Acastus Trail
(Spring Mountains NRA)
Acastus Trail - This easy to moderate trail is most often started at the Spring Mountains Gateway Visitor Center. After enjoying the interesting exhibits inside, start the hike by descending the hill behind the building. The trail follows along the wash going up Kyle Canyon with a turnaround point at the Fletcher Canyon Trailhead. The trail is named for the Spring Mountains Acastus Checkerspot Butterfly that is only found in this area. The out and back hike is 4 miles with 400 feet in elevation gain.
Africa Loop
(Valley of Fire State Park)
Africa Loop - This 5 mile loop in the Valley of Fire State Park starts at the Parking Lot #3 Trailhead, climbs to the top of Fault Mesa and drops into the Drop Slot where the fun really begins! Next, the route utilizes three different washes to reach an impressive rise named Black Cap. After a visit to the White Nipple, the route passes the Fire Wave and returns to the trailhead with 1100 feet of total elevation gain.
Angel Pass / 5 Stop Hill Loop
(Red Rock Canyon NCA)
Angel Pass / 5 Stop Hill Loop - This beautiful red rock tour begins at the trailhead located at the end of Sandstone Drive in Calico Basin. The route climbs over the red rock pass known as Angel Pass or Red Springs Pass, then takes the Grand Circle Trail up to Sandstone Quarry. Here, the Rattlesnake Trail is taken all the way down to the trail that climbs up to the Kraft Mountain saddle. It returns down 5 Stop Hill to the parking lot. This moderately strenuous loop is 6 miles with 1400 feet of elevation gain.
Angel Peak
(Spring Mountains NRA)
Angel Peak - Angel Peak is a difficult peak to reach in the Spring Mountains because it is located out on a ridge in the middle of steep foothills and bordered by the Spring Mountain Youth Camp facility which is secured. Although many routes have been used, one route stands out as the shortest with the least amount of work. Begin at the Juniper Trailhead on Lucky Strike Road turning off of Highway 158. Begin dropping down into the first wash of the Showgirl Trail then descend until reaching a main canyon floor below the facility. The first major ravine on the opposite side of this canyon will provide several different ways to bushwhack to the ridge where you will find the Wooden Pole Powerline Road, a steep dirt road. A left turn on the road will take hikers to the paved road that leads spiraling up to the peak with the white apparatus on top. The strenuous out and back hike is 7 miles with 2000 feet of elevation gain.
Anniversary Narrows
(Lake Mead NRA)
Anniversary Narrows - As of the Spring of 2016, Anniversary Narrows can only be reached from the top entrance either up and over Anniversary Narrows Peak or from the End Around route up the West End Wash. Both strenuous hike routes are indicated on the maps below and would have to be hiked as an out and back. Anniversary Narrows is a beautiful slot canyon of around 0.25 miles that is normally easy to hike through with a small amount of scrambling. It is located in the area of mile marker 16 on Northshore Road in the Lake Mead NRA. Until the mining operation and the BLM can come to an agreement, the slot canyon will remain difficult to reach.
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| Route to Narrows over Anniversary Narrows Peak (One Way) |
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| Route to Narrows using West End Wash & Around (One Way) |
Arizona Hot Springs
(Lake Mead NRA)
Arizona Hot Springs - The trailhead for this hike is located 4 miles south of Hoover Dam at the White Rock Canyon Trailhead parking area on the east side of Highway 93. Hikers must drop down to the wide wash, hike under the highway bridge and continue down this canyon that narrows as you near the river. The hike is traditionally done using an out-and-back route through White Rock Canyon to the Colorado River, jogging to the south to find the entrance to the small canyon containing the hot springs. The turn around point of the hike occurs near a landing area for water craft on the river. Total distance for the moderate out and back hike is about 6 miles with an elevation gain of 800 feet, which will be accomplished on the return leg. One moderately strenuous optional loop climbs through the hot springs pools and into another canyon that proceeds east then over a saddle to the starting point. Another more strenuous optional loop climbs through the hot springs pools, into that other canyon and proceeds up that canyon taking a left fork. This last canyon requires hikers to climb three challenging dry falls before finding a trail that leads back to the cars.
Return via Saddle Route Below
Return via Dry Falls Route Below
Arnight-Knoll Loop
(Red Rock Canyon NCA)
Arnight-Knoll Loop - The starting point for this easy to moderate hike is at the parking area at the end of the gravel road that proceeds to the right just past Mile Marker 12 on the scenic loop. The hike consists of all or portions of three different trails, heading west on the Arnight Trail for about one mile, turning south on the Knoll Trail to its termination point, then turning left on the Oak Creek Trail to the parking lot. Total distance is about 3 miles with 200 feet of elevation gain. The Knoll Trail includes some minor boulder scrambling.
