Dry Creek to Simpson Park rigI carried over 5 liters of water along this stretch, just in caseDry Creek gateGate at the entrance to the XP Trail at Dry Creek RanchMemorialsCentral Overland (left) and Pony Express (right) memorials at Dry Creek Ranchtrail-split-and-signThe trail is usually well-marked in places of doubtsign-and-poopXP sign says go left; horse poop says go right. I followed the sign.north-from-dry-creekView north from the trail at Dry Creek. Maybe this is Bates Mountain?dry-creekUpper Dry Creek, just before taking switchbacks out of the canyonBike and overgrowthOvergrowth on the trail near Dry Creek Ranchgate-and-xp-signAnother gate, with an XP sign to encourage you to pass throughswitchbacksSwitchbacks of loose dirt and rock up to Eagle Buttekobeh-valleyView southeast into Kobeh Valleyeagle-butte-summitEagle Butte Summit, looking southeast, from where I had startedEagle ButteEagle Butte, with a very old looking corral at the passfence-and-corralPart of the fence and corral at Eagle Buttevalley-viewView from the west side of Eagle Butte over Big Smoky Valley toward the Toiyabe Mountainsblocked-trailGod indicator I had lost the trailutility-linesUtility lines in Big Smoky Valley. You cold follow these south to US 50 if you'd had enough trail ridingutility-panoramaPanorama of the utility lines and roadroad-to-simpson-parkForest Service road into Simpson Park from Rye Patch Canyonwood-xp-signThe only sign of this type I saw along the trailGateAnother gate near the approach to Simpson Parkhidden-trail-markThe trail leaves the wash here. Can you see a trail marker (wooden post) to the right? I missed it.lost-trailMaps show the XP Trail comes from the east through this section. I found the signs, but not the trail.overgrowthOvergrown trail in Simpson ParkSimpson Park StationSimpson Park Station from the eastlast-gateLast gate before Grass Valley Road. It is held by a nut and bolt (easy to open; easier to lose in the dirt)thorpe-canyonThe road up Thorpe Canyon between Grass Valley Road and Austin Summit is mostly in great shapeLooking east from Thorpe canyonLooking east from Thorpe Canyon over Simpson ParkAustin SummitDropping down to Austin Summit
