Overview

At the lower end of Las Vegas Wash, where the river of runoff from the Las Vegas Valley flows into Lake Mead, there is a deep, narrow, steep-walled canyon with water and vegetation. The vegetation (e.g., Honey Mesquite, Saltcedar, Quailbush, and Arrowweed) and water create a riparian corridor that attracts birds and other wildlife from miles around. A 0.7-mile loop-trail runs down to the stream and back with some spur-trail options to walk more and see more (about 1-3/4 miles total).

The water isn't safe for swimming or drinking (it is, after all, urban runoff and water released from sewage treatment plants), but it does attract wildlife, and as one hiker said, this is one of few places in southern Nevada where you can enjoy the sounds of running water.

Visitors can enjoy the sights and sounds of running water without hiking the trail. From the trailhead, just walk south to the edge of the bluffs and look down into the wash.

Link to map.

Watch Out

Other than the standard warnings about hiking in the desert, ...this is a fairly safe hike, but don't get in the water here because it is urban runoff contaminated with who knows what. The edge of the bluffs overlooking the wash provide an elevated observation platform for listening to the rushing water and watching for wildlife, but watch your footing out on the edge. Also, part of the trail runs steeply along the top of a narrow dirt ridge, so watch your step along there too.

While hiking, please respect the land and the other people out there, and try to Leave No Trace of your passage. Also, this is a short hike, so just bring what you need of the 10 Essentials.

Getting to the Trailhead

This hike is located along Northshore Road in Lake Mead National Recreation Area, about 30 minutes east of Las Vegas.

From town, drive out to Lake Mead, then drive north on Northshore Road for about 1.2 miles to the Mile 1.2 (Wetlands) Trailhead. Park here; this is the trailhead.

The Hike

From the trailhead (Table 1, Waypoint 01), the trail runs eastward across the top of the bluffs on sparsely vegetated desert pavement. Watch for the burrows of kangaroo rats around the stunted creosote bushes and imagine what it must be like for these little seed-eating rodents to live out here (at least they don't need to drink water!).

At almost 200 yards out (Wpt. 02), a spur-trail branches right and runs 110 yards to the edge of the bluffs (Wpt. 03) with nice views down into Las Vegas Wash just downstream from a high weir with a nice cascading waterfall.

The Wetlands Trail (Wpt. 02) continues straight out onto a narrow peninsula that narrows to the width of the trail (Wpt. 04). The trail continues steeply down the narrow ridgeline towards the bottom of the wash. A few stair steps remain, but most have fallen away.

The trail drops onto a low saddle (Wpt. 05) marked with a warning sign about swift waters. There used to be a second sign about contaminated water, but it is gone. Atop the low saddle, the official trail turns left and switchbacks down the north side of the ridge into the bottom of a side canyon (Wpt. 10) with a dirt road. In this side canyon, the main trail runs uphill (northeast) on the road and returns to the trailhead (Wpt. 01). This option makes for the 0.7-mile loop. There used to be a trail that ran along-side the road, but much of the trail washed out, and it is easier to just walk on the dirt road.

However, from the low saddle (Wpt. 05), an alternate trail continues straight down to the right and quickly arrives at the edge of Las Vegas Wash (Wpt. 06) with flowing water and wetlands vegetation. From there, enjoy the sights and sounds of water flowing in the desert. Hikers can turn right and walk up an old road along the streambank for 0.21 miles before canyon walls pinch off further easy access. This brings hikers to an eye-level view (Wpt. 07) of the weir and cascading waterfall seen previously from the cliff-top at the end of the 110-yards spur-trail. In this view, it can be seen that water is flowing under and around the far end of the weir and presumably eroding the bluff away. It will be interesting to see what happens here over the years.

Returning to the alternate main trail (Wpt. 06) and winding downstream through bushes for another 50 yards brings hikers to the mouth of the side canyon (Wpt. 08) and the dirt road seen previously while hiking down the steep, narrow ridge.

From the mouth of the canyon (Wpt. 08), hikers can take another spur continuing downstream on the dirt road for about 325 yards to a cliff-edge (Wpt. 09) where the road is washed away. Hikers get views of an additional weir and more sounds of rushing water along this part of Las Vegas Wash, but it is not an exciting walk.

To return to the trailhead, hikers need to walk back up the dirt road to the mouth of the side canyon (Wpt. 08), and then follow the dirt road up the side canyon. The dirt road passes the base of the switchbacks (Wpt. 10) and continues up the dirt road. The canyon winds back and forth a bit, cutting through interesting, layered alluvial deposits, until returning to the trailhead (Wpt. 01). Hiking the official loop trail and the spur trails totals about 1.76 miles.