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.

One of my favorite hiking spots ! You can hit up downtown…read moreBoulder City in your way in or out. Either fuel up for your hike or after working up an appetite. I recommend Southwest Diner if the weather is good to sit outside. The hime is good for families, big groups or solo missions. It's mostly flat with lots of beautiful views. In the heat the tunnels allow for a break from the sun and there are cute seating areas for many picture opportunities. If you want a bit more exploration and exertion there are side trails and extensions you can take as well

I've hiked this mountain bike trail twice in the last few weeks and it's a great hike with some…read morechallenging terrain. It is a 4.6 mile loop around the ridges behind the Railroad Pass Casino. You access this trail from the rear of the parking area at the Railroad Pass Casino just before Boulder City. At that rear parking area, you'll see a kiosk which has some interesting history of the area and the entrance to the River Mountain Loop Trail is there. Walk up to the paved trail and start heading for Boulder City. In about 20 feet, you'll notice a foot path going off to your left. Leave the bike/walking trail there and head toward the ridge. You'll soon cross the railroad tracks. Keep following this use trail and you soon arrive at the mountain bike trail. From there, the route is obvious for the first half of the hike. The hike follows the mountain bike trail as it loops around several ridges. After one of the ridges, after you make the turn east, you'll start to see the Cascata Golf Course owned by Caesars Entertainment. There a fence separating the bike trail from the private property. As you continue on the hike, you'll soon get a view of the driving range practice area and then you'll see the man made waterfall that was put in when MGM originally built the course. There are some areas of rough basalt rock and areas where the bikers have put some large boulders to fill in some of the washed out areas. There are some great views of the Eldorado Dry Lake bed area and you can see the solar power plants along US 95 heading toward Searchlight. About halfway into the hike, you come to a saddle. This is the highest point on the hike and you have a panoramic view of the Las Vegas Valley. You can see Mount Charleston in the Spring Mountains on the west side. This is a good place to take a break and have a snack. From here, it's basically all downhill. There are several trails here but if you follow the main trail and stay to your left when you come to a fork, you'll end up rounding the east side of the last ridge and the Railroad Pass Casino will come into sight. After the last turn behind the casino, walk down to the bike path, cross the railroad tracks again, and then follow and old road into the upper parking area where you left your car. Notes: This hike can be done with sneakers but it's always best to wear hiking boots on this kind of terrain for extra safety. Some of the scree in the down part is a bit slippery and boots serve you well. As with all hiking, take plenty of water with you. In my photos, I have included a route track on Google Earth from my GPS track. If you want the track for your GPS unit, send me a message! This is a fun hike with some great views. Happy hiking!

Between a state road in 66 and a highway in 99. Much like a…read moretime when pioneers rushed towards the Gold in state of California. Overlooking the greatness within the states of Utah and Colorado. Whether as a returning pioneer or a traveling treasure seekers. Both pathways lead into Boulder City. A city of historical preservation. Hence the reasons for their main street row of antique shops. Along with the annual spring jamboree display of keepsakes. A theme of finding rewarding things. With the options to Buy for little cost. Or keep the memories for free. Perhaps Symbolic of purposful things as needful reminders. Much like the towns protected horned sheep. A species once considered the last of its kind. Has grown from a few, into a flock of dozens. When I questioned residents the reasons for the towns secretcy. Do they feel like their town is a special place for certain people. One elder replied. "Yes. This town is special. A place that welcomes people who have a special way of finding it.

When your voluntarily kidnapped across the Stateline to go places you will most defiantly be taken…read moreto Boulder city jamboree. Trinkets, old favorites , and collectibles are in-store to remember good times and, funny thing, smell good times. Even if the doors are locked there is always another open door with a friendly smile and a genuine handshake. A desire to see everything, but you can't stop the Sun from setting, however,you can visit slowly and slow down time. Always there are two to travel, a master and an apprentice.

The course here is nice and has different challenging holes. However, there are a lot of rocks and…read moredog poop around. So if you miss, your frisbee might get a bit dirty. Grass here is half dead and not maintained too well. The course has potential to be very nice, but with the lack of maintenance it is getting let go, sadly. To the city: please maintenance this park more like to do to the Wilbur Faiss park nearby. This one has such potential but needs some TLC to be revitalized.

