With Red Rock in our backyards, there's no excuse not to go regularly. White Rock Loop is the most…read morerecent trail I've checked out and the difficulty rating is probably fairly accurate if you do the entire loop. Park at the first paved lot and walk to the trailhead, and take the one to the RIGHT (you'll return on the left). The trail is fairly well marked and has decent elevation gain, along with a variety of terrain from sandy and rocky to a more forested part of the trail around La Madre Spring- you can add on this steeper, rocky portion to amp up your calorie burn. The regular trail is a little over 6 miles, but with the walk to/from parking, the springs, and checking out the petroglyphs and agave roasting pit area (by the picnic area), the pedometer clocked closer to 9. The trail is easy enough but the while distance might be a bit much for kids or some dogs. Great views but lots of sun, so take a hat and sunscreen along with your water!

Very easy hike in the Red Rock Canyon national park. Great for families with young kids…read more Met up with a few friends for this hike on a nice weekend day. There is a nice clean outdoor potty at the trailhead to drop some weight before starting. The loop trial is about 4 miles long and take about 2 hours at a normal pace. The trail consists of mainly flat well trotted over sections with very few inclined sections. The view is better in the second half of the loop trial. Parking is usually very easy even on weekends as this is not a trial frequented by tourists.

I am a big fan of the Green Valley Ranch Walking Trail System. It is miles of attractively…read morelandscaped urban trails that connect the communities and parks throughout Green Valley Ranch. Bobtail Circle Park is a representation of the gorgeous Green Valley Ranch Trail system. When I have partook in my urban Green Valley Ranch hikes, eleven times I have passed through Bobtail Circle Park. It is located along the Amargosa Mile Marker Seven SpurTrail, which is a walking path that connects Amargosa Trail to Strawberry Hill Park and to Dos Esceules Park via Golden View Street. Bobtail Circle Park is a neighborhood park that is designed to serve the immediate neighborhood. The ramifications are that in similar fashion to Strawberry Hill Park down the spur trail, there are no restrooms. On account of zero parking spaces, motorists access this park by parking on the side of Bobtail Circle. The nearest parking lot is at Dos Esceules Park. For me, Bobtail Circle Park also serves as a component of the miles of Green Valley Ranch Walking trails. Just like the miles of connecting walking paths and parks, it is gorgeous. When I walk along the diminutive park, my eyes follow the landscaped wash to the east that I follow along the Amargosa Mile Marker Seven Spur Trail. Throughout the tiny park there is a canopy of mature trees that provide sufficient shade. This provides for a shaded spot to have a picnic at the picnic tables. At the northwest corner there is an open grass area. The focal points of the park are the playground and gazebo housing a picnic table and barbecue grill. It is managed by the Green Valley Ranch Community instead of Henderson. I am unsure if people outside the community are allowed to use the facilities. I would like to point out that although I have been to Bobtail Circle Park eleven times, I never checked in there because it was too close to my eleven Strawberry Hill Park Check-ins. I would also like to point out that I give Bobtail Circle Park four stars. I see it as a representation of the gorgeous Green Valley Ranch Walking Trail System.

