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    Big Falls

    4.5 (11 reviews)

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    The obstacle is in the distance where the two limestone outcrops can be seen.  We hiked right up the glacier like snow pack.
    Norm K.

    This is a strenuous trail that is not marked, not maintained, and will test your ability to scramble over rocks and boulders. The payoff can be worth it if there is a good flow from the falls. I have hiked this trail 7 times following the directions on the Bird and Hike website. You start at the Mary Jane Falls parking lot and walk out the trail toward Mary Jane. When you get to the first MJ Falls switchback, keep going straight and you'll be following a use trail and what is almost a gravel road. In a short distance, you come to a wash. Scramble down and up the other side. Look for the trail going through the wild currant bushes and you're on your way up the side canyon to Big Falls. Eventually this nice trial ends and you have to boulder scramble up the wash hiking around and/or over logs that have washed down. About 2/3 of the way up, you come to a blockage in the wash. The easiest way around is to go to the left and up the side ridge to bypass this obstacle. You can go to the right but it's steeper and there is more scree which makes your footing more difficult. After passing the obstacle, the trail drops down into the wash again and it continues on the right side of the canyon. You're nearly there now but there's still some uphill left. We usually don't do this hike unless we know there's some water. The most stunning time we hiked to Big Falls was in early July of 2011. That winter had been very wet on Mount Charleston and the snow was deep in the canyon. It was deep enough in fact that we hiked over the obstacle. It was like hiking on a glacier. The snow melt was going underneath the packed snow. It was an amazing day. Take care on returning. It is more difficult navigating boulders on your way down than climbing up. Sometimes as you're going down, you keep going until you land on something.

    This is the mound of dirt you are looking for!
    Cassandra B.

    Big Falls trail is not for the faint of heart. It's an unmarked trail just past Mary Jane Falls trail in Mt. Charleston. Roundtrip, this hike took my group just under 3 hours to complete. We used directions from Bird and Hike to guide us. If you're okay with using geographical landmarks for directions and like a strenuous, off the beaten trail, then this hike is for you! After passing the Mary Jane Falls switchbacks, head left until you come across a wash that drops down a bit. If you look up across the ways you'll see a large mound of dirt and gravel - that's your cue to descend and head right and behind the mound, following the wash up. The wash is full of rocks, bushes, and felled logs. Climb over these until you run across a large boulder blocking your path with a hanging ladder. Do NOT use this ladder to get around - it's old and dangerous. Instead, 25 yards back is a steep rocky stairway you use to get around this obstacle. Keep going until you reach the waterfall. We went in July of 2016, so there was no water to speak of but you can definitely tell you've reached the "waterfall". Climb up the rocks to get a great view. From there, backtrack until you reach your original steps at the trail-head of Mary Jane Falls. We only seen two other hikers on the Big Falls trail. This is a great less traveled path to take in Mt. Charleston. *Not dog/kid friendly. http://www.birdandhike.com/Hike/Mt_Char/Big_Falls/_Big_Falls.htm YELP 100 CHALLENGE 2016: #52

    Big falls
    Shawn D.

    Excellent off the trail hike. It's close to the popular Mary Jane falls but not near as busy. It's a couple miles of creek bed so if you have bad knees don't come. At the end you will be at a raging water fall and will be able to see Mary Jane from there.

    Early half of the hike

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    26 days ago

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    5 years ago

    Great trail that can really bring on a workout. Beautiful falls at the end that makes it even more worth the hike.

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    Review Highlights - Big Falls

    You can take some trails along the sides if you hit an obstacle in the wash, but it's pretty straight forward.

    Mentioned in 5 reviews

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    Grand Staircase

    Grand Staircase

    4.9(7 reviews)
    13.3 mi

    I was invited by friends to complete this hike today the first day of the new year and new decade…read more(1.1.20). I was excited to complete this hike as I have decided to complete a hiking challenge for this year and this would be hike number one. We promptly met at 9:00am in the Red Springs parking lot and begin our ascent up this so called staircase. There really is no set trail or staircase at all but lots of climbing and scrambling over and through large rocks. You just have to go with someone who has done it before and will guide you up the safest route possible. Luckily my friends complete this hike annually. I wasn't sure that I could handle this climb, but turns out that I was much stronger that I thought. It is strenuous at times and the cardio workout is real, but the reward at the top is so worth it. The views are epic from viewing the entire Red Rock Canyon and seeing way out toward Mt. Potosi. In the other direction seeing through Brownstone Canyon up to Mt. Charleston Peak. This hike also includes some stunning views of our beautiful city. I can only imagine how pretty it would be up here at sunset, but never mind going down would be way to challenging. Remember to Leave No Trace - Keep our public lands clean! #52HikeChallenge - #1

    I wanted to go on an adventure this weekend and that I did. I left Central Vegas around 5:15AM and…read moreheaded towards Red Rock Canyon. It was super light traffic at this time on a Sunday so I made it to the Red Springs turnoff at 6AM on the dot. There isn't a clearly marked route so I recommend you go with someone who has done this before. If you go alone, when in doubt, head up! Be careful of loose rocks and wear sturdy shoes. The view from the top is beautiful and overlooks the scenic loop and the strip. You can see the contrast of the city and the mountains. It's stunning and colorful. Bring a light snack, water, and your phone for pictures. It's not a long hike, maybe 30 minutes each direction, but it is moderate and tricky in some spots.

