Walker River Station & Hoye Station, Nevada

Walker River Station is also known as Rissue’s Bridge. It was located south of Smith Valley in beautiful Hoye Canyon. Hoye Canyon is located in Douglas County but accessed via Lyon County. The station was situated on the busy Carson to Aurora Road. In the 1860’s Walker River Station served as a supply store and river crossing station across the West Walker River. The station was also an unofficial post office.

In 1872 Rissue’s Bridge was replaced by a bridge at Hoye’s Station, 1.5 miles north. This bridge was abandoned in 1873 when the owners, John & Mary Hoye, moved their buildings to the mouth of the canyon. They opened Wellington Mercentile in now present day Wellington.

Today nothing remains of Walker River Station or Hoye’s Station but it is a beautiful drive through Hoye Canyon. Wellington has historic buildings dating to the the 1870’s. The Heyday Inn built 1875 is a yummy stop for Basque lunch.

Hoye Canyon is a fun side trip when visiting Smith Valley ghost towns including Ludwig, Wiley’s Station or Hind’s Hot Springs. If you are coming from Highway 395, Hoye Canyon is an easy stop on the way to popular Pine Grove and Rockland.

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References

• Black,Bob. Walker River-Sonora Trail: Driving Guide. Trails West, 2019. Pages 42-44.
• Paher, Stanley. Nevada Ghost Towns and Mining Camps. Nevada Publications, 1970. Page 86-87.
• Yerington Mondays: A Little Wellington History

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