Fletcher Canyon Trail: Las Vegas, Nevada

 

Fletcher Canyon Trail in Las Vegas Nevada

Fletcher Canyon is one of my favorite hikes in the Las Vegas area. It’s located less than 45 minutes from the Las Vegas strip. If I had to pick 5 of my favorite trail in Las Vegas, Fletcher Canyon would definitely make the list. The trail is well maintained and easy enough for families. There is only about 1,000 feet on elevation gain and it’s very gradual and hardly noticeable. I’ve read a few conflicting posts about the distance, but I would estimate the length of the trail to be 4 miles total roundtrip. The trail passes through a beautiful alpine forest and ends at one of the nest slot canyons in the Las Vegas area. This is a great hike to do in the summer when it’s too hot to do anything outside in Vegas. Don’t forget to bring a jacket on your hike. The weather on Mount Charleston is 30 degrees cooler than in Las Vegas and temperatures can plummet at night. 

 

Fletcher Canyon Trailhead

 

The Fletcher Canyon trail is best from about April-October. This area of Mount Charleston can get significant snow, making the trail a no-go in the winter, unless you have snowshoes. Dogs are allowed on the trail. The gravel can be rough on your dog’s feet, so consider purchasing a pair of protective shoes if your pooch has soft feet. Make sure to bring poop bags and a water bowl for your pet.

 Getting there:

The Fletcher Canyon trailhead is relatively simple to find and there is usually plenty of parking. Use this link for Google maps for the Fletcher Canyon Trailhead https://goo.gl/maps/3Te9CmTAR88uTVd29

There is also a nice little campground next to the Fletcher Canyon Trail called the Fletcher View Campground. The campground is super affordable with tent or RV spots with electric hookup and bathroom facilities for only $33/night. Pets are also allowed in the campground. In the winter, a lot of local residents drive up to this spot to go sledding.

 

Slot Canyon on the Fletcher Canyon Trail

Fletcher Canyon Stats

Total Distance: 4 miles round-trip

Dogs: Leashed Dogs Are Allowed

Elevation Gain: About 1,000 feet

Best Months: April- October

 

Fletcher Canyon: Mount Charleston Nevada

 

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Indian Cove Campground. Joshua Tree National Park

Indian Cove Campground in Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park is one of the best places for a fall camping trip in Southern California. The weather is mild and breezy, the night sky is cloudless and perfect for stargazing, the crowds are relatively thin and the chance of rain is basically zero. Joshua Tree is a short 2 hour drive from the beach in Orange County.  If you absolutely hate camping, you always have the option of staying in nearby Palm Springs about 50 minutes outside the park. If you’re headed to Joshua Tree from San Diego, you might even consider a stop in Temecula to visit a winery.

I've stayed inside the main part of the park on past trips, but this time we opted to stay in the Indian Cove Campground located in the northern part of Joshua Tree,  just outside of the town of TwentyNine Palms. The Indian Cove Campground is less cramped than many of the campground located in the main part of the park. Most of the campsites in Indian Cove are situated in between giant rock formations that offer a fair amount of seclusion from neighboring campsites.  The tent sites are extremely reasonable for only $15 a night. You can even avoid paying the 15$ entrance fee into the main part of Joshua Tree by hiking the trails located within the Indian Cove Camping area.

The best trail in the Indian Cove section of Joshua Tree has to be the Rattlesnake Canyon Trail. The word “trail” is a bit misleading, as Rattlesnake Canyon is really a maze of giant boulders you’ll have to hop, squeeze through and climb until you've had your fill. There are countless small caves and crevices to explore among the boulders. We even found a few small arches. This is also a popular spot for rock-climbing.  We saw several groups of people climbing in this area of the park.  We spent 3 hours in the canyon navigating through the boulders up the mountainside. We took a break at the top of a large pinnacle of rocks. We came back down limping like wounded birds and covered in scrapes and got ourselves into a little trouble while exploring a pool in a slot canyon when I accidentally disturbed a wasps nest. They chased me up the side of an eight foot granite wall, but I avoided getting stung. I didn't notice how tired I was until we reached the car. This not a hike for beginners or small children. If you plan on hiking to the top of the boulders, do not be mislead by other sites claiming this is a moderate hike. Rattlesnake Canyon will kick your butt. With that said, this was one of my all-time favorite desert hikes.

A few words of warning: The sun can be intense in Joshua Tree and you can end up severely sunburned, even when the temperatures are cool.  Sun tan lotion and plenty of water are the two most important things you can have in Rattlesnake Canyon. I also recommend bringing a pair of leather gloves because the granite in Rattlesnake Canyon is rough and will tear your hands up.

Rattlesnake Canyon was closed for 5 months this year due to graffiti in the canyon. If you see someone vandalizing the park in any way, please report them immediately by calling park headquarters at
760-367-5502. 

Indian Cove Campground can be booked in advance by visiting http://www.recreation.gov/

Rattlesnake Canyon in Joshua Tree National Park

Directions to Rattlesnake Canyon Trail-head:  From TwentyNine Palms Highway 62, turn right onto Indian Cove Road and drive approximately 3 miles. You will pass both the ranger station and the group camping area. Make your first left onto Indian Cove East and continue one mile through the campground until you reach the parking area for Rattlesnake Canyon. 

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Sand Hollow State Park. Utah

Sand Hollow State Park Utah from john fakor on Vimeo.

