Do this trail early in the summer if you’re going to do it at all – it gets HOT in Nevada! My friend Karla and I decided to do this trail, starting just after 6am. That was a good call since the overnight low the previous night was a blistering 90 degrees. Not exactly a cool night, if you ask me. This trail is about 9 miles if you decide to do the whole thing, but we turned back far before the end since it was already heating up!
The Beta
This trail is 8.5 miles total with just under 1000 feet of elevation gain. There are many starting and endpoints, so you can begin or end this trail wherever you like. The longest way to do this trail has you start at the traditional trailhead, which is well-marked. Karla had insisted we start at Dotty’s Casino, so we knocked off a little bit of the trail that way.
Quick Beta
- Mileage: 8.5 miles
- Elevation gain: 931 ft
- Highest Point:
- Best time to visit: Late September through mid-May, early June
- Total hiking time: 1-2.5 hours
- Number of Lakes: 1, Lake Mead, from a distance
- Kid-friendly: Yes.
- Dog-friendly: Yes, off-leash in some areas.
- Gear I brought: a small backpack with lots of water. WATER! Sunglasses, hat, camera, some food, sunscreen.
The hike
From the casino, the trail follows a wide pathway, and in the morning, is mostly flat and shaded. It eventually turns downhill for a short period to meet up with the traditional trailhead route. From here, the trail is again flat and continues for the rest of the trail. You’ll enter a series of tall tunnels used for trains! These are a great place to cool off during the trail, although we didn’t get much heat relief in the 1.5 hours or so we were on the trail.
Need to Know
In the summertime, this trail is HOT and EXPOSED. There is no shade on this trail. Be sure to wear proper sun protection including long-sleeved attire, a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen. You will get burned otherwise.
This is a multi-purpose trail. We walked past bikers, hikers, and hikers with dogs. Be sure to be aware of your surroundings, and always keep your head up! Some of the bikers didn’t have bells but luckily were in front of us so we could see them coming.
Justin’s Suggestion
Do this hike early in the morning light. You’ll avoid most people, have cooler temperatures, have shade for the first part of the hike, and have the trail mostly to yourself. The earlier you begin this hike, the better! If you’re able, park a car at either end of the trail and do it as a thru-hike so you can hike the whole trail without being totally exposed to the sun.
Take A Hike!
Take a walk! This trail is a good one to do early in the morning. I would never attempt it later than 7am in the morning. It would just be far too hot by then! At that point, you’d want to roll down to Lake Mead and cool off in the water. Believe me! Make sure you check out this viewpoint of Lake Mead. I got one of my best shots ever down there! And, the Hoover dam is nearby…I heard some beavers got ambitious??!?
See you on the next one!
Parting shot:
Next blog: More Nevada. Then, Capitol Reef.
Justin Fague 
I had the opportunity to stop by Lake Mead during my stay in Las Vegas last fall, but it didn’t interest me to go. What a shame, though, as it’s gorgeous! Especially in that soft, golden sunrise hour. Will need to check it out whenever I return to Nevada!
PS You are certainly one talented portrait photographer! Care to be my personal picture-taker? 😆
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Oh nooo!! That’s always the worst realization, right?? It gives you a reason to go back, which is awesome. You definitely should give it a try!
If you’re ever in the area, portraits are my forte – it’s how I started photography, and it’s definitely my most carefully created type of photo. I’d be glad to! 🙂
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