Tune up your 4-wheel drive vehicle, pack some extra water and a spare tire, and embark on an adventure through the topmost corners of California and Nevada. Buckhorn Back Country Byway takes you through some famous sites in the area. Visit herds of wild horses and burros, spot rare waterfowl, and admire some attractions deemed worthy of protection by the BLM.

During wet months, you'll notice flocks of migratory birds stopping in at several wet-weather lakes just off the byway. Cross through Twin Peaks Wild Horse and Burro Management Area and catch a glimpse of the animals among juniper and sagebrush. Your trip may be punctuated by the majestic sight of pronghorn antelope sprinting across the landscape at speeds of up to sixty miles per hour.

Also, a rugged stand of Ponderosa Pine has managed to live in the hot sands in the Pine Dunes Research Natural Area, just off the byway. Within these protected acres the noble pines stand out in contrast to the dunes surrounding them.

Navigating the Byway:

• The Buckhorn Backcountry Byway begins on State Route 447 at the edge of Duck Flat about 40 miles northwest of Gerlach in Nevada.
• The single-lane gravel road climbs to a high plateau of sagebrush-covered undulating hills and intermittent lakes.
• Travelers can see the peaks of the South Warner Mountains to the north.
• The byway ends at Ravendale, California on U.S. 395 between Susanville and Alturas, Calif.