desert – Page 22 – besthike.com

May 10, 2010May 1, 2010

day hiking Valley of Fire, Nevada

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

Valley of Fire State Park is 50mi (80km) northeast of Las Vegas. Though I’d been to Red Rock a dozen times, this was my first trip to Valley of Fire.

… It sounded similar to Red Rock.

… It derives its name from red sandstone formations, formed from great shifting sand dunes during the age of dinosaurs. These features, which are the centerpiece of the park’s attractions, often appear to be on fire when reflecting the sun’s rays. …

Ideal for family hiking, it would be difficult to lose your children on any of these short trails. Kids and adults love scrambling the rock features.

I’m very happy I made the scenic drive via Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Recommended.

more interesting photos tagged Valley of Fire

Spring and Fall are the best times to visit though it’s open year round.

related: Desert USA – Valley of Fire State Park

May 9, 2010May 6, 2010

Mary Jane Falls, Nevada … in winter

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

April is a fantastic month for hiking out of Las Vegas.

It’s not too hot. Cactus flowers bloom.

The closest hiking destination to Las Vegas is Red Rock. Millions visit each year.

The second closest major hiking area is much less well known, though it’s less than an hour’s drive from “the strip”.

I arrived April 15th in shorts and t-shirt at the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area and Mount Charleston Visitor Center, the woman there asked me: “Do you have snowshoes?”

Snowshoes?

Almost all of the 51mi of trails were “snowed in”. I needed to come back the end of May, or later, she told me.

Mount Charleston is totally different than Red Rock. Dense Bristlecone pine forests. It feels more like you’re in Colorado, than Nevada. There’s even a ski resort here!

Who knew?

I had been planning to start with the most popular trail, Mary Jane Falls.

Guidebook author and editor of Hiking Las Vegas, Branch Whitney says: “If you don’t enjoy this trail, forget hiking.”

Less than 3mi, return, be ready for a series of switchbacks. Your rewards is walking up to and behind a gorgeous waterfall. There’s a cave to explore, as well.

(A more challenging alternative is the boulder hopping scramble up to Big Falls from the same trailhead as Mary Jane.)

I took a look at the trailhead, just in case.

How hard could it be?

I tramped up the packed snow. No problem … for a Canadian, like myself.

But on arrival at “the Falls” …

No water. It was, of course, frozen up above.

Oh well, I’ve an excuse now to return in the Summer.

☺☺☺

Final recommendation …

Drive the scenic road Highways 95 to 158 to 156 back to 95. The prettiest I’ve done in Nevada. Even better, cycle down from the Ski Resort to 95.

May 8, 2010April 26, 2010

biking/hiking Red Rock Canyon, Vegas

My favourite attraction in Las Vegas is Red Rock Canyon, perhaps the best hiking and scrambling destination in the world this close to a major city.

It’s super popular with road bikes, too. I was out-of-place on the 13mi (21km) scenic loop drive … on a mountain bike.

There is no off trail biking allowed at Red Rock.

My first stop was the new Visitor’s Center. Impressive.

From there I road on to the Calico Tanks trailhead:

… fairly strenuous, 1.2-mile hike and scramble runs up a canyon and over sandstone slickrock to a large natural depression (a tank or tinaja) near the top of the Calico Hills ridge. The tank sometimes holds water. There are great views of Calico Basin and the Las Vegas valley from a saddle just beyond the tank. …

Bird and Hike

The trail is not well signed nor defined. But at the Visitor Center it was explained to me …

Follow the obvious trail. When that runs out, look for stone steps.

When there is no trail and no steps, scramble up the easiest way you can find. Until the next section of trail. Or steps.

Finally you reach the largest “tank” itself.

Five minutes higher and you just might be able to eye your Casino hotel in the distance.

See the rest of my photos.

The hiking’s fine at Red Rock. But, for me, the best activity is rock scrambling.

May 7, 2010May 6, 2010

hiking the Grand Canyon today

by site editor Rick McCharles

Great news!

One of the toughest Backcountry Permits anywhere, early in the season I was able to grab 1-night at Bright Angel campground by getting on the wait list, 2-days in advance.

I’ll descend the South Kaibab Trail. Trudge up the Bright Angel Trail next day.

This is pretty much the most popular overnight hike in the Park.

I would have preferred one of the rim-to-rim adventures, but the North Rim does not open until May 15th. It’s still winter up there.

