Gold Butte NM
The South - Nevada
General information about the National Monument
Gold Butte NM connects Lake Mead National Recreation Area with Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument. Together, they form a contiguous protected area and provide a consistent corridor for the area's plant and animal life. It was designated by President Barack Obama in 2016.
Number of visitors
Best time to visit: It is beautiful here all year round. Because of the location, it can become extremely hot here in the summer months.
Our visits:
So far 1 visit: April 2022
Note: On dirt roads, road conditions can change constantly. Therefore, we strongly recommend that everyone check the road conditions before each trip. We do not recommend driving on unpaved roads before, during or shortly after rain or snowfall.
Entrance fees and opening hours
- free of charge
- Covered by the Anual Pass*
- Open 24h all year round.
*The Anual Pass is so to speak the "flat rate" for all Parks managed by the National Park Service. The pass costs a one-time fee of $80 and can be purchased at the entrance to each National Park, National Monument, etc. The pass is valid for 13 months.
Here are the GPX files of our drive
Gold Butte NM
Description: There is a lot to discover on the National Monument area. The landscape can best be compared with a stone desert.
Despite the relative remoteness, there is quite a bit of infrastructure here. There are numerous campsites and many opportunities for recreation. The National Monument is reached by a very poorly paved road. From this road numerous dirt roads lead to the more remote parts of the area.
We were here in April 2022 to explore Little Finland. While this was more of an insider tip in earlier years, it is now a relatively popular and well-known location. The entire route is signed, so it's no longer a problem to find the place. The approach was one of the worst dirt roads we have ever driven in the southwest. We got shaken up pretty badly the entire way. However, these road conditions are very changeable and subjective. During our visit, high ground clearance was necessary and a four wheel drive was not a hindrance.
Trail length: Freely selectable
Altitude difference: Depending on the path length and the selected path
Time needed: Depending on the path length
Difficulty level: easy
Our rating: Little Finland is a relatively large area with the most bizarre stone formations. You will find countless, filigree shaped figures, which stimulate the imagination of the viewer. There are no paths, you can freely walk and climb everywhere. Even if you are probably no longer completely alone, you can still enjoy nature here in peace and quiet. We had great fun discovering the great stone formations and climbing around between them.
