Willow Creek Campground at Charcoal Ovens State Park

During the 19th century, settlers from all over would pass through Cave Valley trying to find their fortunes. Turns out, they were in luck. In 1872 silver was discovered at the town of Toano, which was on the railroad line, making it an easy location to build up a mining settlement. Miners from Pioche, Nevada came to the town and the Ward Minig District was established. Then in 1875, the Martin & White Company poured money into mining operations to extract silver ore, and in the process built up smelters, which were furnaces used to melt the silver ores. The ovens towered at 30-feet high and 27-feet in diameter at their base. The shape resembled a parabolic beehive, which was intended to "reflect heat back into the center of the oven" and reduce heat loss. To help with this the walls were built 20-inches thick, with three rows of ventilation.  After the mining companies left, the ovens were used by stockmen, prospectors and even stagecoach bandits. The State of Nevada purchased the land in the 1960s and the Ward Charcoal Ovens State Park was established in 1969 as a State Monument, and in 1994 was made an official State Park. Today you can camp by the ovens and get some killer nighttime photos. - Roadtrippers Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park is located in the Egan Mountain Range approximately 18 miles south of Ely, Nevada.  This beautiful park is mostly known for its six beehive-shaped historic charcoal ovens; however, the park offers an array of recreational opportunities. The basin near Ward Charcoal Ovens was a major stopover for settlers who used Cave Valley road to travel from Pioche, Nevada, to the nearby railroad town of Toano (1870–1876). Silver ore was discovered here in 1872 when freighters were looking for oxen that were grazing in the Willow Creek Basin area. The Ward Mining District, located two miles north of the park, was then developed. Small claim mining continued in this area for several years. In April 1875, the Martin & White Company from San Francisco invested money to extract silver ore, bought up several small claims and built smelters (furnaces for melting ores). The beehive shaped ovens replaced an older system of producing charcoal because the ovens were a more efficient way to reduce pinyon pine and juniper into charcoal. The Ward Charcoal Ovens operated from 1876 through 1879, the silver boom years of the Ward mines. The ovens were eventually phased out completely due to depleted ore deposits and a shortage of available timber. The Ward Charcoal Ovens served diverse purposes after their function as charcoal ovens ended. They sheltered stockmen and prospectors during foul weather and had a reputation as a hideout for stagecoach bandits. The area was privately owned and managed by ranchers until 1956. A special-use permit provided by State of Nevada management opened 160 acres to the public. In 1968, the land became public in a land trade. The next year the Nevada State Legislature created Ward Charcoal Ovens State Monument. The State Park designation was added in 1994, and park facilities continue to be added to the site. Today, the ovens continue to represent a unique and fascinating chapter in Nevada mining history. The Nevada Division of State Parks takes pride in the preservation of this park for future generations to enjoy.