Nevada Trails

Rocky Gap (also known as Potato Ridge), a favorite of local off-roaders, is located in the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation area that starts just off of Scenic Loop Drive and continues to Lovell Canyon Road. This can be a challenging off-road trail depending on the season and the vehicle driven. There are bypasses for all of the obstacles except for one particularly rocky wash, which gives the trail its name. There is beautiful scenery to be seen during the drive. Evergreens, canyon and rocky landscapes are just some of the views.

Wheeler Pass is located approximately 50 miles Northwest of Las Vegas in the Spring Mountain National Recreation area. Wheeler Pass Road was previously known as the road from Bennett's Ranch to Indian Creek. Bennett's Ranch was settled in 1875 in the Pahrump Valley. Indian Creek was a ranch owned by a small group of Indians. Now known as Indian Springs. Its history includes being a station on the Tonopah and Las Vegas railroad. Currently, it is part of the Creech Air Force base. As you travel towards the trailhead, you may encounter wild horses on the roads and the surrounding areas. On the trail, travelers will pass the Charcoal kilns. The Tecopa Charcoal Ovens in Wheeler Wash were built in 1875 by Nehemiah (“Red”) Clarke. Per information on a sign posted at the site in the past: These beehive-shaped structures are the remains of three charcoal making kilns and one Lime Kiln built for Jonas Osborne in 1877. He designed and built a big furnace to smelt over 20 tons of silver and lead ore each day in the boomtown of Tecopa, California in January of 1878. Forty-four men attempted to keep the furnace working by cutting and hauling the ore, and feeding and constantly repairing the furnace. It completely failed and was abandoned in the fall of 1878. As this area of the Spring Mountains had the best and closest source of wood, the kilns were set up here and the charcoal produced was carried by horse-drawn wagons about 50 miles to the Tecopa Smelter. Evidence shows only tree limbs were cut in fuel and no extensive tree cutting was done. A single kiln has an estimated capacity of 35 cords of wood which would produce 50 bushels of charcoal, enough charcoal to produce one tone of silver-lead ore. Wood for the kilns was provided by Harsha White, who operated a sawmill in Clark Canyon, and was in partnership with Nehemiah Clarke. Unfortunately, the kilns have not been able to withstand time, weather, and vandalism. The remnants can still be seen. Don't forget to bring sunscreen, water, snacks and your camera.

The Bitter Springs Back Country Byway is located approximately 40 miles east of Las Vegas, south of Interstate 15 and West of the Valley of Fire state Park. The byway connects Interstate 15 to North shore road that surrounds Lake Mead by following old mining roads and washes through the Muddy Mountains. A major site to be seen is the multicolored sandstone formations known as the Buffington Pockets. Tracks from the Old Spanish trail(later known as the Mormon trail), a path created by Spanish explorers in 1776 and later by settlers and miners heading west, can be seen crossing the trail. This area has attracted people throughout time due to the springs and water holes. Evidence of this can be seen in the petroglyphs, pictographs, rock art and ant hill shaped roasting pits. Settlement in the area created mining ventures. Old borax mines can be seen, where sandstone was quarried. There is plenty of extraordinary views and landscapes to be seen along the byway. Wildlife in the area includes wild horse and bighorn sheep. Bring your camera, sun screen and plenty of water. Nearby is the Valley of Fire state park that has it own scenic views, campgrounds and facilities.

A nice trail drive-through allows the driver to experience the desert scenery in the National Desert Wildlife Refuge, just outside of Las Vegas. Multiple opportunities exist to explore other trails going into the canyons and mountains, making this an excellent area for a weekend getaway. Because there is unrestricted camping in the area, it is a great place for campers to get to higher elevations to decrease/escape the heat from the Vegas Valley.

Nelson Roller Coaster, located just outside of Nelson, is an off-road trail that features great scenic views and rolling hills with steep climbs and descents. One of the hills has a 40-degree climb that is approximately 300 feet long. If you are looking for a trail that is both exciting and relaxing, then this is the one. The first part of the trail is relaxing with scenic views of the surrounding desert and mountains that gradually increase in elevation and become more challenging. The area known as Nelson, Nevada was originally called Eldorado in 1775 by the Spaniards who made the original discoveries of gold in the area that is now Eldorado Canyon. The town was the site of one of the first major gold strikes in Nevada and one of the biggest mining booms in state history. The community called Nelson was named after Charles Nelson, a camp leader who was slain in his home along with four other people in 1897 by a renegade Indian.

The Alamo Canyon Road is an easy trail to the ghost town of Delamar, located in the remote Delamar Valley in Lincoln County, Nevada. Along this route you will pass through the rugged rocks of Alamo Canyon, cross dry lake beds, view ancient Native American petroglyphs, and traverse Joshua Tree forests. All this before reaching the crumbling ruins of the western ghost town of Delamar. Along the way you will have opportunities, if you're lucky, to photograph wild horses and other wildlife, including bighorn sheep and deer.

Gass Peak Road is a great day trip through the Desert National Wildlife Refuge with beautiful desert and mountain landscapes. This trail will loop behind the Gass Peak mountain range and finish in North Las Vegas with spectacular views the Vegas Valley and the world famous Las Vegas Strip. If one is inclined, there is an option to hike to Gass Peak, one of the highest summits in the Vegas area for a breathtaking view of Las Vegas. There is also an underground cave to explore if you are brave enough. Plenty of small wildlife to be seen while driving this trail. This is a fairly easy and relaxing trail ride on a mostly dirt and gravel road.

Titus Canyon Road is a spectacular off-road trail within Death Valley National Park guaranteed to please. It is no wonder this one-way trail attracts thousands of globetrotting visitors each year. The 27-mile long road plunges visitors into fossil-rich canyons, over mile-high passes on rocky shelf roads, through a ghost town, along petroglyph-filled walls, and culminates in the grand finale. Titus Canyon Road shrinks to one vehicle-wide and takes the driver and passengers through a 1.5-mile twisty bobsled-like run through its Narrows before dumping everyone out into a wide vista of northern Death Valley. This gem of a trail is truly one of the most satisfying roads in southern California and is on par with many of the iconic trails in the United States.

Burro Wash, located just south of Boulder City is a 4x4 trail that ends in a cove on the Colorado River. This trail is perfect during the Summer, as a get away from the heat for some relaxation and water activities. This scenic route follows a dirt and rock trail that initially runs along the power lines before passing through Black Canyon and traveling down a wash. This trail will have some minor washed out areas, slightly off camber spots, and minor fun rocky obstacles. Bring your food, drinks, shade tents, trunks and inflatables.