Late Night Trailhead — Attraction in Summerlin South

Nevada (yes, that's ne-vadd-uh please reference our state tourism commercials and the local pronunciation by life long residents including neighboring state residents preference thank you) is misunderstood by many for its lack of trees and natural greenery. I hear visitors and what we call "transplants" say foolish things such as, "... there's nothing out there but dirt and rocks!" and "... this place is so barren!" which is usually followed by, "How do you live here?" To which I choose the shortest route out of further inquiry by simply stating I don't know any different as I have lived here my whole life. Given more time and space for nuance, I would love to share with those willing to listen how life for animals and plants in the Mojave desert is basically pinned over as far as can be on the survival difficulty meter. This doesn't diminish or dull what nature has to offer here in the desert when compared against the Coastal Redwoods or Lake Tahoe. Nature in the desert makes things happen fast and with the most intense action possible for as short of time as possible. These trails are a very accessible point from which most people can experience what the desert truly offers. Things you would never be able to see from the road. It's that simple. The desert looks dead from most roads and highways. So give the desert a chance to put on a show for you. Only catch is you have to get in there close to see any of it. Plan a visit in late March through April and be ready for all the fast and furious rush by plants and animals to get ready for the scorching summer. Especially the plants. The further you walk into the desert the more you will see surprises. Cold water creeks only flowing for weeks at a time each year coupled with explosive plant growth and flowers changing the tint of entire hillsides. It's all out there but just a lot more subtle than most places. The rocky trails can be hard on your feet and really strain all your leg tendons. A mile and a half one way can take hours depending on how much you're taking it all in. Allow for an extra hour or two in your estimates. Don't go in the heat unless you start early and bug out before 9am - 10am at the latest. Post some pictures of what you find out there, will you? Show everyone else what...

Lovely trail about a 20-30min drive from the middle of Henderson. It is easily accessible from the hwy with a very large sign indicating parking and the beginning of several loops and trails. I walked Mustang loop, which connected to a couple of other trails. I walked along the trail at a comfortable pace, taking photos. I came across many mountain bikers. Very few people on foot. It was perfect temperature and not too windy. I was beginning to feel like it was exclusively a trail for mountain biking. All in all, I just shuffled to the side when a cyclist approached. I went on a warm winter (late) morning in January. The path I took had very little incline or decline. The path has lots of loose gravel and stones, so if you are a little unsure of your footing, use poles. Outside of that, the trail was easy and comfortable for most people. Restrooms were available at the parking lot, and I did not check them out. There are no benches along the trail. Keep in mind if you need to sit...

Great place to hike or mountain bike. There are a lot of great views along this trail and many photo/video ops if you're into that. Trails are pretty well kept and it seems that there is a lot of traffic through the trails. This place, along with many other trails in Las Vegas, need more trail markers or at least better upkeep of the damaged ones scattered all around. It's quite hard to know what trail you are on or if you missed a turn, especially if you're on a mountain bike moving quickly through the trails. For those who don't have GPS or use pre downloaded maps, markers would be incredibly helpful. If you are going to take on any of these trails, go with someone who has experience with them or be sure to have all your directions mapped out as you can...