Alamo Road

Information

Nearby Trails

Status:	Open
Typically Open:	Year Round
Difficulty:	1-2 (EASY )
Length:	30.5 miles
Highest Elevation:	4980 feet
Duration:	About 2 hours
Shape of Trail:	Out & Back
Best Direction to Travel:	North
Nearest Town:	Las Vegas
Nearest Town w/ Services:	Las Vegas
Official Road Name:	Alamo Road
Management Agency:	Desert National Wildlife Refuge
District:	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Distance:

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Highlights

Nice trail drive through allowing the driver to experience the desert scenery located in the National Desert Wildlife Refuge, just outside of Las Vegas. There are multiple opportunities to explore other trails going into the canyons and mountains, making this a great area for a weekend get away. Because there is unrestricted camping in the area, it is a great place for campers get to higher elevations to decrease/escape some of the heat from the Vegas Valley.

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Weather

7 day forecast for Alamo Road

Route Information

Advanced Rating System

ALL-ACCESS

Recommended Vehicle:

2WD Vehicle with High Clearance

Concerns:

Summary:

The trail consists of mostly flat packed dirt road with loose rocks. There are some ruts where clearance is needed.

Technical Rating: 1-2
(EASY )

Dirt and/or rocky road. Potential rocks and/or tree stumps less than 8" tall and/or vertical ledges less than 9" tall and/or near vertical ledges or waterfalls less than 12" inches. Good tire placement likely. Can be steep but with good traction.

Description

Trail run that starts at the Desert National Wildlife Refuge and ends at the town of Alamo approximately 70 miles away. For this run description, we did an out and back ending at the 30 mile marker. The road consists mostly of dirt and gravel that is passable in a 2WD vehicle with high clearance. There are some spots where 4WD is preferable and may be needed depending on recent and/or current weather conditions. Cellphone service was not available for most of the trip. We currently use Verizon. As always, please tread lightly. Bring plenty of water and sunscreen.

Waypoints

1. Desert National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center (0.00 mi)

This is the start for the Alamo road run. A great place to obtain information on the Desert National Wildlife refuge, get a map, use the facilities and air down tires before starting your day.

2. T intersection (0.10 mi)

Just after leaving the Visitor Center, you will encounter a T intersection. There will be a large sign with directions and mileage markers for the trails. Turn left/north.

3. Turn off for Joe May Road (3.40 mi)

On the right will be a turn off for Joe May Road. It is a short road into the desert area which leads to a hike to Joe May Canyon Guzzler area. A guzzler is a rain water catching system to provide water to the wildlife in the area.

4. Campsite (8.00 mi)

To the right of the trail, you will see a campsite. It is primitive with no facilities or amenities.

5. Cow Camp Road (9.30 mi)

To the right of the trail will be a turn for Cow Camp road leading into the Black Hills. From here, you can hike to the sheep range and Cow Camp spring. Cow Camp road ends with a great camping area with a historical corral.

6. Hidden Forest Road (15.60 mi)

To the right will be a turn for Hidden Forest Road leading to Dead Man's Canyon. Primitive camping available. From here, you can hike into the Hidden Forest to the ridge, pine spring and winegrass spring. There is a log cabin in the forest, as well.

7. White Rock Road (21.70 mi)

To the right will be a turn for White Rock Road leading to White Rock Canyon. Large flat campsite at the end of the road.

8. Deadhorse Road (25.00 mi)

To the right will be a turn for Deadhorse Road leading to multiple primitive and secluded camping areas.

9. Slate Mine Road (28.10 mi)

To the left will be a turn for Slate Mine Road. It is currently closed to the public. Signs are posted.

10. Sheep Pass / Endpoint (30.50 mi)

We ended the trip at Sheep Pass before passing Sheep Pass guzzler and into the desert floor. You can choose to continue on the trail passing Cabin Spring road and the desert dry lake before arriving in Alamo at approximately mile marker 78.

