6/12: Ely, Nevada's Charcoal Ovens Historic State Park

 Steven and I had started the day in the western Utah town of Salina and then headed west to Great Basin National Park just over the state border in Baker, Nevada. After hiking at over 10,000 feet elevation to two stunning alpine lakes, we drove further west to just south of Ely where we were spending the night. First, though, we detoured to Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park located  along a dirt road seven miles south of Ely.

We read that the Ward Charcoal Ovens were constructed during the mid-1870s and were larger and of better construction than similar ovens in the state. Built 27 feet in diameter and 30 feet high, they had a capacity of about 35 cords of wood which was burned for 12 days to produce about 50 bushels of good solid charcoal per cord. The charcoal was used in the smelters in nearby Ward. Each filling of one of the ovens required the total tree crop from five or six acres of land. As a result, the hills and mountains around many mining camps were completely stripped bare for a radius of 35 miles. As railroads penetrated the West, charcoal was replaced by coke made from coal. As a result, the charcoal industry faded. 

The beehive-shaped ovens were a more efficient way of reducing pinyon pine and juniper to charcoal than the earlier method of piling wood in an open pit and lighting it on fire. The ovens also allowed control over how hot and how long the fire burned which was important when producing quality charcoal. 

Building the ovens in this location, close to the source of building materials, the timber needed to make charcoal and within just three miles of the smelters, was a matter of both convenience and efficiency.

After only three years of operation, the silver boom waned, the trees were gone, and the need for charcoal ended. Fortunately, though, people found other uses for the Ward Charcoal Ovens. For prospectors and stockmen, the ovens provided shelters in harsh weather. Quite possibly, some stagecoach bandits hid from the law in these ovens if you believe local lore! Now they offered a glimpse into the past, telling visitors of Nevada's history.

It was no surprise to learn that trees have not returned in all areas but here in the park some second-growth timber was emerging. 

After spending time looking at the ovens, we decided to stretch our legs some more by walking along the Willow Creek Trail. The trail wound through open range dominated by sagebrush and pinyon-juniper trees down to Willow Creek. 

In the distance we could see the rock outcropping from which the stone to build the ovens was quarried. The rock was taken from the middle layer, called Charcoal Oven Tuff: 'Charcoal Oven' because the ovens were built from it, and 'Tuff' because it was  a light, porous rock created from three distinct volcanic ash flows. 

This was a single-leaf Pinyon pine tree; its needles were usually round or cylindrical and rigid. Native Americans used the entire tree. Pinyon nuts were an important food source as one pound contained more than 3,000 calories. The trees provide fuel, charcoal for painting and pollen for ceremonies. The pitch was used for chewing gum, cement, mending and waterproofing items. 

These trees were the second-growth pinyon-juniper woodland after the primary or old growth forest had been depleted through harvesting. Forest fires and insect infestation also cause forests to die. 

The pinyon-juniper woodland and the Willow Creek riparian or wetland area provide an essential habitat for a wide variety of birds.

It was much easier to focus on the bird once it stayed put for more than a second on the branch!

We were very lucky that there was no one else in the park that late afternoon so we could enjoy it in all its splendor.

After walking for a while on the Willow Creek Trail, we finally reached Willow Creek itself as it was the wetland area of the park. The creek played a crucial role in the area's history. During the building and operation of the charcoal ovens, the creek provided drinking water and helped make mortar and to fight fires. 

In the distance were the charcoal ovens we'd seen earlier. 

While most mountain ranges are created by the collision of tectonic plates, here geological forces were stretching the earth's crust, which created alternating north-south mountain ranges and sediment-filled valleys. With over 100 one hundred named ranges, Nevada was the most mountainous state in the US, a fact that blew my mind!

When we had planned our itinerary a few weeks earlier, we'd known nothing of the charcoal ovens and the invigorating Willow Creek trail. We were thrilled to have discovered the unusual state park after looking at the map in more detail!

Next post: Driving the length of US 50, the so-called Loneliest Road in America all across Nevada! Hint: we didn't find it that lonely when we stopped at a variety of really neat sights.

Posted on August 15th, 2020, from Chicago where we just said a sad goodbye to our adorable second granddaughter, Clara, as we're continuing on our two-month-long road trip to the Southeastern states. Please be safe as you take care of yourself and your family.