This was a uniquely special hike for me and while I normally hike in a group; I did this by…read moremyself.... But my safety net was I had friends waiting at the bottom just in case I needed help. Never hike alone, folks! The hike itself... stunning. I am terrible with directions and although the trail was well labeled throughout I still kinda got lost. However, there are plenty of people around so it was easy to right the course. I hiked early so there was plenty of shade. This is also inside the Red Rock loop so a reservation or a local hook up is required - I was lucky to have a local hookup and got in for free. So stunning and beautiful. There are parts that are moderately challenging but slow and steady, like a turtle with get you there. Please come and create your own adventure.

I've hiked nearly every trail at Red Rock Canyon NCA, and short of the Grand Circle Loop which is…read morejust challenging for its long distance (looping the interior perimeter of the entire park), Turtlehead Peak Trail is by far the most challenging hike inside the park. It's 4.6~ miles depending on if you don't lose the trail at any point (which is easy to do), you gain roughly 2,000ft of elevation and it can be fairly arduous depending on your fitness and preparedness level. It will cost you a $2 reservation fee, best purchased in advance, and if you do not have an America The Beautiful Nat'l Park Pass, an additional $20 park entrance fee. With the pass the entrance fee is waved. You'll take the scenic loop upon entering the park, and when you reach the Sandstone Quarry parking area you will be at the trailhead. Parking is limited so you're best off arriving early unless you're lucky with parking. The trail starts out fairly mellow, until about the 1/4 mile mark, and then the incline begins and never really faulters. The trail slinks back and forth through the desert landscape but there isn't much in the way of shade, so this is best not attempted in the middle of summer. Southern Nevada summers break records and hiking in a fully exposed desert can become very dangerous very quickly. Regardless of time of year, remember to bring plenty of water for everyone in your group. There are times when you're scrambling up shale and sharp rocks, and the trail will become narrow at times so be careful. Some portions of the trail are loose rock on steep sections so keep this in mind and wear the proper footwear. Because there is next to no shelter from the sun, be sure to wear sunscreen and something to cover your face and neck. You'll eventually reach a ridge line of sorts around the 1.75 mile mark, and you're nearly there, but it gets fairly steep here. Almost there and when you make it you'll be rewarded by panoramic views of the scenic desert cliffs, the Las Vegas skyline, the nearby summit of Mount Charleston and on a clear day you can see Arizona. Remember the summit is only half way so relax for a few, take pictures, replenish with a snack and then head back down. Back at the bottom you'll find 2 pit toilets with hand sanitizer, and you can celebrate having done something pretty cool outdoors just a few miles from the Vegas Strip.

We went on a windy day and although the views are great, the wind was not. We parked at the casino…read moreand they have a nice little trailhead that's well marked. Overall, I would recommend the trail but not when it's windy. It also provides little areas of shade so super hot days are probably not the best either. This trail does have areas of higher traffic. It also has so incline to it.

Semi tough trail and climb. Can get windy and extremely cold. Check the weather and dress…read moreappropriately. I definitely brought my water back pack and did it's job. We climbed to the radar tower and the climb down is worst. Knees hurt but the remedy is Blueberry Hill pancakes. After 6 miles...it was worth is. Bring a group but at-least 3-4 people to help motivate each other. Try it!

I have hiked this trail a couple times now. It really is a great workout with some quick elevation…read moregain. I had no idea this peak actually has a name. I believe it's approximately 4.5 miles although my watch said less upon completion. Lots of uphill and for those that need them, bring your poles for the steeper downhill. There is really no shade on this trail so it's best to hike it in the fall, winter or spring. Views at the top are beautiful on a clear day and one can really see how much our city has grown. There is a cute little alcove in the mountain where it looks like a mini living room. It used to have a chair and wind chimes but they were gone when I last hiked this trail in November. This is the only area with some shade in the morning. A great way to get outside and enjoy some fresh air. Remember to #leavenotrace

Beautiful views! Get off the strip and get in shape baby!! Definitely worth the drive.read more

It's fun and laidback. The slot canyon section is short but it was very peaceful out there. Only…read moresaw to other parties (total of three people).