11. Scenery

Scenery from trail

Directions to Trailhead

Trailhead Coordinates: 36.437442, -115.358686

Starting Point: Las Vegas

Take US 95 North from Las Vegas to Corn Creek Road. Turn right/east on Corn Creek Road. A visitor center is approximately 4.8 miles from US 95. This is a good place to air down, use the restroom and look at the maps. Near the sign/map is a place to register informing the park staff you are entering the refuge for the day. Please keep in mind, the speed limit on Corn Creek Road is 35 mph and it is enforced.

Camping

Dispersed

Camping is allowed in the Desert National Wildlife Refuge year round. Car camping is allowed within 50 feet of the road. Camping is primitive. No amenities. Please follow the link for more information on the Desert National Wildlife Refuge: http://www.fws.gov/refuge/desert/

Land Use Issues

None

Trail Reviews (3)

Author:	Brian Hoag Official Crew
Status:	Open
Offroaded on:	09/16/2018

This was a great day in the desert! I took a trip with the "Desert Wranglers" Jeep club out of Henderson from the visitor center for the Desert National Wildlife Refuge visitor center to the Parangat National Wildlife Refuge visitor center... about 80 miles, and we went up two of the side canyon roads... Dead Horse Road, and Cabin Springs Road which is well to the north of Sheep Pass. If you continue north of Sheep pass, be aware that the dry lake is perhaps the dustiest and deepest powder dirt I've driven through... well over 2 miles of really soft stuff. The road surface was rough, but not washboard. The speed limit is 25MPH according to the signs, but it's hard to maintain such a slow speed as many sections of the road are really pretty good and it's easy to let your speed creep up. Lot's of camping opportunities for those looking for a remote experience... room for RVs if you're adventurous.

Author:	James and Mimi Nicholson Official Crew
Status:	Open
Offroaded on:	04/17/2016

Mimi and I decided to get out of town for the day and check on the status of a few trails. We have had a lot of rain lately and wanted to make sure the trails were not damaged or closed due to the weather. So, we headed for the Desert National Wildlife Refuge and hit the trails for a fun day exploring the area.

Author:	James and Mimi Nicholson Official Crew
Status:	Open
Offroaded on:	11/22/2015

Revisited Alamo Road for a nice scenic drive on a beautiful sunny winter day in the Desert National Wildlife Refuge in Nevada. A great trip to take some fantastic pictures of the desert landscape and vegetation, see some wildlife and get away from the city. It appears that some of the roads have been graded recently which made for a relaxing drive.

Questions & Answers (2)

Q: Can you come from Alamo to sheep pass where you stopped last time so as to finish the mapping? It would be nice to have it complete. Thanks.

–AJ (03/08/2019)

A: AJ, Thanks for the question. This is a direct quote from the US Fish and Wildlife Service website: Motorists wishing to drive on Alamo Road stand a very good chance of getting stuck at Desert Dry Lake. The dirt on the road has turned to powder, which is also referred to as “poof dirt.” The conditions are very hazardous. We may get a chance later this year to update this trail and possibly travel the entire road. Depending on road conditions. Please check back often. Again thanks for the question and thanks for using Trailsoffroad.com

–James and Mimi Nicholson (03/09/2019)

Q: You stated to air down. How much?

–Aniceto (05/15/2017)

A: This is a very tough question to answer specifically. There are many variables to include vehicle, tire size, terrain and personal preference on airing down to name a few. Some people prefer not to air down while others will air down aggressively. Those that do air down do so to improve traction by increasing the area of surface contact or for ride comfort on bumpy/washboard or uneven roads. I personally have 35-inch tires and air down to approximately 12-15 PSI(pound per square inch). Please keep in mind when going to a lower PSI there is a chance of breaking the bead/seal and ending up with a flat tire. I would recommend having an air compressor with you and check for function before airing down. Hope this helps.

–James and Mimi Nicholson (05/15/2017)

Las Vegas, Nevada (Clark County)

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Highlights

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