I was told the wildland firefighters based out of Doyle, California had a training hike around Red Rock. I'm not sure if I arrived at the right spot, just a half mile off the 395 exit. It seemed more like a 4-wheeler or boondock haven rather than a definitive hiking spot.

It's about 2000 feet from the parking area over to the rocks.

You can drive almost to the bottom of the rocks, though it's a bit bumpy, and I thought I needed the walk. I still couldn't find an established trail, but followed ruts carved out by years of water runoff.

The aptly named red rocks of the area have a chalk-like texture to them. It's a soft rock, and contrasts heavily with the brown and green mush of the surrounding high desert area.

The bottom of the outcropping is silvery-white, which pairs beautifully with the above rocks' southwestern reddish hues. These parts look more like molten rock, something you might see on the volcanic beaches of Hawaii, just much lighter in tone. Not much traction in this section as the rocks seem to be actively shedding dust as you walk on it.

I didn't try going higher to test out the feel of the red rocks themselves, the sun had already set and I was losing time for a few pictures of the area.

Across from me, a view of the 395 and the Sierra Nevadas. I'm not far from Hallelujah Junction, a gas station city important to Nevada lottery-goers and a reasonable bathroom stop when turning from Susanville to Portola.

I feel like this visit to Red Rock was a lesson in texture. I love rock-landscape photography when the rocks allow for beautiful angles and unique textures that make you just want to touch your screen to see what it's all about.

And there are some rock structures that make you feel like you're on a different planet. Stepping into the white outcropping area did it for me, and I very much appreciate this unique, tiny piece of land in the larger Great Basin.

Thank you for your support,

Dom w/ Badwater