8 water-filled hikes within an hour of Las Vegas

Marvel at splashing waterfalls and flowing creeks on these hikes located a quick jaunt from Las Vegas.

Sometimes, a rainy day can cast a dark cloud over your mood, but luckily for those living in southern Nevada, somber weather today means a tomorrow when the area’s waterfalls, streams, and creeks erupt into new life, creating the perfect excuse to embark on a hiking excursion. Not even an hour’s drive from Las Vegas, the dry stream bed at Fletcher Canyon transforms into a trickling stream you can follow through lush, forested landscapes. Waterfalls pour down stunning canyon walls at First Creek, and you can hear frogs singing their gratitude—just 45 minutes from the Strip. Here are just a few hiking spots located within an hour of Las Vegas where you have a pretty decent chance of experiencing the serenity of a gently trickling stream or a rushing waterfall:

1. First Creek

A relatively easy, four-mile hike through dry desert valley rewards explorers when they finally reach First Creek.

This site, located within Red Rock Canyon, is only a 30-45 minute drive southwest from Las Vegas. It features a waterfall whose flowing waters pour into a serene grotto dotted with cottonwood and willow trees. Of course, the falls are often dry, so time your visit on a day after intense rainfall to see the water formation in action—and to hear the croaks of the frogs who call this habitat home.

Rain or shine, the hike to First Creek is free of charge. Drive beyond the Red Rock Canyon scenic loop entrance, keep going until you see the small brown sign reading “First Creek Canyon,” and then park here.

2. Goldstrike Canyon Trail and Hot Springs

First things first: This is an expert-level expedition, as in three people have perished on this trail, and several more were left injured. Dehydration and overheating are significant concerns at Goldstrike Hot Springs and Canyon Trail, situated approximately 35 miles southeast of Las Vegas. If you can hack it, you’ll take in astonishing views of the Hoover Dam and the Colorado River.

The Goldstrike Canyon Trail is closed due to extreme heat and will reopen in September or October, once the temperature drops below 93. Don’t forget to bring your own ropes.

3. Calico Tanks

The Calico Tanks trail might be one of the most popular paths in Red Rock Canyon—and for good reason. After an easy, 2.5-mile trek across jaw-dropping sandstone formations splashed with bold oranges and yellows, you’ll find a watering hole boasting breathtaking views of Las Vegas. Usually full in springtime, this natural watershed serves as a life-giving resource for local wildlife.

Find the trailhead along the Scenic Drive: three miles past the visitor center, you’ll see a sign for Sandstone Quarry Trailhead. Park here.

Other points of interest along the Calico Tanks trail include an agave roasting pit, where the indigenous Nuwuvi of the Southern Paiute tribe would heat limestone into coals and roast whole agave for days at a time.

4. Pine Creek Canyon

Step back in time to the Ice Ages on a visit to Pine Creek Canyon. Along this Red Rock Canyon hike, a ponderosa pine forest has been standing strong for tens of thousands of years, its survival guaranteed by the cool air and water that flows down into this oasis from Pine Creek Canyon. You’ll spot lizards, rabbits, and even bighorn sheep as you hike across rocky ledges to reach the flowing Pine Creek.

Reach this three-mile, easy-to-moderate trail from the second-to-last stop on the scenic drive loop, and consider packing water shoes to tackle the slippery rocks that dot the creek.

5. Ice Box Canyon

Experienced hikers love the challenge of climbing up Ice Box Canyon, as their scrambling pays off with views of a series of small waterfalls, flowing at full capacity from December to April.

Located in Red Rock Canyon, this strenuous, difficult hike can be both sweltering and chilly—dress in layers, as you’ll cross open desert to reach a narrow canyon that hardly ever sees the sun. You’ll also want to prepare by strapping on hiking shoes with grip and climbing gloves, but if you continue past layers of loose rock and massive boulders toward the top of the canyon, you’ll see a set of small waterfalls whose cool trickles provide a lifegiving force for local animals.

6. Lost Creek

Bring the whole family on a hike to Lost Creek, an easy, child-friendly walk within Red Rock Canyon that doesn’t even add up to a mile. As you amble along this Mojave Desert path, you’ll spot waterfalls trickling down canyon walls. Hikers call this area a winter wonderland from December through February, when the snow-capped mountains provide a breathtaking backdrop for a frozen stream and icicle-laden waterfalls.

Lost Creek can be easily accessed from the Red Rock Canyon scenic loop. Bring shoes with grip if you’re game for scrambling across loose rock to reach a scenic spot behind the waterfall.

7. South Oak Creek

Local history buffs and those up for an hours-long adventure love this area of scrub and woodland habitat located within the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. What used to be a network of old mining roads is now a series of Joshua tree and Mojave yucca-lined paths that hikers can take to the base of the majestic Mt. Wilson. Venture toward the back of Wilson Pimple to reach South Oak Creek, which gurgles each winter and spring.

This 4.8-mile, moderate hike, which takes about 3.5 hours, can be accessed along SR-159, about 1.5 miles south of the scenic loop exit. Check the Red Rock Canyon website for tips on how to find the hidden-in-plain-sight trail entrance.

8. Fletcher Canyon

On this easy hike through Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, you’ll gently climb through pine forest following a stream, which usually only trickles after heavy rainfall, so plan your visit accordingly. In any case, you’ll witness awe-inspiring views of Mummy Mountain and the ever-Instagrammable Fletcher Canyon, a narrow, 200-foot-tall slot canyon. Take care on the rocks near the canyon, which are worn smooth from water and slippery even when dry.

Pro-tip: If the parking lot is full when you arrive, there’s also parking available on the left side of SR-157.

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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