Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles
Only mad dogs and … hikers go out in the midday sun? 😀
Surprisingly, when Las Vegas is sweltering over 100 Fahrenheit, an hour away you can hike Mount Charleston (11,916 feet or 3,632 m), typically 20°F to 25°F cooler than the city.
Click PLAY or get a glimpse on YouTube. Late June 2026, I tented 4 nights. This video is a compilation of several day hikes.
VERY sunny. Long days. But I was never too hot.
It is gorgeous.
Night skies fantastic.
There are plenty of hiking trails to choose from within the Mount Charleston Wilderness, which is within the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area of the Humboldt–Toiyabe National Forest.
AllTrails lists some of the best.
Over 60 miles of trails, most over 6000ft in elevation.
Some trails are signed. But I randomly connected different trails using the Maps.me app offline. Phone service is limited there in 2026.
I had a bike and roamed up and down the mountain, as well.
Wild horses ignore tourists.
Trail rides are available. And many bring their own horse up to ride in cooler weather.
Mount Charleston has about 200 camp sites and over 150 picnic areas.
Last 2 nights I joined friends at McWilliams Campground which is close to the Lee Canyon Ski / Mountain Bike Resort and restaurants.
This is glamping.
Open fires are still allowed in campgrounds, despite the high risk of wild fire.
We hiked the NEW Lee Canyon trail from the ski resort, close to 2 miles up over a vertical gain of 850 feet. And 2 miles back.
Needless to say, we enjoyed a cold beverage at the restaurant on our return.
You can ride a chairlift up and hike down, if you prefer.
To plan your trip, check the Go Mt. Charleston website for up-to-date trail maps and safety alerts.
Surprisingly, it rained on our last night.
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