Ice Box Canyon Trail

Ice Box Canyon Trail leads into a narrow, shaded side canyon of Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, about 17 miles west of the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada. The trailhead sits on the Red Rock Canyon Scenic Drive at about mile 8, and the hike is reached by car or rideshare only because no public transit runs to the conservation area. Entry to the scenic drive costs about $20 per vehicle, and from October 1 through May 31 a timed-entry reservation is required for arrivals between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.; current rules are posted on recreation.gov. The round trip is about 2.2 to 2.6 miles (3.5 to 4.2 km), with roughly 300 to 450 feet (90 to 140 m) of elevation gain, and most hikers take two to three hours. The first stretch crosses open desert scrub on a well-worn path, with Mescalito and the red walls of the Wilson Cliffs rising ahead. The canyon then narrows, the temperature drops and the path becomes a rocky streambed that requires boulder hopping and some easy scrambling over large, sometimes slick rocks. Sturdy shoes matter more than speed here. The canyon walls block the sun for much of the day, which is why the place feels cooler than the surrounding desert. At the head of the canyon, after rain or snowmelt, a small seasonal waterfall drops over the rock into a pool, usually most reliable from late winter into spring. In dry months the stream may be absent, and the end of the canyon is simply a dry rock amphitheater. The usual turnaround point is the base of the falls or the last passable boulder choke, and the return follows the same route. No dependable drinking water, shelter or refuge huts exist on the trail, so hikers should carry about 2 liters of water. Flash floods are a real hazard in narrow desert canyons when storms are in the forecast, and the trail should be avoided when rain threatens upstream. Visitor information is available from the conservation area at 702-515-5350.