Ludlow & Southern

For Additional Info See:
T&T Expedition Video
 To cross the BNSF tracks safely by vehicle, and head south from Ludlow on the L&S (with BNSF work crews watching), we found you have to take a detour a mile or so east along old Hwy 66 to the nearest railway crossing. Then there is a rough dirt access road along the south side of the tracks back to Ludlow.

Once back to Ludlow, we looked for the turnoff south along the route of the L&S.  The old L&S grade seems to be pretty well obliterated and returned to the desert for the first couple of miles -- not surprising since it was built in the bottom of a broad wash. However a bit further east of where the grade was you can turn south on a newer dirt road that parallels it and appears to have been built to access some antennas on the nearby hill. Once up to the low pass near the site of Ragtown, you can pick up the old grade again.
 

Red Dog Mine, Ragtown
L&S Grade South of Ragtown

We inspected the mining remains at Ragtown -- quite picturesque -- and then transferred to the grade itself for the drive from there to Stedman.  You had to know where to look to find it, but then it became more distinct. This segment of the grade is still driveable but a high clearance 4WD vehicle is needed due to the several places where steep bypasses are necessary due to washouts.
 

Some of the Grade is in Poor Shape

The grade continues right up to the mines at Stedman where there has obviously been huge mining activity up til relatively recently, as noted in Delmer Ross's history of the L&S.
 
 

End of the L&S Grade at Stedman
(Large washout visible behind vehicle)

With night falling we returned to Ludlow on the "main" road, sampling the gourmet  delights of the Ludlow Café for dinner.
 

                                    Return to Top
Next Page: Ludlow to Soda Springs

Return to T&T Scouting Expeditions Main Page
Go to T&T Expedition Video Page
Return to Range Rover Expeditions
Return to "Range Rovers" Main Page