Overview | Murl Emery Arch | Eldorado Wilderness, Nevada

Adventure Slide Guide will appear during week of 3/1/2026.

This short 4.3-mile adventure is packed with engaging variety!

View the impressive Murl Emery Arch natural bridge with a 25ft span over Bridge Creek in Techatticup Wash, along with a guide in how to get there. It’s only a mile from Hwy 165 in Nevada’s Eldorado Wilderness. See the arch from a number of perspectives and receive photography suggestions as to best positions,  angles and lighting for good results. Then move on to a little-known cave in the hills above, only about 1000 feet from the arch. From below it looks like a large cove in the side of the hills. However, closer observation reveals a 100ft cave passage with light at the other end, making it a kind of “Cave Arch“. Pass through the cave, then continue along the upper West side of the ridgeline to the Southern base of Pigs in Zen Peak. Discover a passage through the ridgeline here leading to Mt. Stocker!

The Murl Emery Arch is named after a long-time Colorado River navigator, explorer and photographer Murl Emery (1903 – 1981). He navigated previously unexplored areas of the Colorado River mainly in the 1930’s and 1040’s in the area of Nelson Nevada to Lake Mohave. His ferry company brought Hoover Dam workers to construction sites. He also developed the Cottonwood Cove area at Lake Mohave as a recreation site. Find more about the colorful history of Murl Emery here: Flying the Colorado River (beginning on page 26). Access his photography collection through the UNLV Special Collections and Archives Guide to the Murl Emery Photograph Collection. 

Views Along This Adventure Route

Here’s a short list of reference points you will see along the way:

• Nelson Benchmark (unique views from the North and the Northwest)
• The Colorado River
• Pigs in Zen Peak (Southern Area)
• Mt. Stocker
• Mt. Stalker
• Lonesome Peak
• North McCullough Wilderness (Black Mt. High Point)
• South McCullough Wilderness (McCullough Mountain High Point)
• Mt. Charleston Wilderness 

The main feature of this adventure is the three destinations: Murl Emery Arch, Cave Arch and Pigs in Zen Southern Passage. The distant reference points are an extra benefit! However, be watching for cool small volcanic arches, caves and coves in the hills along this entire route. Of special interest are the arches, coves and caves on the South and East sides of Pigs in Zen Peak. These would easily merit an entire day of exploration and discovery!

The Terrain

The terrain is all a class 2 walk with few very short class 3 rock scrambles. The one-mile stretch from the starting point to the Murl Emery Arch is on a trail with a few rock steps and dips you’d expect in even the most easy desert canyon wash. At Murl Emery Arch and under the arch on either side expect some very light bouldering. Should you continue down the wash past the arch, expect some more complicated bouldering, but you’ll be turning around at the arch. Once you leave the trail and head toward Arch Cave and beyond, you’re in a pathless environment. It’s still mostly a class 2 walk, though on some steep rock slopes and gullies in a few places.

There are a very few rock scrambles…the main one being the 10-15ft rabbit hole out the North end of Arch Cave. Though it’s a pathless environment, if you look carefully you will find some faint paths to help guide your way on the ridges and gullies…some paths are used and possibly created by bighorn sheep. It’s a fun adventure, and for most of the pathless part you can see your starting point to the West with a minor’s road heading up the hills on the West side of Hwy 165 directly across from where you parked at the trailhead. 

Best Time of Year for This Adventure

Stick to mid-Fall through mid-Spring on days the highest temperatures in Las Vegas will not exceed 75-80 degrees. Mid-Summer temperatures can become dangerously high reaching and even exceeding 120 degrees!

Trailhead Directions | Murl Emery Arch | Eldorado Wilderness, Nevada

The Eldorado Wilderness is South of Las Vegas. Take Interstate 11 South toward Hoover Dam. Just after the Railroad Pass exit, take a right onto exit 14 to Hwy 95 toward Searchlight. Then, take a left onto Hwy 165. Continue 16-18 miles on Highway 165 to the UNMARKED Eldorado Trailhead just a couple miles North of Nelson Ghost Town (see map).

