Ward Charcoal Ovens State Park

About Ward Charcoal Ovens State Park

South of the coal furnace, the latite tuff used to build charcoal stoves is embedded with material from the early history of South Carolina's first charcoal production. Throughout the park, there are outstanding geological features, such as the South Point Formation and the North Point Tuff Formation.

The tuff contains visible honey crystals - yellow spheres, and the mountain to the west is fed by snow-capped mountains penetrating it.

The perennial creek provides ample fish habitat, and Willow Creek is popular with locals. In the early 20th century, a small reservoir was built on the banks of Willow Creek, which was formerly the main source of water for the Willow River and its tributaries. The earth dam was classified as unstable and destroyed in 1972, but not before it was built on the creek.

At Willow Creek, the lush vegetation along the river is characterized by lush meadows, pastures, pastures and wildflowers. The vegetation communities in the park include a variety of tree species, shrubs, grasses, trees and shrubs, as well as a large number of birds, reptiles, amphibians, birds of prey and mammals. This park is home to a diverse wildlife and the animals found here are a mix of native and non-native species such as deer, elk, coyotes, wolves, bears, foxes and other wildlife.

The Ward Mining District north of the park was discovered by Thomas Ward in 1872 and the Ward County mines were mainly controlled by the Martin and White Company of San Francisco. The most famous was the Paymaster Mine, which became the leading producer in White Pine County during the boom years in Ward.

Early silver production necessitated the production of charcoal for the smelters that processed the ore, and so in 1872 and 1873 six coal furnaces were built in the park, producing charcoal in the smelter. The beehive ovens in the form of ovens were designed to replace the Italian open-cast mining system, as they were the only way to reduce coniferous juniper in usable fuel. Swiss and Italian coal miners built the kilns, and each kiln was made of quartz-latite-welded tuff extracted from the surrounding area.

The parabolic shape of the hives reflected heat back to the middle, and the vents at the bottom of each furnace allowed for fine temperature adjustment.

Some types of wood were used for the stoves, including pine, juniper, oak and aspen. Each coal furnace produced 30 bushels of charcoal per line, with a maximum capacity of 30,000 litres per day.
The problem with the stoves was their durability, and when the wood source for the stoves was exhausted, the value of the yield was overshadowed by the transport costs. From there, the wood had to be transported to the kiln site, which was then destined for use in the kiln.

At the foot of the furnace, the furnace is 30 'high and 27' in diameter, and the walls are surrounded by vents used to control draughts.

The 35 rope kilns take 13 days to be filled, burned and emptied, with a maximum capacity of 1,500 tons of coal per day, according to the National Park Service.

Historians disagree on how long Ward's coal furnace was in operation, but it is highly likely that it had to have been in operation since the Martin White smelter closed in 1879. After all, the coal stoves at the station in and around the station have served various purposes. The stove is able to load wood up to the top of its high floor, where it has been bolted. After ore was depleted in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, coal barns were mined in favor of more efficient production methods.

It had a reputation as a hideout for stagecoaches and bandits, sheltering cattle dealers and gold miners in bad weather and hosting ovens. The Nevada Division of State Parks is confident that Ward's continued interpretation and preservation of Coal Ovens State Park will benefit future generations.

Ward Charcoal Ovens is the only state park in Nevada that offers yurts for a unique camping experience. The yurt is located in a remote part of the park, which can be reached by ATV, mountain bike or on foot, and the view of the surrounding mountains is breathtaking. Yurts are available for $5 per person, per night or $10 per day for up to four people.

Willow Creek Campground is the only campsite in Ward Charcoal Ovens State Park with drinking water. Drinking water is available from May to September via a hydrant at the campsite entrance. It has already been reported that the Weidenbach is under construction to improve the habitat for fish in the stream, but no work is currently being done to achieve this.

The willow stream is a stock of brown trout and brown trout, and information about licenses is available in the current Nevada regulatory books. The creek is small, but offers fun and challenges, especially for those who are interested in water sports, such as kayaking, rafting or canoeing.

The park offers a network of several kilometres of hiking trails with different views and ecotypes.

The paths cover thousands of hectares of land managed by the BLM, and there is a lookout trail that leads to two or two rocky promontories with a magnificent view of the valley. ATV, OHV and Multiuse Trail, which runs through the park for several kilometers, as well as a trail for mountain bikers, hiking and cross-country skiing.