Ash Canyon
(Red Rock Canyon NCA)
Ash Canyon - The trailhead for this hike is located at the Red Springs picnic area in Calico Basin, about 1/2 miles east of the Red Rock Visitor Center. The trail follows along the east side of the Calico Hills to the mouth of Ash Canyon, where it turns into a fairly intense bouldering route for 3/4 mile to the top end of the canyon near Red Cap. There are several options for finishing the hike. The most used routes involve heading east on Rattlesnake Trail to Gateway Canyon and turning right. One can either take the trail that climbs to Gateway Saddle and down to Calico Basin, or continue in the canyon, eventually swinging around Krafft Mountain on the way back to the start. Total distance is between 5 and 7 miles with vertical gain to the summit of Ash Canyon of 900 feet. Two optional finishes to this hike are found below. Ash Canyon is a moderately strenuous boulder scramble.
Up Ash Canyon / Down Through Gateway Canyon Route
Up Ash Canyon / Krafft Mountain Traverse Route
Up Ash Canyon / Red Cap / Angel Pass Route
Ash Canyon Overlook
(Red Rock Canyon NCA)
Ash Canyon Overlook - Although only 2.5 miles in total distance, this easy to moderate out-and-back hike starts from Sandstone Quarry on the Red Rock scenic loop and proceeds around the north end of the Calico Hills, winding up on a colorful sandstone formation sitting near the top of Ash Canyon with the town of Calico Basin at the bottom. This is a great hike for beginning or experienced hikers with the wonderful back country scenery. The overlook may be extended down Ash Canyon to the Dragon Canyon Overlook.
Ash Canyon Overlook Loop
Ash Creek Loop
(Red Rock Canyon NCA)
Ash Creek Loop - The easy to moderate hike begins at the Red Springs picnic area at Calico Basin. The trail follows along the Ash Creek drainage for a short distance, turns right and proceeds in the direction of Krafft Mountain, then turns left below Gateway Saddle before heading west toward the mouth of Ash Canyon. The loop finishes along the Calico Hills back to the parking area. Total distance for the hike is 3.7 miles with a 400 foot elevation gain. An easy hike to Ash Meadows alone is also nice.
AtBF Canyon Loop
(Spring Mountains NRA)
AtBF Canyon Loop - This moderately strenuous 8 mile loop hike begins at the Juniper Trailhead on Lucky Strike Road off of Highway 158. Follow the Showgirl Trail and the Trough Trail down to Telephone Canyon then find the Showgirl Trail again to cross over to the mouth of a canyon that forks off of Telephone Canyon near Kyle Canyon Road. This canyon has five interesting dry falls to negotiate. The canyon will fork to the left into a wash that returns the hiker to the trailhead. There is 1600 feet of elevation gain.
Avalanche Canyon
(Spring Mountains NRA)
Avalanche Canyon - This canyon disseminates from the high elevations of Charleston Peak. It lies between Big Falls Canyon and Mary Jane Falls. A good scramble up the canyon, then a circle around to the right at the base of the cliff walls is difficult terrain but provides access to several large caves and alcoves in the area. The strenuous hike will be anywhere from 4 to 5 miles with 1800 feet of elevation gain.
Arnight-Knoll Loop - The starting point for this easy to moderate hike is at the parking area at the end of the gravel road that proceeds to the right just past Mile Marker 12 on the scenic loop. The hike consists of all or portions of three different trails, heading west on the Arnight Trail for about one mile, turning south on the Knoll Trail to its termination point, then turning left on the Oak Creek Trail to the parking lot. Total distance is about 3 miles with 200 feet of elevation gain. The Knoll Trail includes some minor boulder scrambling.
Ash Canyon - The trailhead for this hike is located at the Red Springs picnic area in Calico Basin, about 1/2 miles east of the Red Rock Visitor Center. The trail follows along the east side of the Calico Hills to the mouth of Ash Canyon, where it turns into a fairly intense bouldering route for 3/4 mile to the top end of the canyon near Red Cap. There are several options for finishing the hike. The most used routes involve heading east on Rattlesnake Trail to Gateway Canyon and turning right. One can either take the trail that climbs to Gateway Saddle and down to Calico Basin, or continue in the canyon, eventually swinging around Krafft Mountain on the way back to the start. Total distance is between 5 and 7 miles with vertical gain to the summit of Ash Canyon of 900 feet. Two optional finishes to this hike are found below. Ash Canyon is a moderately strenuous boulder scramble.
Ash Creek Loop - The easy to moderate hike begins at the Red Springs picnic area at Calico Basin. The trail follows along the Ash Creek drainage for a short distance, turns right and proceeds in the direction of Krafft Mountain, then turns left below Gateway Saddle before heading west toward the mouth of Ash Canyon. The loop finishes along the Calico Hills back to the parking area. Total distance for the hike is 3.7 miles with a 400 foot elevation gain. An easy hike to Ash Meadows alone is also nice.
