Prison Hill, north end

Outcrops and canyon view of Prison Hill from its Carson River/Silver Saddle Ranch side (April 4, 2023)

The northern tip of the Prison Hill Recreation Area features a surprising pile of rocks: a stone mound at the center of a spiral path. These artificially assembled rocks make for an inspiring distraction from the many nearby exposed rocks turning your mind to the complex geologic history of the Prison Hill landscape. Prison Hill east of Carson City in northern Nevada is a north-south oriented range of rock outcrops. The northern half formed many millions of years before the southern part. A trailside panel with the title “Prison Hill — More Than Rocks” provides additional details:

The rocks making up the north end of Prison Hill reflect a more violent beginning than the southern end, which consist of granite that formed between 80 and 125 million years ago, when molten rock (magma) welled up from beneath the earth's surface and then cooled and solidified. The north-end volcanic rocks are between 140 and 250 million years old and were subjected to hydrothermal alteration (hot water changes) similar to the Comstock Lode and in Virginia City and Pine Nut Mountains to the east. The granite of the southern end of Prison Hill forms smoother, more rounded, and lighter colored outcrops, while the northern volcanic rocks are typically jagged and dark.

While visiting the Silver Saddle Ranch, start your “outcrops tour” by hiking through Dead Truck Canyon uphill to various scenic spur and loop trails, alongside which you can explore the jagged rocks closely.

North-end Prison Hill: sage brush, canyons, jagged rocks

Outcrops and canyon view of Prison Hill from its Carson River/Silver Saddle Ranch side (April 4, 2023)