    Photos
    Grand Staircase - At the top!

    At the top!

    Grand Staircase - View from the top.

    View from the top.

    Grand Staircase - Looking towards Charleston Peak

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    Looking towards Charleston Peak

    Deer Creek Trailhead

    Deer Creek Trailhead

    3.8(4 reviews)
    3.7 mi

    The trail is washed away and is no longer accessible. They have yet to fix this. Also, all of the…read moresurrounding picnic areas are closed so there's really nowhere to stop for a picnic table.

    What a great little hike!…read more I took my two littles, ages 2 and 4 on this little paved hike. Since it is paved, a person can easily bring a stroller or wheelchair on it and during this hike, we saw plenty of them as it is a popular hike for families and groups due to the abundance of picnic tables you can use throughout the hike. The parking lot for the trailhead is on the opposite side of the street. The parking lot is one of the larger ones and there are bathrooms available there as well. Once you cross the street, you will then be on the paved path that walks parallel to the street for a good block or so and then it veers off, slightly downhill, into the forest. There are numbered picnic tables along the hike so it is super easy to bring snacks or lunch and have a picnic. I didn't see any trash cans so PLEASE be sure to pack up your trash and take it back to you. I saw plenty of wheeled coolers and ice chests so you could definitely pack one of those in as well. Mid-hike there were also little forts that have been built (which is fun for the kids - one even has a table inside) and another set of bathrooms. There is also a very small creek that runs along the path, When we were there it did start to rain very hard so we ended up staying on the paved path as the small creek was starting to get larger in size and we didn't have a change of shoes for the kids. Overall - a nice, easy hike for anyone in a wheelchair or stroller. You could pack a lunch and spend a good amount of your day there exploring and taking in the beautiful scenery.

    Photos
    Deer Creek Trailhead - The trailhead off Deer Creek Road.

    The trailhead off Deer Creek Road.

    Deer Creek Trailhead - Leaving the trail that crosses Route 156 to the parking lot.

    Leaving the trail that crosses Route 156 to the parking lot.

    Deer Creek Trailhead - A close up of Deer Creek

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    A close up of Deer Creek

    Lost Creek -  Children's Discovery Trail - Keep your eyes open for animals.  Here's a damsel fly.

    Lost Creek - Children's Discovery Trail

    4.4(14 reviews)
    11.9 mi

    Lost Creek Children's Discovery Trail is inside the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area…read morewhich is about 21 miles from downtown Las Vegas, Nevada. USA, baby! Not a five star experience for the simple fact that the trail was not clearly marked. I mean, come on, this was created for children. Adults need to be present, but I'm the kind of parent that encourages my kids to figure out stuff on their own. Kind of hard when there are areas that look like the trail, but they weren't. For that matter, snap a photo of the map before you head down the 0.6 mile loop. Other than that, the trail is super easy for active kids. Mine hustled me through it in about 30 minutes. Lol. The elevation does not get incredibly steep, but if you're carrying other children it might get slightly to moderately difficult for a short while. Nothing too dangerous. My kiddos loved walking over the boardwalk, pretending to be mountain lions in a cave-like area, staring up at the colorful rocks, throwing rocks in the dry arroyo, reading some of the trail info, and pretending to slide down a slick bedroom-sized rock formation. The waterfall and creek was bone dry when we were there on 6/8/21. The weather was in the upper 90s. Parking is free and plentiful with your pass into Red Rock. There are restrooms near the lot.

    With this PLANdemic going on. We try to stay busy, and made sure that our little 1 1/2 year old…read moregets his outdoor time to burn energy off. I was looking for a good hiking trail that was kid friendly, and I stumbled upon this. It is located in the Red Rock conservation area. There is an entrance fee of $10 per vehicle. Which isn't bad since it is 13 miles of scenic drive/area. We definitely enjoyed this hike.It took us about an 1hr to 1 1/2hr to finish the trail, and that was with our little boy and our puppy. We only took one snack break, and our little boy walked most of it (with a little bribery with a lollipop ). The hike has enough shade, so it wasn't too hot. I love how it wasn't too steep, so it wasn't scary for our little one. The hike had enough scenery, and we definitely enjoyed it. I heard there's a small waterfall, and pond, but we weren't able to see it due to it being dried out. Lots of trees and plants for kids to see and enjoy. Just like any hike. Bring a backpack with snacks and water, wear sunscreen, and comfortable shoes and clothing. It is such a super easy hike. We will definitely do this again.

    Photos
    Lost Creek -  Children's Discovery Trail - VIEWS

    VIEWS

    Lost Creek -  Children's Discovery Trail - Frog

    Frog

    Lost Creek -  Children's Discovery Trail

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    Big Falls - hiking - Updated May 2026

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