Narrative Guide | Murl Emery Arch | Eldorado Wilderness, Nevada

Getting Your Initial Bearings

You won’t be able to see much from the trailhead as it’s in a pass between a ridge on either side blocking views to the West and to the East (the direction you will be heading). You can see Boulder City to the South.

Start up the trail to quickly summit the ridge on the East side of Hwy 165 where you will get your initial bearings. To the Southeast, that high rocky ridgeline has Nelson Benchmark as its highest point on the right (South end). Directly East and below you is the Techatticup Wash streaming downward through through an opening in the hills ahead. Further to your left (Northeast) are the light-colored ridges of Pigs in Zen Peak. You might be able to make out the Southernmost pig formation on the right (South) end of Pigs in Zen Peak.

You can see most of the entire adventure route from where you are standing on the ridge above Hwy 165. The adventure route will take you down Techatticup Wash to an opening in the hills ahead where you will find the Murl Emery Arch. From there you will ascend the hills on the left (North) side of the wash and pass through the little-known Arch Cave. Emerging from the North (left) end of Arch Cave you will continue along the upper ridgeline to the South end of Pigs in Zen Peak where you’ll find a passage through that ridgeline leading to the beautiful Mt. Stocker. At the summit of that passage, you’ll turn around, making a quick streamlined descent along gradual ridges and washes back to Techatticup Wash and the starting point trailhead.

Trailhead to the Murl Emery Arch

From the ridge above Hwy 165 descend along the Techatticup Wash trail for one mile to the Murl Emery Arch. There are no real barriers along the trail, just a few steps downward in places where the action of water passed over rocks and dropped a couple feet to the next lower levels. Here are a few things to note along the way:

• Two Small Volcanic Arches: About half-way down toward the Murl Emery Arch you’ll pass a couple small but beautiful volcanic arches.
• Side Washes: There are a number of side washes that branch off to the right and the left. You can find additional small arches and cool volcanic formations in the off-branching side washes.
• Wash and Ridges Toward Mt. Stocker: You’ll pass the most streamlined route to your left toward the South end of Pigs in Zen Peak and Mt. Stocker. See the map on this page. 
• Huge Hanging House-Sized Boulder: You’ll pass under this well balanced boulder, but hold your breath!
• Arch Cave in the Hills Ahead: Notice a large cave-like opening in the brownish hills ahead to your left. That’s the opening of Arch Cave.
• Approach Ridge to Nelson Benchmark: To your right, near the House-Sized Boulder, the ridgeline ascending from the trail is a Northern route to Nelson Benchmark.

Only about 1,000ft beyond the House-Sized Boulder, the Techatticup Wash narrows as it begins to pass through a channel formed by tall hills to the right and to the left. The trail now weaves through an increasing number of large boulders that must have fallen from the heights above. Just as the trail begins to become primarily huge boulders, yet still a trail, look up to see the spectacular Murl Emery Arch ahead, gracefully spanning the distance between the hills on either side of the wash.

Finding the Best Photo Opportunities at the Murl Emery Arch

The Murl Emery Arch with its spectacular, graceful 25ft span begs to be photographed. But there are a few challenges:

• Finding the best position: There is no obvious position on the trail reveling a photo opportunity that does the arch justice. Brush, boulders or the sides of the surrounding cliffs seem to get in the way. You need to climb a boulder to elevate yourself for that best shot. The boulders along the trail are slick due to many hikers climbing them in order to get good photos, and there are 15-20ft sheer drops. So don’t be so focused on getting that great photo that you wander off the side of a boulder!
• Finding the best lighting: The West side of the arch has the best, unobstructed views of the Murl Emery Arch. However, in the morning the sun is directly behind the arch creating a poor lighting effect. The East side of the arch has better morning lighting, but there is a lot of brush in the way. So, the best lighting is in the late afternoon or early evening before sunset on the West side of the arch. Since it’s only a mile from Hwy 165, it’s easy to time your photo session just right.

