Arizona Hot Springs: Las Vegas Nevada

Arizona Hot Springs Hike near Las Vegas

Arizona Hot Springs is a moderate to strenuous 5 mile roundtrip hike located near the Hoover Dam. The trailhead is only about a 45 minute drive from the Las Vegas Strip. The Arizona Hot Springs hike is one of the best hikes in the Las Vegas area and has a great slot canyon, several hot springs which are great for soaking, a small waterfall, a 20 foot ladder, and ends at a beautiful section of the Colorado river. You can turn the Arizona Hot Springs hike into a loop by circling back on the White Oak Canyon trail. I have provided a map below for reference. Regardless of which direction you take, both trails end up at the Colorado River. 

Arizona Hot Springs Trail

There are some safety precautions you want to consider on this hike, so you’ll want to read on. I don’t want to dissuade you from doing this hike, but you want to be careful.

Warnings:

Do not attempt this hike is the temperature outside is 90 degrees or hotter

Bring a gallon of water person.

Don’t attempt this hike if it’s raining due to flash flood risks in the slot canyon

Don’t submerge your head in the hot springs

Don’t enter the hot springs if you have any open cuts

Don’t attempt to carry your pet down the 20-foot ladder

Bring suntan lotion

Arizona Hot Springs Map

This hike can get absolutely scorching in the summer and all the way through September. I would not even attempt it unless the temperature was below 80. This hike is often 10-20 degrees hotter than the temperature on the strip. The first section of the hike follows a dry river wash is completely exposed to the sun, so you’ll want to wear sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat. As with any slot canyon, you’ll want to avoid this hike in the very rare occasion that it rains.

The Hot Springs are amazing. There are several pools which are separated by sand bags. The first pool is so hot that most people can’t even sit in them. I would limit my soaking time to 15 minutes in the first pool. The hot springs can be breeding ground for bacteria and amoebas. Don’t get in the water if you have any open cuts and you should never submerge your head or nose under the water.

Dogs are allowed on the Arizona Hot Springs Hike, but the 20 foot ladder is impassable unless you choose to carry your dog and climb down at the same time. I strongly recommend not attempting this because the climb is difficult even without a pet because the ladder is narrow, wet and completely vertical. There have been numerous accidents in the past with pets.

 

A Big Horn Sheep on the Arizona Hot Springs Trail

 Trailhead Location for Google Maps:

https://goo.gl/maps/6PR1mHdLNXtS3kGF8

 

Arizona Hot Springs Hike Stats

Total Distance: 5 miles round-trip

Dogs: Leashed Dogs Are Allowed

Elevation Gain: About 800 feet

Best Months: October through May.

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Icebox Canyon, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area

Icebox Canyon Waterfall

Icebox Canyon is a fantastic intermediate hike in the Red Rock Conservation Area which is located just outside of Las Vegas Nevada. Icebox Canyon is about 2.5 miles round-trip from the parking area, but will probably take most hikers 2-3 hours to complete it at a normal pace. This trail can be a little sporting and requires some climbing and moderate uphill hiking on a rocky trail. Sprained ankles are a real concern on this one. If you have young children, if you're brand new to hiking, or if you're unsure you can handle the physical exertion, you may want to avoid this hike.

What to bring:

Red Rock Canyon is actually part of the Mojave Desert. Summer temperatures can reach 120+ degrees. Ideally, you want to hike this trail when the temperature outside is mild. I can not stress how important it is to bring at least a gallon of water per person if you plan on hiking this trail in the summer like a lunatic. Second, do not forget sunscreen. If you hike for 2 hours on clear day in Las Vegas, you will almost definitely end up with a serious sunburn . Third, sunglasses are a must. The Nevada sun will melt your eyes from your skull. Finally, let someone know where you're headed and what time you plan on returning. Protip: Remember to put your cellphone in airplane mode while you hike so your battery doesn't die searching for a signal. You won't get cell service in this part of Red Rock.

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area

The Trail:

 From the parking area, the dirt trail heads uphill and winds through thick shrubs which provide a little bit of shade. The trail splits about a quarter mile in, with one path leading up through the middle of the canyon in the dry creek bed, while the other section climbs above the creek bed hugging the right side of the canyon. I recommend keeping to the higher trail on the right. Both trails meet back together again after another half mile. Once you're inside the main part of the canyon, the final section of the trail requires some rock scrambling. You won't be able to get lost because the cliffs are hundreds of feet high on both sides of you. Just keep heading upstream through the dry creek bed until you reach the end. If you're lucky, you'll see a small trickling waterfall when you reach the end. Some people climb the waterfall to see the small pool at the middle of the falls, but the rocks are extremely smooth and slippery. Many people have been injured attempting the final climb. The pool at the top of the waterfall is too small to swim in anyway. All warnings aside, this is one of the best hikes in the Las Vegas area. There are very few places in the Mojave Desert where you can hike in the shade and see a waterfall.

Directions:

Red Rock Canyon is located about 20 minutes from the strip in Las Vegas. From Blue Diamond Road, turn right at Scenic Loop Drive. You will pay a 7$ entrance fee at the gate to get into the park. Ask for a map at the entrance. Follow Scenic Loop Drive for 8 miles until you reach the parking area for Icebox Canyon.