Absolutely gorgeous Head out there before the weather gets…read moretoo hot Vegas has a little of everything Hiking, fine dining, clubs, shows The options are endless

One of my favorite hikes in the Mt Charleston area. Mary Jane Falls is the ultimate desert escape…read more Just 45 minutes from Las Vegas, this hike trades heat and neon for cool mountain air, towering pines, and a steady uphill challenge. The switchbacks make you work for it, but the payoff is worth it -- a peaceful alpine waterfall that feels wildly out of place in the Mojave. Go early, bring water, and be ready to earn your views. Short, steep, and totally worth it.

It's always been one of my favorite trails in Mt Charleston…read more Mary Jane's is listed as moderate hike and while it's true, it has some pretty steep hills, but the switchbacks are amazingly helpful. Definitely recommend going early in the morning so you can enjoy the cooler temperatures, instead of the hot sun later on. Make sure to bring plenty of drinking water and sunscreen! There is no drinking fountain anywhere on the trail. Also keep in mind, there isn't any restrooms on the hiking trails beside the very bottom at the beginning. The trail is very walkable but definitely no wheelchair accessible! We enjoyed the hike earlier this summer. There was still snow on the ground right across from us on the hillside. While we were hiking, there were beautiful wildflowers present on the ground. After the switchbacks, we had reached the waterfalls and immediately felt the refreshing smell in the air. The water was amazingly pleasant, washed our hands and enjoyed the beautiful views around us. Can't wait to go back again!

I've hiked the Bonanza Trail twice and don't plan to do it again. It's a strenuous hike of about…read more10 miles round trip to the summit and back. To get to the trailhead, you have to drive US 95 north past the two roads that lead to Kyle and lee Canyons at Mount Charleston. You turn left where the sign says Cold Creek. The road goes between the two prisons along US 95. Drive west about 10 miles to the village of Cold Creek. The last section of the road is rough and it's best to have a high clearance vehicle. There is a parking area at the trailhead and a group camping area. From here, you go cross a meadow for about a half a mile to get to the first of many, many switchbacks. One website says there are 80 switchbacks. The elevation gain makes the hiking tough. Part way up the switchbacks, you'll come to an old burn area and you can see how the forest has tried to recover. None of the large trees are growing much and it will take a long time. After what seems an interminable hike, you reach the saddle. From the saddle, the trail heads south in the direction of Mount Charleston. The Bristlecone Trail in Lee Canyon is only 8 miles down the trail. As you start toward the limestone peak to the left of the trail, there is a small use trail that goes to the peak. If you get to the cairn in one of my photos, you've gone a little too far but you can get to the summit from there. From the saddle, as the trail heads south, find a spot where you can head to the left and get on top of the limestone cliffs. If you go left too soon, you'll have a climb up the cliffs. If you stay more to the right, you'll be able to get to the summit without any climbing. I used my GPS unit to find the summit. Once at the summit, it's time for a well deserved rest and a chance to enjoy the view. Find the ammo box and sign the register. There is cell phone coverage for almost the entire hike so doing it alone is not a problem. After your rest, retrace your steps. This is a different trail for another reason. It's one of the few trails I hike in the Spring Mountains that you can see the parking lot for a good part of the hike. That's interesting but not essential information. I would not recommend this hike on a windy day. The winds at the summit can be fierce and you'll be fighting your way up the mountain. If you do this hike, take plenty of water, wear good hiking boots, and a GPS unit for finding the summit is always a good idea. Happy hiking!