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Slide Rock State Park. Sedona Arizona

Slide Rock State Park, Sedona, Arizona

Slide Rock State Park is located just a few miles North of Sedona Arizona on route 89a. It's an insanely popular little park and one of the best swimming holes I've ever visited. Over the centuries, Oak Creek carved out and smoothed the rocks, creating a natural water slide and a few small waterfalls. There are several deep areas in the park where you can cliff jump when the level of the creek is high enough. It takes less than ten minutes to hike to the creek from the parking area, so the hike is suitable for almost anyone who can handle the flight of stairs that leads to the creek bed, but no pets. Besides the swimming area, Slide Rock State Park is filled with apple trees and historic cabins from the early 1900's. You can actually buy apples grown on the property from the gift store. The rest of the food selection was pretty limited. I would recommend bringing your own picnic supplies unless you want to eat canned nacho cheese or a microwaved corn dog.

The creek was freezing in October, but it didn't seem to bother all the kids who were swimming, so I decided to hit the slide too. The rocks are covered in a sheen of algae and they're definitely as slick as advertised.

The park sits right in the middle of Oak Creek Canyon and the views alone were definitely worth the 10$ parking fee.  I can tell by the humongous size of the parking area that Slide Rock must get insanely busy in the summer time. The parking area is seriously as big as the actual park itself.

Directions:
From Sedona, Head North on Route 89a for approximately 4 miles. Look for signs on 89a for Slide Park State Park. The entrance fee is 10$.

Slide Rock State Park

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Kanarra Creek Utah

Kanarra Creek Utah

On the edge of the tiny town of Kanarraville in Southern Utah, there’s an amazing slot canyon hike on Kanarra Creek. This hike is only an hour drive from Zion National Park. Kanarra Creek features several small waterfalls that you can actually climb using ladders and ropes. At its thinnest point, the slot canyon narrows to barely 8 feet wide.  As you head upstream, the walls tower above you, providing a good amount of shade from the sun. The red canyon walls and pristine water makes this a popular destination for photographers. I saw more camera equipment on this hike than on any trail in recent memory and for good reason.   Be warned, a good portion of the hike involves sloshing through the creek, so count on getting wet.  I wore a pair of neoprene socks and my feet were fairly comfortable for most of the hike.  In the summer, this hike can get extremely hot. It can rain and potentially flash flood in the spring, so the best time to do it is probably in the fall when the temperatures are mild. 

 We did this hike midweek in May and it was a little crowded, possibly due to its close proximity to Zion National Park.  We waited in a 20 minute line behind ten other hikers waiting to climb the wooden ladder at the final waterfall. Then we hiked for another 45 minutes upstream just to do a little exploring.  From this point, we only passed two other hikers, so I assume most people just hike to the falls. The canyon walls in the upper part of the canyon must have been several hundred feet tall. We found a secluded spot by the river, ate lunch, and turned around to hike back to our car. We finished the hike in a little under 3 hours. This creek is used as a water source for the town, so make sure to pack out your trash and waste to avoid contaminating it.

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Red Rock Canyon, Las Vegas

Red Rock Canyon, Las Vegas

Red Rock Canyon is a thirty minute drive from Caesar’s Palace on the Las Vegas strip. It offers a great opportunity for rock climbing, hiking, and rock scrambling. Although part of the Mojave Desert, the park has numerous seasonal waterfalls and creeks. Not surprisingly, you will likely encounter a wide variety of unique wildlife. The last time I was in Red Rock, I shared a seat with a sun bathing iguana that was at least 3 feet long. He refused to give up his rock while I rested. He just watched me jealously as I munched on a granola bar. His angry glare reminded me of the old guys who play 1-2$ Hold Em' at the El Cortez Casino downtown. 

Although I’ve never had the opportunity to go rock climbing in Red Rock myself, it seems to be a very popular destination for climbers. Most of the park is hard packed sandstone. The park gets it’s red hue from Iron Oxide (rust) trapped in the rocks.  I always cross paths with at least a few people who are toting climbing gear around the park.

My favorite thing to do in Red Rock Canyon is the rock scramble to the top of the mountain. Forget about a trail. It’s every man for himself. The distance to the top can be misleading. What looks like a 15minute climb, will probably take 90 minutes or more. When you reach the Summit, you get a 360 degree panoramic view that stretches for 100 miles in every direction. The pictures you take in Red Rock will make you envy of your Facebook friends. 

A few words of warning about Red Rock: You can pretty much forget about doing this park from June-August. The daily temperatures are usually in the 110+ degree range. That’s the kind of heat that can kill anyone, regardless of your physical condition. The last time I was in Red Rock Canyon, I drank 2 liters of water in 2 hours and I still felt dehydrated. Its a great hike to work off all the free beer and all you can eat buffets. The best time to plan your trip is Spring or Fall when temperatures are usually in the 80s. 

To reach Red Rock Canyon from the Las Vegas Trip, Take the Las Vegas Beltway (215) North towards Summerlin. Exit onto Charleston Blvd (159) and follow route 159 South for about 6 miles until you see the right hand turnoff for Red Rock Canyon Road (Scenic Loop Drive). Follow the signs to the parking area. Parking is 5$. (one hand of blackjack). I usually hike inside the loop, but there are plenty of slot canyons, creeks and geologic oddities to explore in the immediate area around the loop. 

Red Rock Canyon, Las Vegas

Red Rock Canyon, Las Vegas

Red Rock Canyon, Las Vegas

Red Rock Canyon, Las Vegas

Red Rock Canyon, Las Vegas

Red Rock Canyon, Las Vegas

Red Rock Canyon, Las Vegas

Red Rock Canyon, Las Vegas

Red Rocks Las Vegas

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