Lake Mead NRA
Redstone
If you are looking for stacks of red rock without the crowds of Red Rock Canyon, Redstone in Lake Mead National Recreation Area is your answer. Covered under sand dunes 200 million years ago, these red rocks (Aztec sandstone as they are called) were formed as the sand cemented together over time. Wind, freezing and thawing all have played a role in forming the beautiful curves and caves that you'll see in Redstone's many stacks of red rocks. There is a short mile-long loop trail at this stop, but we were led astray by a beautiful collection of rock hives and caves. From the top of a redstone stack, we saw a line of red rocks in the surrounding mountains, all at about the same level. We spent some time exploring this stack of red rocks until it was time to leave. Located near Mile 27 on Northshore Road, Redstone is well signed. A paved parking lot and several picnic tables made our arrival comfortable, though the map indicated that there is no drinking water.
Red rock exploring at Redstone, Lake Mead NRA, NV
| Features: | Explore/climb beautiful stacks of red rock carved into curves and hives |
|---|---|
| Our Hike: | 1 mile loop hike, easy, bouldering and climbing of the stacks, big drops |
| Directions: | Near Mile 27 on Northshore Road of Lake Mead NRA, signs well-posted |
| Fees: | $25 per day per car or Free with Intra-Agency Annual Parks Pass (which provides free entry into Federal lands across the country for $80 per year) |
| Amenities: | Paved parking, picnic tables |
| Website: | Lake Mead National Recreation Area |
| Other: | When hiking in deserts and canyons, pay attention to the weather forecast, as rain in any surrounding area may cause dangerous flashfloods. Check with Rangers if in doubt. |
Owl Canyon
Owl Canyon is a network of dramatic winding canyons carved by Lake Mead when it's water level was higher. As the water level receded, a complex network of canyons was revealed, perfect for a short hike. The canyon gets its name from the owls that occasionally roost in the slot canyon. The trail is short, at 2.5 miles return and about 300 feet in elevation gain. The start of the trail descends some steep terrain of loose sand/small rocks. To hike this trail, turn toward the 33 Hole Overlook off Lakeshore Road. The trailhead is located at the first parking lot on the left. The unsigned trailhead for Owl Canyon is next to the second picnic shelter.
Exploring the network of narrow winding Owl Canyon, Lake Mead NRA, NV
| Features: | Explore a network of winding narrow canyons carved by Lake Mead and revealed only after the waters of Lake Mead receded, keep your eyes peeled for owl nests on your stroll in this canyon. |
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| Our Hike: | 2.5 miles out-and-back, on mostly flat, though uneven terrain. Initial steep descent on loose sand/rocks from the parking lot. |
| Directions: | turn toward the 33 Hole Overlook off Lakeshore Road. The trailhead is located at the first parking lot on the left. The unsigned trailhead for Owl Canyon is next to the second picnic shelter. |
| Fees: | $25 per vehicle, or Free with Intra-Agency Annual Parks Pass (which provides free entry into Federal lands across the country for $80 per year |
| Amenities: | Vault toilets near trailhead, good size parking lot |
| Website: | Lake Mead National Recreation Area |
| Other: | When hiking in deserts and canyons, pay attention to the weather forecast, as rain in any surrounding area may cause dangerous flashfloods. Check with Rangers if in doubt. |
Historic Railroad Tunnels to Hoover Dam
Hoover Dam is an attraction to many visiting Las Vegas. Built in the 1930s, it was the tallest dam in the world at the time. The Dam produced the largest reservoir in the world, known as Lake Mead. The railroad that carried supplies 24 hours a day for the building of Hoover Dam was recently converted to a trail. It's trailhead starts near Lake Mead NRA’s (National Recreation Area) Alan Bible Visitor Center. Designated a National Historic Trail, the Historic Railroad Trail goes through five tunnels and leads to the top of Hoover Dam.
Walking through the tunnels of Historic Tunnel Trail, Lake Mead NRA, NV
The Historic Railroad Trail starting at the Visitor Center to Hoover Dam is about 8 miles round-trip, though our hike came to about 9.5 miles after exploring Hoover Dam. The trail arrives at Hoover Dam’s Visitor Centers parkade. As we walked along the trail, we saw cars slowly inching along to get to the top of Hoover Dam. We were glad that we took the trail instead. Along the trail was a turnoff towards the second highest bridge in United States, the Memorial Bridge. The sign at the turnoff indicated ½ mile to Memorial Bridge. It seemed like a good place to get Hoover Dam fully framed in your picture. Due to time constraints, we did not explore this route.
At Hoover Dam, our destination via Historic Tunnel Trail, Lake Mead NRA, NV
If you are not so inclined to walk all the way to Hoover Dam, a turnaround after the fifth tunnel will bag you a little less than 5 miles roundtrip. The trail through the tunnels gets you a nice view of Lake Mead’s blue waters. Beyond the tunnels, the view deteriorates to barren dirt and cars inching along, though the alternative of being in a car inching along made me grateful for the trail. Perhaps this is an alternative for a hiker wanting to visit Hoover Dam. At the beginning of the trail, we encountered a gate with a sign indicating that the trail is closed May through September due to extreme heat. Our hike in December was a cool 45F, but nothing some layers and a hat couldn't fix.
This is NOT a warm weather hike. There was NO water and NO shade, so it can be dangerous when temperatures are high. Check weather forecast before going. We explore the dessert usually in the winter. Watch out for flash floods if rain is in the forecast in nearby areas.
| Features: | Walk through 5 tunnels along Lake Mead's blue waters to arrive at Hoover Dam |
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| Our Hike: | 5 miles out-and-back trail to the end of the 5th Tunnel, 8 miles out-and-back hike to beginning of Hoover Dam, fairly flat terrain |
| Directions: | Trailhead starts near Alan Bible Visitor Center at Lake Mead NRA |
| Fees: | $25 per vehicle, or Free with Intra-Agency Annual Parks Pass (which provides free entry into Federal lands across the country for $80 per year |
| Amenities: | Vault toilets near trailhead, Visitor Center nearby if open. |
| Website: | Lake Mead National Recreation Area |
| Other: | When hiking in deserts and canyons, pay attention to the weather forecast, as rain in any surrounding area may cause dangerous flashfloods. Check with Rangers if in doubt. |
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