Although the I-215 Eastern Beltway Trail (abbreviated 215 Trail from here on) has few trees, it…read moreplanted the seed that grew into a methodolical hiking tree whose branches led me to 14 years of hiking adventures in and around Las Vegas. My memories of the 215 Trail goes all the way back to late 2004 when I moved to Henderson from Fort Lauderdale. It is the first Las Vegas valley trail that I hiked on. Back in 2004 this was one of the first official trails in Henderson. The 215 Trail proceeded the local trails that I have grown to love over the years including the Union Pacific Trail, Amargosa Trail, and Anthem East Trail. One year later in 2005, we moved to Black Mountain Villas which is to the southeast of the trail. I remember my time there hiking on it to the Gibson Road Jack In Box. From 2006 til today when I have lived in different addresses, the 215 Trail has always been near to me physically and in heart. This year alone I've done four hikes on it.   So what is this 215 Trail that led me to years of hiking adventures? It is a 9 mile asphalt trail that parallels eastbound I-215 from Warm Springs Road at the west to Acacia Gardens at the east where it transitions into the Union Pacific Railroad Trail. From Warm Springs to Spencer Street it travels north to south then from Spencer to Acacia Gardens west to east. Along its journey it connects to the Amargosa Trail via Cactus Wren Trail and Réunion Trails Park. It follows a gradual downhill slope towards Acacia Gardens.   The 215 Trail is more of an utilitarian than scenic trail. There is a major difference between the 215 Trail and the parallel picturesque Amargosa Trail in Henderson. There a few trees bordering the right of way. On many stretches the prime scenery is a giant faceless wall bordering the freeway with residential walls. Near major intersections, it is common to see the backside of shopping malls. From hiking the trail I feel that its greatest moments are crossing over the Duck Creek bridge, bordering the gardens of the UNLV Cooperative Extension, alongside Réunion Trails Park, the Las Vegas Strip views by St. Rose Parkway and Stephanie Street, and the grand Vista of Black Mountain at the easternmost point. Additionally during a light drizzle, it is a nice sight seeing the adjacent wash from Warm Springs leading into Duck fill up with water.   When I hike on this trail it is usually in conjunction with a system of trails and roads. Much to my regret, it will be impossible to explain these hikes on account of the Yelp character limit. Let me say that with the exception of Warm Springs to Eastern these hikes are in conjunction with the far more scenic Amargosa and Paseo Verde Trails.   From over a decade of hiking I am well aware of a few flaws. The major flaw is that it is dangerous where the trail crosses major highways along with heavy traffic exiting and entering eastbound 215. Some of these approaches onto the eastbound 215 have blind spots that elevate the danger. Add rush hour into the mix and the danger of being ran over increases. I call these intersections "the walls" because at certain times of the day they are so dangerous that it is wise to walk a block south to a safer signalized intersection. These danger spots include Eastern Avenue, St. Rose Parkway, Stephanie Street, and Gibson Road. Recently, the auto-trail user conflict was alleviated at Pebble Road with a new overpass. With that said, I will bring up secondary flaws. There is a want for street lights along the majority of the right of way. The only section with street lights that I am aware of is the short stretch bordering Réunion Trails Park. Currently there is the situation of a gap between St. Rose and Green Valley Parkways in the backyard of Green Valley Ranch. It is my understanding that the gap will be complete by 2020. Then there is the issue of maintenance. From Windmill to Eastern, graffiti and stickers obliterate the majority of signs. Quite a few of the same businesses that are attractive from the parking lots of Henderson and Paradise show their unsightly side to the 215 Trail user. Lastly there is little shade. Approaching the Yelp character limit, I will emphasize that the 215 Trail is a good utilitarian trail. Used in conjunction with Amargosa, Union Pacific Railroad Trail, or Paseo Verde Trails this good trail leads to a great adventure.

One of the many Henderson trails throughout the city…read more This trail is your plain Jane average trail. It's a paved trail that runs parallel to I-215. Luckily part of the trail has a sound wall so it blocks the highway road noise. It connects to the Union Pacific Trail riding east. It's great for running or biking. I certainly take advantage of this trail finally being opened. The city has installed pedestrian crossways when you come to roads such as Valle Verde. It gives me another reason to get outside and enjoy the fresh air.

Well maintained and lots of info boards explaining trees and plants. But lack of views makes it too…read moredull to be a fun hike. The loop is small or 1.3mi whatever you prefer. Part of Spring mountain ranch state park.

