La Madre Double Arch
(Red Rock Canyon NCA)
La Madre Double Arch - This is a large arch with a smaller arch perched on top of it. It is found in the La Madre Mountain Range directly up from the Keystone Thrust. White Rock Trailhead off of the scenic loop is used for the start of this moderately strenuous out and back hike. There is some scree and scrambling as you near the arch. It is 5 miles with 1900 feet of elevation gain.
La Madre Springs & Cabin
(Red Rock Canyon NCA)
La Madre Springs & Cabin - The starting point for this hike is located at the Willow Springs picnic area at the end of the paved spur road 7.5 miles into the Red Rock scenic loop. The moderate out-and-back hike starts up Rocky Gap Road for slightly more than 1/2 mile before turning onto an abandoned gravel road and climbing toward the spring. There are some old homestead foundations along the way, one of which has remnants of a parquet floor. Round trip for this segment of the hike is 3.6 miles with 600 feet of gain. A trail climbs through the drainage above the springs that will take you to a stone cabin possibly constructed by a miner from years past, making a total distance of 5 miles and an additional 600 feet of gain. Two mine shafts lie about 1/3 mile above the cabin.
Landmine Loop
(Red Rock Canyon NCA)
Landmine Loop - This bike trail encircles the Blue Diamond tertiary ridge on an 8 mile loop. It can be hiked clockwise or counter-clockwise since the elevation gain over the 8 miles is only around 1000 feet. The moderate trail can also be used in combination with other bike trails to form interesting new routes.
Las Vegas Overlook (Original)
(Red Rock Canyon NCA)
Las Vegas Overlook - This moderate hike begins at the gravel parking lot for the Cowboy Trails about 0.7 miles west of the Red Rock entrance. The hike follows the gravel road past the first horse corral, then climbs the hill past a large canyon (Skull Canyon). This trail forks to the left and leads to the Muffins. The trail continues past the large conglomerate rocks and turns left again at a trail junction saddle. This trail dips and climbs to the original overlook of Las Vegas. The return can be made in many different ways using the many trails of the North Blue Diamond Hills. Three options are found below. The shortest option (up Muffins & down Skull) will be 5.5 miles with 1300 feet of elevation gain.
Up Muffins / Old Overlook / Down Boneshaker Hill
Up Muffins / Old Overlook / Down Skull Canyon
Up Muffins / Old Overlook / Down Echo Canyon
Lava Butte
(Lake Mead NRA)
Lava Butte - The start of this strenuous hike is either located on an unsigned gravel road off Lake Mead Boulevard about 6.7 miles past the intersection with Hollywood Boulevard or at mile marker 2 on Northshore Road. From Lake Mead Blvd., just off the paved road is a parking area with a signboard. The out-and-back hike can be started from any point on the road. The partial trail route climbs the northern ridge to the peak, a total elevation gain of 1000 feet. From Northshore Road, follow the wash toward Lava Butte and begin the peak climb after gaining a colorful ridge at its base. Depending on the starting point, the hike can be anywhere from 2 to 7 miles in length. The top offers good views of Rainbow Gardens and the back of Frenchman Mountain.
Out and Back Hike from Northshore Road
Lee Peak
(Spring Mountains NRA)
Lee Peak - Although the prominence of this peak is not enough for it to be a named peak, hikers in Las Vegas know Lee Peak (aka Mt. Barel). The peak trail is located off of the North Loop east of Devil's Thumb. The strenuous hike from Trail Canyon TH is 13 miles with 3900 feet of elevation gain. View of Charleston Peak, Mummy Mountain and other surrounding mountains are tremendous.
Lee Canyon Narrows
(Spring Mountains NRA)
Lee Canyon Narrows - At one point in Lee Canyon, the wash drops into a narrow passageway that is fun to visit. The narrows can be incorporated into hikes in several ways. One easy 3 mile (400 feet elevation gain) hike covers the narrows and the "antique car museum" along the way starting from the Sawmill Trailhead and returning on an old road trail. To extend this to a moderate 6 mile hike (1000 feet elevation gain), include the Champion Road Loop.