Trailhead is located in the small town of Cold Creek, about an hour or so from Vegas (depending on…read morewhat end of town you are coming from). You are almost guaranteed to see wild horses every time you drive up the road to Cold Creek, so be careful, drive slow and let them pass. This is great hike to get in shape for Mt. Charleston Peak or any other peaks around there. It will def put you in check. It's all trail, well maintained, there are a few spot where you will need to climb over a tree stump that hasn't been cleared off my Forest Service just yet, but it's all Class I trail, no scrambling at all. There are 80 switchbacks, yes 80, although the elevation club is only 3000 feet of elevation climb, you definitely feel your heart beating and your lungs doing double time in certain areas. This trail is easy to follow, you will reach a false peak about halfway to the top, and about a third of the way to the top, when you reach your very first DOWNWARD switchback, do not follow the trail, look up towards your left, you will see a cairn, that is the trail you need to follow. This other trail will take you all the way to Lee Canyon, which is another 10 miles. Once you are at the peak, you have a great view of Mt. Charleston Peak, you can see down into Pahrump, and to the East you can see to the other side of the I-15. I've done this hike twice, I don't plan on doing it again. My hamstring tendon was killing me for about two weeks after due to the 80 switchbacks downhill. Quick stats 10 miles RT 3000 feet elevation gain Strenuous Bring 2-3 L of water Sunscreen, even though it's usually 20 degrees cooler than Vegas, and it's mostly a shaded trail, the sun is still hitting you on most of the trail. Bring a lightweight windbreaker, it can get windy at the peak. PS. The last mile or so of the road that leads up to the trailhead is not paved and very rocky, definitely not accessible with a low profile vehicle, If you don't have a 4 wheel drive or HCV, you can park and walk, it will just add a few miles to the hike.

I hiked Gateway Canyon today and there have been some changes to the hike as a result of the flash…read moreflooding that we had this summer and fall. It is a more difficult hike than it was. There was one area soon after entering the canyon that was an easy walk on the sandstone to get to the lower level. Now it's a butt slide you must do carefully. There was some sign that some have tried to do a walk around but we didn't check to see if there was another way. There's a second drop off that is problematic. The flooding washed some gravel from the base of the sandstone. We got around this by carefully climbing up some sandstone to bypass the difficult area. One of our group couldn't do that and she slid down the sandstone and landed on her shoulder. Just a bit sore. There are also some new places where boulders have been placed below to make the step down easier. I'm not sure I'd take friends from out of town on this hike unless another heavy rain changes things again for the better like it did once before. If you do this hike, do it carefully!

A group of us hiked here today but was more of an exploratory…read more This canyon is located in the Calico Basin side of The Red Rock. It is a moderately strenuous 4-6 mile hike. The 3-mile Kraft Mountain Loop, also called Gateway Canyon Loop, circumnavigates Kraft Mountain, that borders the north side of Calico Basin. The route starts heading northwest across desert flats on a use-trail. Following Gateway Wash, the route passes a few spots of easy rock scrambling and seasonal pools of water. Most of our exploratory was on the east of Turtle Head Peak in Upper Gateway Canyon Trail. This is not on the scenic route. Temperature: Same as Las Vegas Distance: 4-6 mile loop Elevation change: 600 feet Hiking time: 3-4 hours Elevation Trailhead: 3,700 feet Elevation Saddle: 4,300 feet

You will enter the Park, entering the fee area and driving approximately 9 miles along the loop to…read morePine Creek Canyon trailhead. We did a lot of scrambling and bouldering today. It took us about 10 miles/6 hrs, 20,000 steps. I burned 13K cal. Just go as far as you can, then you can always retrace your steps. Difficulty: moderate-difficult. Children: No. Dogs: No. Scrambling: 3 of 5 Difficulty: 3 of 5 Danger level: 3 You will be treated to some beautiful waterfalls, colorful rocks and sparkling pools. We also heard grunts, maybe from big horn sheep :) We saw a cool natural bridge along the way. Remember this hike is NOT for beginners. Average hikers will feel challenged. Bring 2 litre of water, small meal. Electrolytes are always recommended for any hike.

This is another hidden Red Rock gem that doesn't get as much traffic as some other hikes. Located…read moreoff the Pine Creek trail head, this is a great hike for intermediate people. There is a lot of bouldering/scrambling and it gives a great full body workout. You should be able to lift your entire body weight in some places, some spots may be difficult to climb. Elevation gain is around 1200 ft and it's 6 miles roundtrip. Not a kid friendly or dog friendly hike. This is a great hike in the spring after the snow melt, there will be moving water through the wash at times. Along the way there is a "wishing wall", don't forget to put a rock in it!