Located within a 5 minute drive from Laughlin Nevada is a spot where a very short hike takes you…read moreback thousands of years. The Sacred area is well worth the short trip and shorter walk. There are literally hundreds of petroglyphs and other stunning views of the rocky mountainous and desert terrain. If the the Laughlin area - Just Do It.

Also know as Ringbolt Hot Springs. Fabulous hike, easier than Goldstrike Hot Springs. Very close to…read moreColorado River; one of the guests suggested we jump in prior to hiking out. Medium difficulty, steep climbs and descents although there is an easier way in/out. There is talk about bacteria in the water, but we had no issues. Nudist friendly! Took us about 2 hours to hike in, 2-1/2 hours out but I was taking my time to accommodate my slower companion.

This is such a fun hike that is about 6 miles roundtrip. Walking through the gravel and the uphill…read moresection of sand on the way back (that is not shaded) can make this a bit of a moderately challenging hike for some. The hot springs are always a fun time and looking out at the water views on the way up is stunning. The springs tend to get crowded so come early if you can. It's a great way to spend the day.

This hike is not for dogs, and I wouldn't recommend small kids under 10. You have to go up and own…read moreropes, climb a lot of rocks. It is a part of willow beach. So I would recommend maybe meeting at the end of the trail if you HAVE to bring small kids or dogs. You would have to kayak or canoe from willow beach to the end of the trail. At willow beach they do have the equipment available for rent. This hike is long. It took me 4 hours to get to the end and back. There are 7 ropes you will have to go down and climb up to get back. We had to have young men help us up some of the rocks. Boost were needed, and assistance getting down the rocks.

Great hike. Pretty intense and not recommended for kids or elderly in my opinion. Also leave your…read moredogs at home. There are 5 (?) spots with ropes or ladders that you have to climb up / down. The hike is all downhill on the way to the springs and uphill on the way out so remember that. Definitely pack snacks! It's a long hike, our round trip ended up being 7 miles but we did a lot of walking once we got down to the Colorado River. Don't forget to keep ur head above the hot springs water! There are signs for brain eating amoebas that live in the springs (only attack humans if they can travel up the nasal passage)

While out driving, who knows what's along the way !…read more Shall we get out and stretch our let's. Let's do this . Ladies for those of us whom need to have the potty close stop here ! Here's to a real hot springs in the middle of no where. Truly we are in the middle of nowhere . Maybe the moon would be a better description. This hot springs is a geothermal phenomenon that provides life right here in the middle of who knows what? Life exists in many respects. The microbes that are present here are very small in a lot of varieties. The water even has fish that are swimming around in it. Don't drink the water . Again, don't drink the water . Do not swim in the water! Do not swim in the water it will cause a serious health condition and hazard. Are you needing to have a picnic and stretch your legs this is the place. Get out and walk and let the family be free. So many attempts have been made to make this springs something else and special . The original inhabitants of St. Thomas started to divert the water for agricultural purposes. Though many attempts many failed because of lack of funds to help pay for it. The fish that exist in the water are from a hatchery that was established still has some fish left over from the 1940s project that was never completed. The views of the water and this natural hot springs are absolutely stunning. The water moves at over 1,000 gallons per minute. Come and take a break and enjoy the beautiful views of nature.

Rogers Hot Spring in the area of Valley of Fire State Park is a beautiful place to visit, with…read moretranquil running water and great picnic spots. The restrooms are kept clean but they are definitely port a potty hole in the ground with a seat style. However, the signage is VERY poor and hidden behind shrubbery. It's vital that warning signs about the Naegleria fowleri amoeba in the thermal water are posted clearly and visibly upon arrival, as this amoeba can cause a VERY serious illness, or even DEATH if it enters the nose. People were swimming when we visited, highlighting the urgency of this. Despite this, it remains a nice stop to make in the area.

Great hike in Lake Mead. Once you see Mile marker 16 turn left into the dirt road. Take the road to…read moreOre Car Mine sign pass the sign and go about 400ft past Ore Car Sign to where the road ends. The last 200 Feet Hike in or back in with vehicle there is no turn around use a guide there is a 10ft drop at end of road from there walk into the wash to the right and travel the wash the side that narrows and walk .75 miles you will then begin Anniversary Narrows. When you enter off Marker 16 you will only see one small sign for Anniversary Narrows 4x4 makes it easier you can go by car just take it very slow. No cell service so do not get hurt out there.