Easy Route (Narrows and Antique Car Museum only)
6.5 Miles (Champion Road Loop and Lee Canyon added)
Lee Canyon / Sawmill Wiggles
(Spring Mountains NRA / U.S. Forest Service)
Lee Canyon / Sawmill Wiggles - This is an 8 mile moderately strenuous loop that begins at the trailhead on Lee Canyon Road 10.5 miles up on the left. A trail immediately drops into Lee Canyon and soon, hikers must take a junction to the right going up canyon. The hiker/horse trail climbs the gentle canyon before a side trail can be taken up the wash to some impressive narrows. Back to the trail, it goes up around the narrows, through an "antique car museum" then out of the canyon and crossing the road. The lunch break is usually taken at the Sawmill Trailhead picnic area. To complete the loop, climb up to the ridge from Sawmill then drop to the Blue Trail (or Wiggles). At the end of this trail, a short bushwhack across the Blue Tree Campground and crossing the road again, takes you to the old Lee Canyon Road that runs alongside the new pavement back to the cars. Elevation gain is 1450 feet.
Liberty Bell Arch
(Lake Mead NRA)
Liberty Bell Arch - This moderate hike begins at the White Rock Canyon Trailhead parking lot 4 miles south of the Hoover Dam bridge on Highway 93. From that parking area, drop down to hike under the highway bridge and begin descending the wash. Soon after the canyon begins to narrow, there is a marked junction trail to the right. Once you intersect the Liberty Bell Arch Trail, turn right passing an old manganese mine and the natural arch that looks like the Liberty Bell on the inside before reaching a plateau 700 feet above the Colorado River. The out-and-back hike now totals 6 miles and the rolling terrain accounts for an elevation change in excess of 1100 feet.
Limestone Trail
(Red Rock Canyon NCA)
Limestone Trail - The Limestone Trail is the wide wash that flows at the base of Turtlehead Peak. This moderate thoroughfare is used in a number of hikes preferably in the descending direction. The point to point trail has once terminus at the junction of the wide wash and the Turtlehead Peak Trail. The other terminus is in Brownstone Canyon where the Brownstone Trail junctions with it. The trail is 2.5 miles long with an elevation gain to from the Turtlehead Trail to the saddle of 1000 feet.
Little Bald Knoll
(Spring Mountains NRA / U.S. Forest Service)
Little Bald Knoll - Starting from the Pixie Trailhead (1/3 mile up from the Robbers' Roost parking turnout), this hike utilizes bike trails to descend down to a small knoll overlook of the La Madre Range and Kyle Canyon then requires a climb on the return. A one mile addition to the hike affords a trip over to the highway overlook where a grand view of Mummy Mountain is seen. With the added Mummy Overlook, the moderate hike is 7 miles with 1200 feet of elevation gain.
Little Falls
(Spring Mountains NRA)
Little Falls - This short hike is seldom done by itself, but often is attached as the beginning or end of a hike to Cathedral Rock. There are two trailheads that can be used to access the falls. The shortest route begins at the Echo Trailhead on Echo Road in Kyle Canyon. Follow the trail to a perpendicular intersection and turn right. Finally, enter the drainage and the cut in the rock wall where the 30-foot waterfall is located. An optional starting point is the Cathedral Rock Trailhead at the end of Kyle Canyon Road. Total distance of the easy to moderate hike is between 1 and 2 miles but there is some fairly steep climbing.
Little Finland and the Subway
(Gold Butte, NV)
Little
Finland & The Subway at Gold Butte - This route relieves the
hiker from driving more than 4 miles on the high clearance 4WD roads and begins at
the wall of petroglyphs found on Red Bluff Springs Road four miles in.
The nine mile hike leads to Little Finland, an area of interestingly
shaped red rock, past Red Bluff Spring, over the desert to The Subway,
includes an optional scramble through Big Boulder Canyon, then returns to
the cars. The moderately strenuous 8.5 mile route has 1200 feet of elevation gain. There is moderate and/or strenuous scrambling depending on the routes chosen and many petroglyphs along the way.
Little Zion (aka The Park)
(Red Rock Canyon NCA)
Little Zion - Located on the top of the escarpment, this hike is accessed by driving over Mountain Spring Summit on Highway 160, turning right on Lovell Canyon Road for about one mile, then turning right and following a poorly maintained gravel road to the trail head. The hike follows the drainage from Rainbow Springs for a short distance, goes past a pristine agave roasting pit, then climbs through a drainage to the escarpment ridge behind Spring Mountain Ranch. A trail climbs along the ridge to the south for about one mile before dropping into a wonderland area of multi-colored sandstone, complete with a developing arch. Total distance for the moderately strenuous hike is 6 miles with vertical gain of 1600 feet.