Climbing the Arch

Yes, the arch is a huge, solid and graceful natural bridge and I’ve seen photos of small groups of people standing on the arch. How did they get there? I did not climb the arch, but noted slopes on either side. Search around to find one that does not have a vertical climb. You should not need to scale vertical walls to reach the top of the arch. Realize that a fall from the arch could easily become fatal. So do not exceed your comfort level and watch every step! Some rock climbing or bouldering experience and skill would be helpful here. You don’t need to climb the Murl Emery Arch in order to have a spectacular day there. For most of us, it’s best to enjoy the view from the trail below.

Murl Emery Arch to Cave Arch

Now head back up the Techatticup Wash Trail toward the cave opening you saw in the hills above, from this direction it’s on the right side of the wash. Notice the large steep slope below the cave opening. I found skirting the base of the rocky ridge to the left and circling around to the opening was the most streamlined way up. From the opening entrance you can see Nelson Benchmark to the South and a small stretch of the Colorado River to the East. You can also see your starting point on Hwy 165 to the West. 

Passing Through Cave Arch

Looking into the opening you can now notice it’s not a shallow cove but a 100ft cave with light at the other end! The cave slopes upward along a gradual stable rocky surface with a healthy incline. The cave is wide with a high ceiling, at least 20ft high. Bats live in a few small spots in the ceiling and have left a few small areas of bat droppings on the cave floor, which you can easily avoid. Since there’s an opening at each end of the cave there’s a good flow of air through the cave and no stagnant places. I did not see any off branching caves. It’s a straight shot all the way through the cave with enough light that no artificial light is necessary during the day.

The opening at the upper end of the cave is a narrow, 10-15ft rabbit hole, wide enough to pass through without a backpack. It would have been much easier if I’d brought webbing or a short rope to pull the backpack up after I’d climbed through the rabbit hole. It helps that the hole is narrow enough to wedge yourself as you ascend, creating holds on either side. It’s not totally vertical, but slanted enough, and with enough holds in the rock walls to make it to the top easily. In fact, I went up to look beyond the upper opening before returning to pushing my backpack up.

There’s a small, but nice platform at the summit of the rabbit hole, and that’s a good thing because the slope below the opening angles sharply down a gully. The rabbit hole opening from the outside is so hidden that it could be easily missed if you were approaching Cave Arch from the North.

Cave Arch to Mt. Stocker Approach Pass

The rabbit hole opening is high up on what I’ll call the Pigs in Zen ridgeline. Descend the steep gully for about 100ft to just past a large Assassin Plant (my name for this particular lethal thorny plant), circling the left side of the plant. At that point leave the gully and head to the right (North) along the ridgeline. Surprisingly there are some faint pathways to help ease your way along the ridgeline as you continue heading North holding your altitude. You’ll cross a few shallow intervening gullies and ridges, eventually ending up at the Mt. Stocker Approach Pass. As you round that last corner in the ridgeline above the pass Mt. Stocker appears in all its glory to the East!

The approach pass itself is a gradual descent to the base of Mt. Stocker. There’s even a pathway through the pass. I stayed just above the pass, on the South side, to look around and plan for a return adventure with Mt. Stocker as the destination. The view through the pass to Mt. Stocker and beyond is incredible. Mt. Stocker itself is a long ridge topped with spires giving it a kind of medieval look. You might notice a few potential approach gullies to its summit. The upper edge of Mt. Stalker is visible beyond to the right (South), lurking, or “stalking” in the background. The nice wide canyon at the base of Mt. Stocker looks like it leads down to Lonesome Wash, Lonesome Peak and North Lonesome Peak can be seen to the NNE. Peak 3510 can be seen to the NE, and far beyond are Arizona’s Black Mountains with Mt. Wilson as their high point.

Don’t forget to study the hills at the Southern tip of Pigs in Zen Peak directly across the Mt. Stocker Approach Pass. There are some cool cave openings and arches scattered throughout that might merit a day of exploration!

Streamlined Route Back to Highway 165

I wanted to discover a streamlined route back to Highway 165 in order to return to the Mt. Stocker Approach Pass with enough time leftover to summit Mt. Stocker and possibly Mt. Stalker. Angling back down the intervening ridges and gullies to the Techatticup Wash Trail was surprisingly fast and easy, and I was back at the starting point on Highway 165 in less than 30 minutes!