Epic hike! Only 45…read moremin from vegas to feel like your hiking in Antelope Canyon with a beautiful narrow slot canyon. Moderate hike definitely had some challenging areas but my legs are pretty strong from doing exercise classes so I took it slow and had a great experience. It rained in Vegas a few days prior to our hike, so the bowl of fire in the narrows was flooded about 3 feet. We took our shoes and socks off and slid our pants up and walked through it to get to the other side where the narrows begin. It was cold and unknown territory, but I'm so glad we did it because The rest of the hike was amazing.. Enter Lake Mead past the pay station and then turn left on North Shore Rd. Until you get to mile marker 16 take a left and follow the sign for Calville Wash until you see a fork in the road to the left is anniversary mine road. Keep left there. You don't wanna go to the right because it's deeper sand and without a 4 x 4 you may get stuck. So keep going left on anniversary mine Road it's a dirt road. You'll see some 2 WD parking shortly after being on that road but if you have a four-wheel-drive car, keep going down further until you see a wash. This will save you from having to walk further. From the 2WD point to the entrance of the narrows is 1.8 miles . You can't go any further into the wash because there's no way to get back up unless you have one of those big jumbo jeeps. Find some parking off the side of the road and walk into the wash, which is to the left. Follow the Wash for about a mile into the entrance of the narrows. There are several steep ledges throughout the hike and you'll see some spectacular hues of color throughout your time there.. once you reach the end of the narrows, you could keep going up to the top of the ridge and see an overlook of the narrows. There is also a mine that you can check out. We did not go any further than the end of the narrows, but plenty of other people were. We brought our two small dogs and everybody had a great time. Our friends from New York came with us and were deterred from the flooded fire bowl so they turned back and went to the car, but we continued on with our hike.

I hike part of the Shoreline Trail several times each winter when the temperatures permit. The…read moreShoreline Trail stretches from the former Las Vegas Bay boat launch area to the 3 Islands Overlook at 33 Hole about 2 miles south. When I hike this trail, it's because I'm hiking through what's known as White Owl Canyon and after going through some pipes to get to the old road, I return to the car by joining the Shoreline Trail about a mile from the parking area for 33 Hole and the 3 Islands Lookout. Some volunteers have done some nice work over the last couple of years by placing boulders along the trail so one knows where to go. This section has changed over the 7 years or so that I've been hiking the trail. The boulders work now because the level of the lake has fallen so much there's little danger that the trail will be covered by water and the rocks become useless. In fact, it has been very discouraging to watch the level of the lake drop so much that you now have to leave the trail to get to the edge of a stream that was once the lake. It is nice to see the water fowl and it's a pleasant hike when temperatures permit.

YELP 365 CHALLENGE 2014-(313/365) "A Hiking We Will Go! "…read more Any time there's a chance to explore the outdoors, it's an automatic 5 stars for me. Add to that, a bunch of great people and our resident hike expert Norm leading the pack, you got yourself one heck of an excursion! There were 10 of us on this chilly morning and it was my first time inside the Lake Mead Area. The views here are so breathtaking, pictures and reviews don't do any justice...you gotta get out there and experience this yourself! This hike is about 3 miles and involves different elevations, a bit of rock scrambling, going through a few tunnels and a brief time inside owl canyon where we saw great rock formations, and even an owl who was guarding his/her huge nest nearby. there were also tons of clam shells scattered around and old Budweiser and Coors cans from the peel tab era. There also was a random wood frame kinda thing during our hike which made all of us clueless as to why anything was being constructed. After a short walk on the paved road way, we looped around and began the trek back to our cars along the rock formed trail taking in the awesome scenery and a last scramble up the same hill we first went down back to the parking lot. Thanks again Norm for another great hike, and we'll join you on the trail once again for your next hike! ALOHA!!! Shaka Meter: \uuu/ \uuu/ \uuu/ \uuu/ \uuu/ 5

