Trip report
Jun 9, 2025 — Star Peak is the highest point in Nevada’s Humboldt Range and one of the state’s most prominent peaks. You can easily spot it from I‑80 nearby, being one of the Great Basin Desert’s ultra-prominent peaks. The hike mostly follows a road, which depending on your vehicle, can be a quick jaunt or a longer outing. To reach the trailhead, I took this exit (40.59485, -118.25372), then headed east through a mining operation (40.53093, -118.27595). There were “no trespassing” signs on either side, but the road leading to the peak gave me no trouble. On my way back, I even passed some workers who waved, so access seems friendly enough.
The road gradually got steeper, and I parked at a turnout at a hairpin turn. Beyond that, the road was too steep and loose for me to feel comfortable driving my crossover SUV any further. From there, I continued on foot, ascending along Star Peak’s western ridge. The road flattened out for a bit, where I saw a straight-on view of the peak’s treeless slopes dotted with some pretty cool rock outcroppings.
After a few steep switchbacks, I reached the western base of the peak. I decided to keep ascending via the road to make the hike longer and less aggressively steep, compared to heading up directly. The road gradually continued, nearly contouring, to the northern ridge, passing some old mining remains along the way. The summit views were classic Great Basin, surrounding high-prominence ranges all around, with Rye Patch Reservoir down below.
On the way down, I took a more direct line down the slope, cutting off a good chunk of distance. There were faint signs of a social trail, mostly helpful for getting through a rock outcropping (a short section of light Class 2), but otherwise it was just a steep slope back down to the road. Honestly, I found the road ascent way more pleasant, with nice views north along the ridgeline.