The Ash Grove Trail is a 0.8 mile trail that leads hikers through the only natural ash grove in…read moreSouthern Nevada. It is the home of the Arizona Ash, a tree that can reach up to fifty feet high. The presence of the Arizona Ash is an indicator that there is a permanent water supply beneath the surface. And the presence of the Arizona Ash is the indicator of a diversity of wildlife from burros that use the land in the shadow of the tree canopy as a watering hole to sapsuckers that hammer away at the tree. Most of all, the presence of the Arizona Ash is an indicator of an awesome hike. This is an awesome hike that seems to bring me back to the trail annually. Although the trail proper is 0.8 miles, there is slightly increased mileage walking the North and South Ash Loop Trails that incorporate the trail. With the exception of the trailhead it is unsigned. So I follow the North Ash Grove Loop at 0.3 miles and the South Ash Grove Loop at 1.4 miles. The best way to describe the trail is comparing it to a dumbell where the North Ash Loop is the loop closer to the trailhead, the South Ash Grove Loop is closer to Route 159, and the bar is the spine connecting the two. The Ash Grove Trail is the scenic southeast corner of Spring Mountain Ranch State Park in Red Rock Canyon. This park reminds me of the Magic Kingdom of Red Rock Canyon where the Ranch House is Sleeping Beauty's Castle and the hiking trails are the lands that originate from there. In this Red Rock Magic Kingdom the Ash Grove Land is in the southeast quadrant where Tomorrowland is in Disney Land. It is the first land that I visit whenever I hike in Spring Mountain Ranch. This is an easy trail. As a matter of fact, the North Loop is ADA accessible. The slightly challenging part is crossing Sandstone Wash. When I spend time here it is more about relaxing in nature than working out in nature. It is majestic Red Rock Canyon scenery with the uniqueness of ash groves. When I hike on the trail I am rewarded with postcard views of prickly pears, meadows, Cholla, Sandstone Wash, Arizona Ash, oak trees, Mount Wilson with the Red Rock escarpment, and annual wildflower blooms. My favorite vista is leaving the Sandstone Wash crossing toward a green nature field leading to an oasis of Arizona Ash canopy. My second favorite vista is the high up view of Sandstone Wash below. The canopy of Ash and still water create a New England scene in the desert. In the past I have shared this unique nature with burros. Complimenting my sense of sight is my olfactory sense of aromic plants. Thanks to the informative signs, my hikes in the Ash Grove have been learning experiences. Regardless that I am an avid hiker these signs have taught me neat facts. For example, "the prickly pear is one of the most common cacti and is found in 47 of the lower 48 states." "Say what!?" There are cacti in New England! Then there is the sign that says that due to the natural air conditioner affect of the Arizona Ash, it is 10 to 15 degrees cooler here. As a matter of fact it does feel cooler here. This makes a nice hike in June. The abundance of shade on the Loop segments also have an air conditioner affect. Disparate from the Loop segments, the spine segment is exposed to the sun. This segment is pure desert flora that parallels the Sandstone Wash. This relax in nature hike is where I like to take breaks and sit in nature. The majority of the benches are in the North Ash Loop. There is the price of $10 admission into the park to spend time here. Gone are the days of the Nevada resident $3 discount. It is money well spent. With controlled access and cash flow into the park, I rate the Ash Grove high on trail condition. With the exception of a couple missing signs, minor etching in a couple more, the trail is in great condition. As I get older in age, spending time with nature in beautiful trails like the Ash Grove keeps me younger mentally. This is one of the reasons that I will return to the Ash Grove Land of Nature's Magic Kingdom in Red Rock Canyon.

The Cactus Wren Trail is a 1.5 mile paved trail in the westernmost area of Henderson bounded by…read moreEastern Avenue to the west, Interstate 215 to the north, and St. Rose Parkway to the east and south. The one mile north to south segment from the 215 Beltway Trail at the north to the Northeast corner of Eastern Avenue at Ione Road travels along a wash in the back of the Eastern Avenue shopping centers and a subdivision to the west and a low density housing community interspersed with open fields to the east. The 0.5 mile west to east segment from Eastern at Ione to the west and both Cactus Wren Park and the St. Rose Parkway pedestrian bridge to the east is a concurrently with the unsigned Amargosa Trail in a residential community that is a walkway for Ione Road half the distance. Today I wanted to go on an easy hike. So, I headed out for the Cactus Wren Trail. I am no stranger to this trail. Back in 2012, I hiked on it when I reviewed Cactus Wren Park. And when hiking or bicycling on the Cactus Wren Park, Cactus Wren Park in my opinion is the best place to park. Both times that I visited Cactus Wren Park, there was a sufficient number of people that were a detriment to criminals. The cool thing about parking at Cactus Wren Park is that the St. rose Parkway bridge, part of the St. Rose Parkway Trail, is an elevated spot to take in the Las Vegas Strip in the distance below. In reality, this is probably the prettiest spot of the Cactus Wren Trail. As Norm. K stated, signing is relatively nonexistent from the trail. I only saw one small Cactus Wren sign at the northernmost end at the 215 Beltway Trail. From Cactus Wren Park, I followed the power lines on a bridge across a wash onto a paved trail. These are the power lines that are analogous to the Amargosa gsa Trail. There were two surface Street crossings. The Ione Road crossing is in need of a crosswalk. Especially with the blind spot from the curve on Ione Road. After crossing Ione Road the trail is a dual topography that is unsurfaced under the power lines and a sidewalk parallel to Ione Road. At the northeast corner of Ione and Eastern, the Armogsa Trail reaches one of its dead-ends when it splits from Cactus Wren Trail. Cactus Wren now heads due north toward Serene Avenue and the 215 Beltway Trail at the Interstate 215 sound wall as it parallels a wash. With the exception of a hill immediately north of the split, the elevation is relatively flat. The trail is in good condition. I rate it 80% on the graffiti - free scale. The small number of tagging I saw was on the concrete walls of the wash. The two benches, street lights that illuminate automatically at night, and trash cans were untouched by vandals. The landscape is ordinary. It is in want of the plush landscaping that is prevalent alongside the Seven Hills and Green Valley Ranch trail systems. Looking west, for the most part I was looking at a concrete wash bordering the backs of the shopping centers off Eastern Avenue. The back of a shopping center isn't attractive. When I looked to the east I saw fences interspersed with open spaces. My wildlife observations were an antelope squirrel and some birds. But what about the Cactus Wren, that long harsh voiced singing bird found in the Southwest and what the trail is named after? I didn't hear one. Then again, the sounds overheard from Eastern Avenue traffic and landscapers would block it out. On the south to North segment, there is one crossing at Serene Avenue. At this spot, Serene Avenue is a two lane road where a nearby traffic circle slows down traffic. Regardless, the crosswalk could use a flashing light that informs motorists that a pedestrian is in the crosswalk. A short distance North of Serene Avenue, Cactus Wren Trail will end at the 215 Beltway Trail, where a left will lead to Eastern and ultimately to Warm Springs and a right will lead to Pecos Road. Both times I made a left on Eastern to patronize a business on the east side. It is in close proximity to several restaurants including Taco Y Taco, In N Out, Cafe Zupas, Denny's, and so on. But I just ate and stopped at Seven Eleven for a refreshment. The Cactus Wren is a good trail that is part of the tapestry of the outstanding City of Henderson trail system. I believe that it has a potential to be a four star trail if the City of Henderson works with the Department of Transportation to carry it over the 215 Beltway to Pebble Park where it will connect to the Pitman Wash Trail. Signing with a concurrency of the Amargosa Trail between the St. Rose Parkway Bridge to Eastern would also up Cactus Wren Trail a star. Until this happens I am signing off this review by representing Cactus Wren Trail with three stars.