I have been wanting to hike this state park for awhile now. We were in town recently so my son and…read moreI decided to finally check it out. We arrived for a hike on a Friday early afternoon. Ice Age Fossils State Park is located in a nice secluded area close to a residential neighborhood and school in North Las Vegas. Free parking is accessible in the large parking lot out front. There is a visitor center that offers an interesting and informative natural history exhibit with fossil displays. A small gift shop is located inside as well. It is here where they charge a $3.00 entrance fee for adults, while kids 12 and under are free. There are large shaded structures with plenty of tables for picnics for large groups and families. There are a few easy short hikes offered. No hike was longer than a 3 mile loop. We opted for the Megafauna trail and Big Dig trail which was about a 2 mile hike loop. The Megafauna trail has life sized animal sculptures that once roamed the Tule Springs. Whereas the Big Dig trail has trenches bulldozed by Tule Springs expedition where they discovered fossils. It was a nice breezy walk for this loop. The animal sculptures were fascinating to see. It was nice to hike through the rocky trenches and see how they were able to do their scientific work. Overall we enjoyed our experience at Ice Age Fossils State Park. The park rangers staff were nice and welcoming. This state park was only a quick 30 minutes drive from where we were staying at in the Southwest Las Vegas area. Since it was mid February the cool weather was perfect for a day hike. My son and I enjoyed exploring this hidden gem state park and we hope to be back.

As I stand in the middle of this park, it is hard to fathom that during the Ice Age or cooler…read moreintervals of the Pleistocene the Las Vegas wash was a green oasis. This oasis provided abundant vegetation and water for all kinds of wild animals such as the bison, American lions, sabertooth cats, wolves, camels and other creatures. Unfortunately this era vanished about 13,000 years ago. This park provides extensive history about the Ice Age and when Las Vegas was a very different and green place. When you first walk in to the visitor center, there is a small fee to pay of $3. After paying you are free to roam the museum, enjoy the exhibits, and walk the trails. There are four trails including the Las Vegas Wash Trail - 1.5 miles, Big Dig trail - 1.2 miles, Megafauna trail - 0.3, and the Connector Trail - 0.4. So many fossils have been found out here dating back to the 1930's. The "Big Dig" occurred in 1962-1963 where scientists, archeologists, biologists all worked together looking for evidence that humans once shared this valley with Ice Age. Results were inconclusive and the dig was stopped. Today there has been renewed interest in this area for study and through community efforts the Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument was created in 2014 followed by this park in 2017. There are still discoveries being made at these two places. One that is notable was in 2011 when students from UNLV uncovered a large tusk most likely from a juvenile mammoth. It had a small piece of newspaper wrapped around it. This leads researchers to believe that it was probably discovered during the Big Dig but put back. We found the museum, movie, and interactive exhibits very interesting We walked all the trails and checked out one of the huge trenches that was carved out for the Big Dig. The park encompasses 315 acres and is located way out off Decatur on the northern edge of Tule Springs. Large parking lot and huge picnic area. As I local, I highly recommend checking out this fascinating park. The kids will love all the outside activities and metal animals around the park. Adults will enjoy the history. It is best to visit in the late fall, winter or spring. It is very exposed and not a great place to be in the summer due to extreme heat. Pets are welcome but please remember to pick up after your pet.

I originally found out about this place from a site I follow on Facebook, Roadtrippers (awesome…read moresite, by the way) and I had one of those, "what the" moments finding out this place is a quick 90-120 minutes away from where I live. A quick drive up I-15N and exit #112, Bunkerville (this is just south of Mesquite), and follow the signs to Whitney Pockets. You will the infamous Bundy Ranch area. The road is paved until you hit the Whitney Pockets area, then a HCV vehicle is needed. I did see a passenger car attempting to drive thru here, I guess it could be done, but it's not a place I would want to get stuck. Once you hit the trailhead area, you'll see a large red sandstone wall in the middle of nowhere. This is where you park. There are some really cool, preserved petroglyphs on the wall here. Make sure you look up to see them, they're kind of high up. From there it's a walk on a dirt road and dry wash to the area. There aren't any marking or cairns for the turnoffs to hit the trail to Little Finland, so it's best to go with someone who has been before, or do your research. The area is pretty darn cool. The sandstone rock formations get the name from wind and erosion that has made the made the rock appear to have fins. The area is really delicate, so be careful not to ruin what nature and time has created. Once you're in Litle Finland, there are more petroglyphs as well as some running water through the area. The minerals in the water made the water and rock turn colors, the entire area made me think I was on Mars. If you've ever been to Goblin Valley State Park, this is a miniature version of it. It's a pretty cool day trip.

