community. The lower portion of town was commonly known as "Dixie," because miners who sided with the Confederacy lived in that area. Later, when most of the town's new residents were Union backers, the name was changed to Unionville. Mining was the reason for Unionville's existence. The town grew to nearly 1000 people and had hotels, stores, a brewery, a newspaper, and, of course, saloons. After its peak, Unionville declined quickly and lost the county seat to Winnemucca in 1873. Before the community faded into a ghost town it had a number of colorful moments, including a visit by a young writer named Samuel Langhorne Clemens, later known as Mark Twain. His visit to the town is portrayed in his work Roughing It (1872).
Like many boomtowns, Star City was established very quickly but didn't last very long. The ore found in the area was very rich and sparked a flurry of activity that had over 1000 people moving in. Star City went from being the largest town in the Humboldt area in 1863 to being all but deserted by 1870. Before we leave Star City, our guide, historian Alan Patera leads us up the road to take a look at The Sheba, the town's top producing mine. To reach Santa Clara from Star City, we return to the highway and drive just about a half mile. There is no sign to direct visitors, so Alan uses landmarks from his last trip to mark the turn off. Make no mistake — the access road to Santa Clara is rough! Only high clearance four-wheel-drive vehicles should attempt it. In fact, we have to eventually abandon the SUV and simply hike into the canyon to find the ruins. Upon reaching the Santa Clara townsite, we are surprised by how many structures are still there. There are more standing ruins here than there are stories about Santa Clara. Not much is known about the town, except for reports of a few weddings and shootings. Mines once operated nearby, but, like in Star City, they faded quickly. We enjoy our explorations, but as the shadows begin to lengthen we know it is time to hike out and head back to the pavement. Thanks to the advisors and contributors of Wild Nevada Program #121:
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This
time our trip begins in Winnemucca, Nevada. Winnemucca
was first known as French Ford, named by a French trader who settled
on the Humboldt River in 1860. French Ford was an essential supply center
serving the wagon trains passing through on the way west. By the late
1860's, the Central Pacific Railroad was coming through and changed
the name of the town to Winnemucca in honor of a local Paiute Indian
chief. 
In
the early days, there were two separate communities in Winnemucca. Uppertown
was located near the train tracks south of the river, and Lowertown
was closer to the river. The neighborhoods existed as rivals for years
before growth eventually brought them together. The Humboldt County
Courthouse, designed by architect Fredrick DeLongchamps, sits on the
approximate halfway point between the two original neighborhoods. 
After
the ride it's time to head down to the road to our evening's destination
— Unionville. To get to Unionville from Winnemucca, we drive south
on Interstate 80 for about 30 miles, then take State Route 400 south
for 17 miles. The pavement ends at the Unionville turnoff, and a well
maintained dirt road takes us the final three miles. We arrive at the
Old Pioneer Garden Country Inn with anticipation of comfortable night's
rest. 
From
Unionville, we head out to explore some of the area's other ghost towns.
To get to Star City from Unionville, we backtrack to State Route 400.
After about five miles, we reach a State Historic Marker that directs
us to the road to Star City. The road is not in great shape, but most
vehicles should be able to make it with care.