As a member of the local disc golf community, I appreciate each of the nine year-round disc golf…read morecourses currently available to the public in Las Vegas Valley. The disc golf course at Red Ridge Park is the simplest for beginners to learn on. However, the tradeoff is that the narrow fairways make the OB (out of bounds) unavoidable, which has plenty of rocks to scrape up discs in inverse proportion to the durability of the plastic. This course is as much of an attraction for dog owners as it is for disc golfers. On the morning of Saturday, November 4, 2023, I played a round of disc golf with five other people, and the dog poop was so ubiquitous throughout the fairways that it was unavoidable for both shoes and discs. It was especially bad near the sidewalk on the south and west edges of the disc golf course. So, this course could benefit from more dog waste stations, as well an increased pace of ground cleanup by park maintenance. Hopefully, the proportion of responsible dog owners will also increase.

I am a bike trail enthusiast. Bike trails are asphalt ribbons of enthusiasm flowing across the…read morelandscape. They are adorable. Whether they are former railroads, circumvent a mountain range, or pass through the open spaces of an urban community; they celebrate the landscape. They give hikers, bicyclists, roller bladers, and sometimes equestrian riders enthusiasm. Being engineered for bicyclists, the hills are generally gentle, the curves soft, and the sight-lines far. The majority of bike trails are A.D.A accessible which give people with disabilities enthusiasm. In recent years the bike trail revolution has landed in the City of Henderson. The City has been on bike trail building binge. The Bike Trail revolution has transformed the City of Henderson into the City of Enthusiasm. The Lake Mead Parkway Trail is the newest addition to the City's bike trail system. It is a ribbon of asphalt travelling across the Lake Mead Parkway corridor from Boulder Highway northeast to a junction of the River Mountains Loop Trail in the open spaces bordering the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. It is a trail featuring two totally different segments. From Boulder Highway to Athen's Avenue (last stop light before Lake Las Vegas) it is a relatively flat trail passing through suburbia. Northeast of Athen's Avenue, it turns into a hilly, windy trail overlooking a desert bordered by the River Mountains and a distant Lake Las Vegas. This is a swath of open space where the Wetlands Park, River Mountains, and Lake Mead National Recreation Area merge into an enthusiastic vista. I am a bike trail enthusiast to the degree that last Sunday, I was determined to hike the Lake Mead Bike Trail from the Athen's Avenue CVS parking lot to Laker Plaza a few hundred feet east of Lake Las Vegas Parkway in 112 degrees heat. Enthusiasm conquered any doubt about hiking in triple digit temps. What I saw is a work in progress. Currently trail markers are nonexistent. There is a want of signage informing trail users that they are approaching the River Mountains Loop Trail and Wetlands Connector Trail. Construction has the trail temporary truncated at the tunnel that it will share with the Wetlands Connector Trail under Lake Mead Parkway. Guardrails are under construction. A trailhead by Goulda Street that will share with the Wetlands Connector Trail is being built. Makes more sense than CVS. Sheltered benches are up. Modern streetlamps adorn the trail. I have been told that they have a motion sensor that makes light brighter when people pass by. I was most impressed by the connectivity to other trails. In a way it is the bicycle trail equivalent to the spaghetti bowl. In the rural segment the River Mountains Loop Trail (RMLT) feeds into it from Equestrian Park & Boulder City.For a few hundred yards the trails overlap. Then there is a major split.To the left, the trail intersects a Wetlands Park/ Lake Las Vegas bound Wetlands Connector Trail through a tunnel. If you continue straight, it continues as the Lake Mead National Recreation Area bound RMLT.This connectivity creates hours of hiking & bicycling opportunities. I learned that in life enthusiasm overcomes negativity. It was enthusiasm that led me on an enjoyable adventure in 112 degree temperature. It is an adventure on a a new bike trail that I am enthusiastic to share on Yelp. The Daniel. S Yelp 100 Challenge. Review 85.

I was here for a charity event (cycling for cause). Hence, we did not hike, but cycled instead. It…read morewas indeed a nice trail for both, hiking/ walking and bike riding (both road and mountain biking). They have couple nice, curved hills if you are up for a challenge. Looking at the map and the landscape, hiking trails has couple easy and medium level. And once you are on top of the hills, you will be able to see the Las Vegas city overview. Beautiful city line, definitely worth the hike. Bathroom is available and it is a clean park. One thing you should be aware of is cyclist with high speed around. They could go super fast. I love the bike trails and will be back again next time for a morning hike and/or cycling.

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.

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.

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.