Little Finland (aka Hobgoblin's Playground and Devil's Fire) is a magical place where wind and…read morewater have sculpted red sandstone rock into fantastical shapes. I just explored this unique area with my boyfriend and a group of hikers today. Located in a remote portion of the remote Gold Butte region of southeastern Nevada ( south of Mesquite), Little Finland was a challenge to get to...about an hour on bumpy unpaved road but well worth the effort. The rocks there are very ornate and delicate, so please becareful. If you are driving north on I-15 from Las Vegas, exit at #112 (Riverside / Bunkerville), turn right and go 3 miles to cross the Virgin River. Make a right turn at the next road (Gold Butte Road), drive twenty miles on loud bumpy pavement, becareful of the free range cows, the hit the graded dirt road for four more miles. Finally, turn right at the sign that indicates Red Bluff Springs and drive four more miles on a sandy uneven dirt road that requires a high clearance vehicle. This is your day long adventure, make sure you go prepared. Bring warm clothing, gloves, hat, lots of water, a snack or lunch, sturdy boots and most of all bring your camera! The most fascinating thing about this place is the fantasyland of shapes--almost every rock appears to be an animal, face, or mythical creature. It is mixed in with the intricate red rock sculptures are fields of virtually white sandstone with sinuous waves, remnants of ancient sand dunes. In other places, the rock is covered with a thin white crust--salt that has crystallized out of groundwater running through the rock. Go see it to believe it!

We came with a social group and conquered over 5 miles and an elevation change of over 900'. The…read moreparking and bathrooms were well maintained, and the signage made clear the natural challenges presented in this part of the country. We easily followed the beaten path to see the arch and the Colorado River in 3.5 hours. Pro tips: wear hiking boots, wear layers, bring water and a snack, and plan for sun and wind. We were fortunate so many things were in bloom today. We'll do this hike again!

Such a fun rewarding hike with gorgeous views of the Colorado river!…read more This hike is known for its interesting combination of features, including an old mine area, the iconic Liberty Bell Arch, and the river overlook. The hike was 4.55 miles round trip. Moderate, with a mix of inclines and flat sections. The trail can be sandy and rocky in places, so wear good hiking footwear. It took about 3 hours round trip because we spent about 30 minutes enjoying the view up top. Make sure to bring water and some snacks to enjoy before hiking back down. Take lots of pictures too. This hike was very peaceful and serene. You will love it. I can't wait to do this hike again with my girls!

7.1 mile hike. 3.5 one way and 3.5 back. Some say the hike…read moreis hard but I would say it's moderate until you hit the last 0.5 mile to the top. It's steep and you may have to climb just a little bit. Going down, just be careful and take your time. No shade, and can't imagine during the summer. Bring lots of water. Not crowded at all, and lots of parking as well, just no restroom. Great scenery with the top of the view, where you can see almost everything.

This review is for trail number 404, which brings you to the peak of black mountain…read more To get to the trailhead just use the Shadow Canyon trailhead in your GPS. The trailhead is in the middle of a neighborhood. There's only about six parking spots, but people were parking on the street. It's almost a half mile on pavement until you actually start the trail. Just keep following the signs for markers 404. Once you get to 1.25 miles the trail will split. Keep going straight. Do not turn right onto marker 402. From here you will start noticing a big difference in the elevation. There are a lot of switchbacks. Be careful with your footing because there is a lot of loose rocks. It's a total of 3.6 miles to the very top. The last 3/4 of a mile gets pretty intense because you're going to have to actually climb up large rocks. You will lose sight of the flag pole that is at the top, but don't give up because when you least expect it you're at the top. The peak has 360° views of the Las Vegas strip, Henderson, Anthem, and you can even see the California/Nevada state line. There is a rock fort that you can sit in. There's an old military ammo box that other hikers left snacks in as well as a journal for you to submit an entry about your hike. It took me about 2 hours to ascend and 1.5 hours to descend. Difficulty was moderate to high.