May 4, 2010April 26, 2010

Hole-in-the-Wall Loop, Mojave

Bird and Hike has a succinct webpage:

This easy, 1.5-mile loop trail starts at the Visitor Center, wanders east and south down a sandy wash, heads west around the south side of the Hole-in-the-Wall hills, climbs up through the Hole-in-the-Wall cleft on the Rings Trail, and then follows the road for 0.2 miles back …

Hole-in-the-Wall Loop Trail (4,252 ft)

Almost every tourists stops at Hole-in-the-Wall. But not all are willing to try the assisted scramble.

I’d call it a perfect little day hike for a confident walker. The scenery is desert classic.

Add on the “Nature Trail” to the campground. Desert vegetation is signed, … all the bushes looking somewhat similar. With unlikely names like: Paper Bag Bush, Hedgehog Cactus, Horsebrush, etc.

Tent caterpillars were everywhere when I was there.

… Mojave National Preserve, at 1.6 million acres, is the third largest National Park Service managed area in the Lower 48; only Death Valley and Yellowstone are larger. …

It’s so close to Vegas, I’m surprised more tourists don’t visit. There’s no Park entrance fee. And “wild camping” is allowed almost everywhere.

May 3, 2010April 26, 2010

Teutonia Peak, Mojave

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

Only 2 hikes in Mojave National Preserve are recommended by Moon Hiking California:

• Kelso Dunes
• Teutonia Peak

In the morning I did the Dunes. Then drove on to do a climb. A great hiking day in the desert.

The highlight for me were the Joshua Trees, but a different species than those in Joshua Tree National Park.

At 5,755 feet, Teutonia Peak offers great views of Cima and the surroundings. This four mile round-trip trail heads south from Cima Road and crosses the desert through part of the world’s largest Joshua tree forest. A half mile from the summit the ascent becomes more earnest as the maintained single track now tackles the bulk of the 700 feet in elevation between the trailhead and the peak.

Despite the minimal effort, the views from the top are splendid. …

read more – Hike Speak

Actually, to “summit” Teutonia is a class 3 scramble. Most people don’t do it.

No fees. No hassles. You can tent free nearly anywhere. Mojave National Preserve is a great destination for hikers.

see all my photos from this short day hike

May 2, 2010April 29, 2010

sliding down Kelso Dunes, Mojave

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

Only 2 hikes in Mojave National Preserve are recommended by Moon Hiking California:

• Kelso Dunes
• Teutonia Peak

As also recommended, I arrived at Kelso Dunes at dawn. (Sunset is very popular, too.)

It was overcast, rain threatening.

Not nearly as impressive as Eureka Valley Sand Dunes, I still enjoyed this short hike.

Basically you climb up the spine of the highest dune, 650ft (200m) …

Plant a Summit Stone, painted by DSD … (The next hiker to the top would collect it. Or, … perhaps it will be covered by sand for ages.)

… and slide / run down as fast as possible.

No fees. No hassles. Mojave National Preserve is a great destination for hikers.

see the rest of my photos from this short day hike

April 18, 2010

new attraction at Red Rock, Vegas

The must go hiking destination only a few miles from the strip in Las Vegas is Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.

An attractive outdoor exhibition area just opened:

One of the walks leads to an observation deck where visitors can study a giant map of the parks trails etched into the floor with photo panels on a railing of what they’ll see on the trails and beyond the panoramic view.

… outdoor exhibits that bring sturdy replicas of some of the park’s most fragile features to the foreground: things such as American Indian rock art panels, desert tortoises in their natural habitat, and a life-size cougar that lurks atop one of the shade walls.

It’s all designed so people can touch, feel, see and understand the national conservation area from the perspective of earth, water, fire and air. …

Grand opening at Red Rock visitors center …

One exhibit has a desert tortoise. Visitors are taught what to do when this happens …

I carefully, slowly lifted the tortoise far off the highway in the direction I thought he was trying to go. … Unfortunately he seemed to be walking the yellow line when I found him.

March 31, 2010March 31, 2010

hiking out of Needles, California

trip report by site editor, Rick McCharles

I awoke early and drove out of town about 10min towards Lake Haversu City.

This geology looked, from the highway, very interesting.

It’s easy to hike anywhere you wish here. Simply follow the jeep tracks and dry arroyos.

This was not an official hiking trail, but made for a very pleasant morning, none the less.

Here’s the view looking back towards Needles.

March 31, 2010March 28, 2010

best books on California desert hiking and climbing

I checked into the Needles California office of the Bureau of Land Management. They gave me some excellent advice on “best hikes” in the region.

Two books are recommended and sold there:

Hiking California’s Desert Parks, 2nd edition: A Guide to the Greatest Hiking Adventures in Anza-Borrego, Joshua Tree, Mojave, and Death Valley by Bill and Polly Cunningham