The address for Google maps is:
Ice Box Canyon, Las Vegas, NV 89161

Red Rock Canyon Trail Map

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Spring Mountain Ranch State Park Nevada

Spring Mountain Ranch State Park Nevada



For information on Spring Mountain Ranch State Park, follow the link below:
http://parks.nv.gov/parks/spring-mountain-ranch-state-park/


For a schedule of upcoming events, including Civil War Reenactments at Spring Mountain Ranch State Park, click here:
http://parks.nv.gov/calendar/

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Las Vegas on a Budget

Las Vegas Strip 

This post has absolutely nothing to do with hiking. 
One of the things I love best about living in Southern California is the close proximity to Las Vegas. At 80 miles an hour, it takes less than 4 hours to reach Las Vegas from Orange County. I make several trips a year to Vegas and I'm an expert on the restaurants, cheap drinks, free hotel pools, seedy strip clubs and cheap souvenirs. This is my Las Vegas guide for the budget traveler. Feel free to add your own tips in the comment section at the bottom of the post.

1. All You Can Eat Buffets: 
There was a time when Las Vegas had a ton of great, inexpensive AYCE buffets around town. In the past ten years, the prices at most of them have gone up drastically, while the quality of the food has gone down. My current favorite buffets in the city are at  Mandalay Bay, The Paris and the Bellagio, but none of them are cheap. Dinner will run you over 30$ at all of them. If I had to choose one as my favorite, I would easily pick the Bellagio buffet as my favorite. Its well worth the 32$ price. The sheer volume of food is overwhelming and everything at Bellagio is fresh and delicious. The dessert selection will have you in tears.

2. Cheap Drinks:
You can get a free drink at any Las Vegas casino if you're gambling.  At the strip casinos, this almost always includes the top shelf liquor. The Mandalay Bay sports book is my favorite place in town to get a free drink. The sports book is almost always dead during the week and the cocktail waitresses will bring you drinks even if you're not betting. I usually tip 1$-2$ per drink. You can sit in the leather chairs and watch the game on the giant projection screens and drink a six pack for less than the price of sitting on your couch at home.

Another great place to get a cheap drink on the strip is at a little place called Casino Royale. Its situated right between Harrah's and the Venetian. You can sit at the penny slot machines next to the bar and drink for free until you're good and plastered. A 1$ tip per drink will keep the cocktail waitress coming back all night. The Casino Royale bar also sells 1$ Michelob and Michelob light.

3. Hotel Pools

One of my favorite things to do in Vegas is sneak into the casino pools.  If you have an old casino key, you can walk right into almost any casino pool. I save all of my old room keys in the glove box of my car solely for this reason. There are a few pools that you can walk into without a room key. My favorites are the Tropicana, the Monte Carlo and the Hard Rock Casino.  You can say any room number at the entrance of these pools and walk right in. They will just assume that you've already checked out and turned in your room key. The Monte Carlo has a sand volleyball pit, a lazy river and a wave pool. And best of all, you can actually order a beer and drink in the pool.  The Monte Carlo is amazing on the weekends during the summer. They blast the music and it has a club feel. Most of the crowd is in their 20 and 30’s. 

4. Cheap Souvenirs
The best place in Vegas to get cheap souvenirs is at Bonanza Gifts on the corner of Las Vegas Blvd and Sahara. You can get a set of playing cards or dice that was actually used in one of the casinos for 1$. They also sell T-shirts 3 for $10. Another great place to get a cheap T-shirt are at the souvenir shops in the heart of old Las Vegas.

5. Seedy Strip Clubs
The best, or worst depending on how you look at it, strip club in Las Vegas is an old peep show on Las Vegas Blvd called Showgirl Video. Its a New York style peep show. You drop a dollar in the slot and the window opens. A nude girl dances behind the glass. This is the place where every bachelor party should end. For 5$, you get a 10 minute experience that you will NEVER forget.  The last time I was there, our dancer spent the show eating Del Taco and talking on her cell phone with her naked ass pressed against the glass. The pawn shop from the television show Pawnstars in located right next door. The cross streets are Bonneville and Las Vegas Blvd.

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Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada

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Valley of Fire State Park Nevada

The Valley of Fire State Park is located about an hour North of Las Vegas, just off I-15. The park features 3,000 year old Indian petroglyphs, petrified wood, windblown caves, arches, domes and slot canyons. Valley of Fire also has a large campground with spaces for RV's and a few remote walk-in sites that offer some seclusion. The entrance fee is 10$ per vehicle. Camping will cost you an additional 20$. The temperatures in the park can get insanely hot in the summer, so if you want to camp, the best times are spring and fall. 

After spending the day at Valley of Fire, consider heading east out of the park and driving the Northshore Road back to Las Vegas. There are amazing views of Lake Mead, several beaches, and even a few natural springs to explore along Northshore Road as you head back to Vegas. 

Hike:  Mouse’s Tank

Hike Time:  20-30 minutes
Distance:  7/10 of a mile round trip

Elevation Difference:  80 feet

Difficulty:  Easy

Directions to Trailhead: 

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