Little Zion O&B
Lone Grapevine Spring
(Red Rock Canyon NCA)
Lone
Grapevine Spring - The starting point for this hike is the Late Night Trailhead located on Highway 160 about 5 miles west of the intersection with Highway 159. The 5 mile partial loop hike utilizes some of the
named bike trails as it heads toward an area of deep brown rocks near
the spring. A trail then leads across the side of a ridge at the base of Windy Peak toward Mud
Spring, where there is an adjacent area full of petroglyphs of various
ages. This hike has minimal elevation gain and can be considered easy to moderate.
Lone Mountain
(Las Vegas - NW valley)
Lone Mountain - Located on the northwest side of Las Vegas, the peak is most accessible from the Lone Mountain Regional Park at the west end of Craig Road. The southern parking lot for the park offers the most direct approach. A recreational trail goes around the perimeter of the mountain. Two moderate trails go up the north and west sides. The first climbs mainly over rock outcroppings and the second, a short distance later, is mostly dirt with embedded rock. Both meet at the saddle and continue on to the peak, which has good views of the city. On the descent, you can either retrace your steps or circle around the south end of the mountain before returning to the starting point. The distance is between 2 and 3.25 miles depending on the route, and the total climb is 700 feet. An optional strenuous scramble routes up the east side of the mountain and down a difficult "trail" on the south bench.
Up and Down West with Perimeter
Up East / Down South
Lone Palm
(Lake Mead NRA)
Lone Palm - The starting point for this moderately strenuous hike is at a gravel parking area off Highway 93 in Arizona at the Kingman Wash Road exit. The route proceeds downhill in a series of washes toward the Colorado River, passing a tepid hot springs area just before reaching the river, where two palm trees, only one of which is alive, straddle the bank of the Colorado. When the river levels are down, there is a hidden seasonal waterfall upstream in a side canyon that is impressive. The route provides lots of boulder scrambling. It can be done as an out-and-back hike for a distance of 4 miles or a loop hike of up to 5 miles. Total elevation gain is 550 feet on the return leg.
Long Valley
(Desert National Wildlife Refuge)
Long Valley - This canyon valley, located in the Sheep Mountains, can be reached by driving almost an hour on Mormon Well Road from the DNWR visitor center. From a cornered trailhead, the route hikes up the wide wash to the north. The wash curves to the west then, just before the narrows, it turns up to the north again. The beautiful valley can be hiked for some distance but the time it takes to get to the narrows eats into the daylight for a day hike. A previous moderately strenuous hike went a distance of 8 miles with 1600 feet of elevation gain.
Lost Creek & Upper Falls
(Red Rock Canyon NCA)
Lost Creek & Upper Falls - This hike utilizes the SMYC and Children's Discovery Trails for part of the hike then makes a moderate scramble up to the upper Lost Creek falls above. It finishes with a visit to the petroglyphs at the end of Willow Springs Road and circles back to return on the SMYC Trail. The entire hike is 5 miles with 1100 feet of elevation gain.
Lots of Slots
(Lake Mead NRA)
Lots of Slots - The trailhead for this hike is the White Rock Canyon Trailhead found 4 miles south of the Hoover Dam Bridge. The 6 mile loop explores a few of the slots made by erosion in the surrounding hills. The hike connects the slots by climbing over a high ridge. Wildlife can be seen on this hike containing a small amount of scrambling. Elevation gain for the moderately strenuous hike is 1200 feet.
Lower Mud Springs Loop
(Spring Mountains NRA / U.S. Forest Service)
Lower Mud Springs Loop - To access the lower portion of the Mud Springs Loop, there are two places on Macks Canyon Road that can be used. The upper one is used on the maps below or you can use the regular Mud Springs trailhead found further down the high clearance road. The entire Mud Springs Loop is 18 miles long, however, it can be bisected along a wash in the middle to make two moderately strenuous loops. The lower loop will pass by the springs area and the large informational sign at the end of a dirt road that comes from the Cold Creek area. This loop has 10 miles with 2000 feet of elevation gain which comes on the return.