I strung together three trails today for a 20 mile bike ride. I liked the Cactus Wren Trail…read morebecause it's nicely landscaped and it's a relatively new trail that follows the Pittman Pecos Wash. I'd give this trail more than 3 stars but the trails are not marked. If it hadn't been for Google Maps, I wouldn't know this existed. You look on the City of Henderson's website and find the trails and they'll have a map. That doesn't help too much when you're riding and there are no signs. I rode the trail until it ends just before Eastern. However, it doesn't end there. You're supposed to head east and the trail goes through the Cactus Wren Park where you take the bridge to get to the St. Rose Parkway Trail. Lacking any signs, I did a bit of a search through the neighborhood before returning to the trail I took at the beginning rather than the real trail. To the City of Henderson--your trails are great. You need better signage in this area, more like the Anthem East Trail area.

If you want to hike at Red Rock Canyon on a weekend without the hassle of finding a parking spot or…read moremaking a timed reservation for getting into the main area, this is a good place to go. This is a 3 mile hike of moderate difficulty. It varies depending on which part of the loop you're hiking. It seems that most people who come here are mountain bikers, not hikers. The hike goes through typical Mojave Desert vegetation--mesquite, acacia, blackbrush, creosote bushes, Joshua trees, yuccas, and cacti of different kinds. The views of the Red Rock Escarpment are stunning! After parking, head through the gate. Make sure it's latched behind you to help prevent burros from getting onto the main highway (they do anyway). Once through the gate, there's a second gate. After going through this gate, there's a post with the Red Rock Canyon NCA logo on it. At this point, you have a decision. To the left is the way to do the trail clockwise. To the right will take you on a counter clockwise hike. We went counter clockwise. Going right, you're heading north toward what was Bonnie Springs. You hike along the base of a ridge until you almost get to the end of it. The trail goes up and over the last part. After a short distance, you come to another trail which is the Landmine Loop mountain bike trail. Turn left here, and hike south toward Blue Diamond on the mountain bike trail. On my photo with our track, you'll see a small section where we went off trail to see the old Dodge car that was junked here many years ago. It's one way people got rid of their cars or got rid of a stolen car. At 1.5 miles out, you arrive at the high point of that section of the Landmine Loop and you can see it go on in the distance. The four of us were the only ones hiking. We saw four bicyclists and one jogger. You need to be aware that there are bikes coming toward you or at you from behind. Move aside as bikers take precedence. When you get to a certain place--just over 2 miles out, you'll see the Wheeler Camp Springs parking lot in the distance and you walk parallel to it as you keep heading south. There is a fence here and you need to keep going until you get to a carsonite marker (with nothing on it). There's a fork in the trail at the marker. Take the left fork, go through the gate, and you have a couple of ups and downs to get back to the car. There was no surface water today. You can tell by all the trees and bushes that there is underground water from the springs that give these plants the water they need in the desert. Note: There is no sing to indicate where you turn into this parking area. Use my GPS track photo to get an idea where it is--approximately halfway between the old Bonnie Springs entrance and Blue Diamond. Happy hiking--or biking!

