Las Vegas Hiking & Trekking Guide 2026

Top trails

Routes worth lacing up your boots for.

1. 1

   Calico Tanks Trail

   About 2.2-2.5 miles (3.5-4 km) round trip1.5-2.5 hoursModerateAbout 450 ft (140 m) gain; trailhead about 4,300 ft

   Scramble up a sandstone wash to a seasonal water pocket (tank) with a view over the Las Vegas Valley to the Strip.

2. 2

   Ice Box Canyon Trail

   About 2.2-2.6 miles (3.5-4.2 km) round trip2-3 hoursModerateAbout 300-450 ft (90-140 m) gain

   Trail across desert scrub into a narrow, shaded canyon that ends in boulder scrambling and, after rain or snowmelt, a small seasonal waterfall.

3. 3

   Turtlehead Peak

   About 4.4-4.7 miles (7-7.5 km) round trip3-5 hoursHardAbout 2,000 ft (610 m) gain to a 6,323 ft summit

   Steep, loose route to the most prominent summit on the Scenic Drive, with 360-degree views over the Calico Hills, the Strip and the Spring Mountains.

4. 4

   Pine Creek Canyon Trail

   About 3 miles (4.8 km) round trip1.5-2.5 hoursEasyAbout 400 ft (120 m) gain

   Gentle walk into a canyon with a seasonal creek, ponderosa pines and the stone foundation of the 1920s Wilson homestead beneath Mescalito peak.

5. 5

   Mouse's Tank Trail (Petroglyph Canyon)

   About 0.75 mile (1.2 km) round trip30-45 minutesEasyMinimal (under 50 ft)

   Sandy canyon walk past dense ancestral Puebloan petroglyph panels to a natural rock basin that collects rainwater, named for a 1890s Paiute outlaw who hid here.

6. 6

   White Domes Loop

   About 1.1 miles (1.8 km) loop45 minutes-1 hourEasyAbout 150 ft (45 m) gain

   Short loop through multicolored sandstone, a narrow slot canyon and the ruins of a 1966 film set. Closed each year from May 15 to September 30 because of heat.

7. 7

   Fire Wave Trail

   About 1.5 miles (2.4 km) round trip45 minutes-1 hourEasyAbout 150 ft (45 m) gain

   Sand and slickrock walk to a swirling red-and-white striped sandstone formation, best photographed in late afternoon. Closed May 15 to September 30 because of extreme heat.

8. 8

   Historic Railroad Trail

   About 3.8-4.3 miles (6-7 km) round trip to the fifth tunnel1.5-2.5 hoursEasyAbout 200 ft (60 m) gain; graded rail bed

   Flat gravel trail on the 1930s railbed used to build Hoover Dam, passing through five 25-ft-diameter tunnels with views over Lake Mead; continues to the dam's parking garage.

9. 9

   Arizona Hot Springs via White Rock Canyon

   About 5.5-6 miles (9-9.7 km) round trip4-6 hoursHardAbout 800-900 ft (245-275 m) gain, including a 20-ft fixed ladder

   Wash hike through a volcanic slot canyon down to the Colorado River and up a ladder into a series of sandbagged hot-spring pools. NPS closes the trail in summer after repeated heat rescues.

10. 10

    Fletcher Canyon Trail

    About 3.5-4 miles (5.6-6.4 km) round trip2-3 hoursModerateAbout 800 ft (245 m) gain from a 6,900 ft trailhead

    Pine-forest trail into a narrowing limestone slot canyon; a cool summer escape. Trailhead and trail open as of the August 2026 Forest Service update.

11. 11

    South Loop Trail to Mount Charleston Peak

    About 16.5 miles (26.5 km) round trip9-12 hoursVery hardAbout 4,300 ft (1,310 m) gain to the 11,916 ft summit, the highest point in Clark County

    Long, high-altitude climb through bristlecone pines to the summit of Charleston Peak. Open as of August 2026 from Cathedral Rock Trailhead; the nearby Cathedral Rock Trail, Mary Jane Falls and Upper Bristlecone remain closed for Tropical Storm Hilary repairs.

Trail difficulty levels

Pick a route that matches your fitness and experience.

When to hike

Seasonal conditions in Las Vegas.

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Local hazards

What to watch out for on the trail.