Lunar Loop
(Red Rock Canyon NCA)
Lunar Loop - This moderate desert loop begins at the Twilight Trailhead 9 miles up Kyle Canyon Road inside the Red Rock Canyon NCA. Utilizing some of the bike and horse trails in this area, the hike travels on a cliff above Hwy 157 then circles around to descend a wash. Next, the hike takes you on a loop around the contour of a nearby high hill. The totals are 6 miles and 900 feet of elevation gain.
La Madre Springs & Cabin - The starting point for this hike is located at the Willow Springs picnic area at the end of the paved spur road 7.5 miles into the Red Rock scenic loop. The moderate out-and-back hike starts up Rocky Gap Road for slightly more than 1/2 mile before turning onto an abandoned gravel road and climbing toward the spring. There are some old homestead foundations along the way, one of which has remnants of a parquet floor. Round trip for this segment of the hike is 3.6 miles with 600 feet of gain. A trail climbs through the drainage above the springs that will take you to a stone cabin possibly constructed by a miner from years past, making a total distance of 5 miles and an additional 600 feet of gain. Two mine shafts lie about 1/3 mile above the cabin.
Las Vegas Overlook - This moderate hike begins at the gravel parking lot for the Cowboy Trails about 0.7 miles west of the Red Rock entrance. The hike follows the gravel road past the first horse corral, then climbs the hill past a large canyon (Skull Canyon). This trail forks to the left and leads to the Muffins. The trail continues past the large conglomerate rocks and turns left again at a trail junction saddle. This trail dips and climbs to the original overlook of Las Vegas. The return can be made in many different ways using the many trails of the North Blue Diamond Hills. Three options are found below. The shortest option (up Muffins & down Skull) will be 5.5 miles with 1300 feet of elevation gain.
Liberty Bell Arch - This moderate hike begins at the White Rock Canyon Trailhead parking lot 4 miles south of the Hoover Dam bridge on Highway 93. From that parking area, drop down to hike under the highway bridge and begin descending the wash. Soon after the canyon begins to narrow, there is a marked junction trail to the right. Once you intersect the Liberty Bell Arch Trail, turn right passing an old manganese mine and the natural arch that looks like the Liberty Bell on the inside before reaching a plateau 700 feet above the Colorado River. The out-and-back hike now totals 6 miles and the rolling terrain accounts for an elevation change in excess of 1100 feet.
Little Zion - Located on the top of the escarpment, this hike is accessed by driving over Mountain Spring Summit on Highway 160, turning right on Lovell Canyon Road for about one mile, then turning right and following a poorly maintained gravel road to the trail head. The hike follows the drainage from Rainbow Springs for a short distance, goes past a pristine agave roasting pit, then climbs through a drainage to the escarpment ridge behind Spring Mountain Ranch. A trail climbs along the ridge to the south for about one mile before dropping into a wonderland area of multi-colored sandstone, complete with a developing arch. Total distance for the moderately strenuous hike is 6 miles with vertical gain of 1600 feet.
Lone
Grapevine Spring - The starting point for this hike is the Late Night Trailhead located on Highway 160 about 5 miles west of the intersection with Highway 159. The 5 mile partial loop hike utilizes some of the
named bike trails as it heads toward an area of deep brown rocks near
the spring. A trail then leads across the side of a ridge at the base of Windy Peak toward Mud
Spring, where there is an adjacent area full of petroglyphs of various
ages. This hike has minimal elevation gain and can be considered easy to moderate.
Lone Mountain - Located on the northwest side of Las Vegas, the peak is most accessible from the Lone Mountain Regional Park at the west end of Craig Road. The southern parking lot for the park offers the most direct approach. A recreational trail goes around the perimeter of the mountain. Two moderate trails go up the north and west sides. The first climbs mainly over rock outcroppings and the second, a short distance later, is mostly dirt with embedded rock. Both meet at the saddle and continue on to the peak, which has good views of the city. On the descent, you can either retrace your steps or circle around the south end of the mountain before returning to the starting point. The distance is between 2 and 3.25 miles depending on the route, and the total climb is 700 feet. An optional strenuous scramble routes up the east side of the mountain and down a difficult "trail" on the south bench.