I like to think of this organization as the protectors of Red Rock Canyon. I have known about this…read morenonprofit 501(c)(3) for many years but only joined last year. Their mission is to promote the preservation of and enhancement of Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. I have lived in Nevada most of my life and have been enjoying the beauty of Red Rock Canyon since I was a young girl. I remember when no one even knew about this incredible place so this was really a private playground for me. I decided last year that I needed to give back to this place that has always brought me so much joy and peace. I began to volunteer out at Red Rock Canyon and began to meet many of the officers of this organization. What Friends of Red Rock provides are the volunteers, providing education to the public, educational field trips for kids, conservation efforts and fundraising. They have created a dedication walkway at the visitors center where many have purchased and donated tiles with remembrances of family members and people that just love our Red Rock Canyon. An annual membership meeting is held once a year and they also hold an annual Volunteer Recognition ceremony once a year. When volunteering there are many options to choose from. I enjoy Trail Monitoring which consists of me hiking the trail looking for any obstacles that might be blocking the trail as well as picking up garbage, cleaning graffiti(my biggest annoyance), and any thing else that affects the trail. There is also taking care of the Desert Tortoises we have out in the habitat. This job consists of ensuring the tortoises have enough water, feeding them, checking their burrows and in the summer giving them baths. Canyon Clean Ups are scheduled often and consists of many of us coming together to clean up different areas of the canyon. Working the front desk offers a chance to meet hundreds of people that come to visit from all over the world and giving them advice on hiking trails as well as completing the scenic drive offering points of interest. Statistically speaking Friends of Red Rock Canyon has - *contributed $2.4 million in direct financial aid to support Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. *provided $8.7 million in equivalent volunteer hours to maintain Red Rock. * supports hundreds of volunteers participating in in trail maintenance, waste clean up and graffiti removal. * staffs the information desk at Red Rock Visitors Center and assists 750,000 visitors a year. *protects wildlife , birds, and plant life throughout the conservation area, including tortoises and pollinators. The list goes on and on of this groups accomplishments. This is truly a great group of people to work with who really care about this natural wonder we have in our backyard. I am very proud to be a part of and work with this organization as well as making new friends.

I have been a member of Freinds of Red Rock Canyon since 2001. In the intervening years, I have…read morevolunteered with Freinds in a variety of areas: newsletter, cultural resources, Visitor Center desk volunteer, the tortoise habitat, and special program days. I have found the group to be my best source of making friends when I moved to this new city from 2,300 miless away. The Frienda group is active in helping support the Bureau of Land Management in the protection of our wonderful Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. Friends has a variety of programs available for members to volunteer. In addition to the ones with which I have helped, there is the Canyon Clean Up Group, and there is always a need for desk volunteers at the Visitor Center. If you don't have the ability to volunteer with Friends, joining Friends is a help. Annual membership is $25 for a single membership. For that, you will be helping the group and you will also receive the newsletter of the group published 3 times a year. Membership has it privileges. This is a super organization, and I'm glad I found it when I moved here.

It was a hot one!! I participated in the Moms Rock 10K/5K, 1 mile walk event by JusRun in Las…read moreVegas! The packet pickup was at Popstroke, located at TownSquare on Thursday between 3:00 - 6:00 P.M. I had a family member pick up my packet for me since I was at a local conference. You could also pick up your packet on race day at 7:00 A.M. This time, the race was held at Kellogg Zaher Sports Complex, located off of Summerlin Parkway/Durango exit. There is plenty of parking available. The race start and finish line was at the same location, which was great! The first thing that stood out about the atmosphere was how much this event focused on being community based and family oriented! Because the overall mission behind this event is to celebrate Moms in our community, the atmosphere was amazing! There was Kona Ice food truck, face painting, PopStroke (mini golf) and more! I thought the actual race was great as far as organization goes. Signs were clearly posted everywhere, and events went off on time. It was hot though! The race started at 80 degrees, and by the time I was done, it was 90 out! Some of the 10k runners ended up just running the 5k and getting their time adjusted. The race path at Kellogg Zaher Sports Complex was not flat. It went uphill for the first two miles, and then downhill. After the race, there was a single flower provided to all Moms and a race medal! There was water and a electrolyte drink as well. Snacks were located in a tent, away from the start/finish line. There was also awards for top finishers in certain brackets! It was a great run though and a wonderful event!