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 Reporter |
Summary: Southern Nevada is charged with the grandeur of God, paraphrasing Mr. Hopkins. This hike is exceedingly difficult, but so indelibly amazing in splendor that anyone who loves to hike in the Southwest should drop what they are doing and head to Las Vegas. NOW! Kyle Canyon is one of the most splendid spectacles on the planet, especially when viewed panoramically from 11,000 feet. You traverse nearly 360' around Charleston Peak, and most of the trail (at least 9 miles) stays along the ridgeline above 10,800'. You are rewarded with jaw dropping views in all directions including straight down. The trail is relatively flat after you gain the first few miles, and it stays that way especially on the south trail. The last few miles going down are incredibly tough, even though the scenery is just as fantastic. The trail peters out into a convoluted maze of old paths, and you get a valley floor view of the reason you had to go so far around. The cliffs are amazing. Wow! Go! Trailhead: This trail is not for acrophobics - stay home! The map and book lie. This trail feels a lot longer than 16.5 miles. If you have to hike the road back the extra 1.5 miles to your car, you'll feel as if you've run a marathon. Find a generous soul to give you a lift from the picnic area. Drive north from Vegas on the 95. Turn left on the 157. Drive for 19 miles, its a very straight road. Continue straight on Echo Rd, when the highway turns sharply left. Follow the road around a curve to the signed trailhead with roadside parking. I saw only a few people on a Sunday; truly a place to find God, Nirvana, or whatever you are into. (Lat:36.27141 Lon:-115.69556) Trail Guides for Charleston Peak via North Loop Trail Canyon: Hiking Nevada by Bruce Grubbs (Falcon) Best Seasons: Fall, Spring, Summer, User Groups: Hikers, Dogs, Ranger Contact: USFS - Humboldt-Toiyabe NF, Spring Mtns NRA (702) 515-5400 Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by Allen Riedel, who has posted 123 other hikes on this site. To visit this reporters web site, click here. Trail Reviews Submit your own review 
Reviewed by Keita on 9/14/2009 I just went up today, 9/13/09. We started from the South Loop, summitted, and came down the North Loop but taking the Trail Canyon to get down to NV 157, and that trailhead is about a mile from where you parked your car near the South Loop trailhead, making the total loop around 18 miles. You do NOT want to go down the N. Loop trailheaed all the way b/c you will end up MILES and MILES away from where you parked. Overall, very scenic and relatively strenuous hike, at the limit of difficulty/distance for a day hike IMO. I personally hated the N. Loop. It's long and drags on and on with long traverses. If you are afraid of heights, turn around and go back down the South Loop. N. Loop is exposed with areas of rock fall and fall risk. 
Reviewed by Mark on 6/28/2009 Would disagree with Nicholes review more... take the north loop via trial canyon up then south loop down. And if you have the ability to scramble class 3-4 thenn take the Devils Thumb shortcut! This is a very beautiful hike, bring your camera. Also note: be prepared for severe weather!! The Las Vegas weather report has no bearing on this mountain. 4 liters of water, food, rain/wind/snow/sleat protective clothing in pack. ENJOY!! 
Reviewed by Bobby D on 6/18/2009 Hiked to the summit on June 16th , 2009 cant believe I lived here 49 years and never did it before . We found it rather easy going up the N.Loop trail,the views of Mt Charleston on the way up are awesome ,hard to believe your going to be on top of it in a few hours.We got snowed on at the top mid June so go prepared , we didnt and got pretty cold . we went down S.Loop trail the views were amazing but we made the mistake of going to the Griffith peak trail head , we thought it was the so. Loop trail head which is not even marked up there , go down where it says Charleston national ,Which I never heard of till now . Thank God we came upon a guy out 4 wheeling for the afternoon or we would have been a search and rescue mission.
Reviewed by Sarah Jane on 5/26/2009 Hiked this trail on 5/25/09, and it was awesome! I consider myself a hardcore hiker, but this one kicked my ass. Started out around 9am following what I thought was the South Loop, but accidentally took the wrong trail and ended up having to hike up an avalanche chute, still partially filled with snow, to get back to the right trail on the ridgeline (which was really difficult and I don't recommend it, but I was with a guy who didn't want to turn back). Make sure you start at the right spot!!! After we got on the right trail, it was an amazing hike. It did feel longer than 16.5 miles, but so worth it. Got back to my car around 9pm, so took us around 12 hours, and that was with several breaks and lots of time on the peak. Loved it!
Reviewed by Mike on 1/8/2008 Excellent views of the Pahrump and Las Vegas valleys. You can see all the way to AZ beyond Lake Mead. To much time on the trail enjoying sites like avalanche chutes and a plain crash site, on the ridge. Caused us to finish the last half mile in the dark. Start early and keep good pace.
Reviewed by Edd on 4/5/2007 As a Sierra Club outings leader in Southern CA I've logged hundreds of dayhikes and backpacks. My absolute, hands-down favorite dayhike, however, is to head up the South Loop to Charleston Peak, switchbacking steeply up through Aspens and Pine until it flattens into grassy meadows at the ridgetop around 10,500'. You'll pass a wealth of Bristlecone Pines up and down the hike. Coming down from the peak the North Loop is incredibly picturesque, especially the first couple miles where gnarled and weathered old Bristlecones cling to granite ledges, their roots pouring over the rock in search of soil. If you're up to it, bag Mummy Mtn offtrail on the way down before heading down the Trail Cyn trail to a waiting car shuttle.
Reviewed by Nicole on 12/17/2006 I would fully recommend simply taking the south loop. I LOVED the south loop. The ascent/descent is gradual and the views are amazing. I thought the north loop was not very much fun. There weren't as many amazing views and it is a very strenuous trail after hiking up to the peak. I definitely enjoyed the south loop much more.
Reviewed by Kat on 8/18/2004 Please note that this hike is written up beginning at Trail Canyon, and meets the North Loop trail (2 miles in) at the junction before Cave Spring. The actual North Loop trail begins at Deer Creek Road (on SR-158 betwen Kyle and Lee Canyon) and takes you past Raintreee, where you reach the Trail Canyon junction and follow the North Loop trail sign to Charleston Peak (It is 22 miles RT via the actual North Loop trail). Be sure you understand the difference between these 2 trails or you'll be very confused when you consult USFS, maps, topos or other hiking guides. Please note that the North/South Loop trails to Charleston Peak are considered extremely strenuous by the USFS, has extreme elevation gains, and is best attempted as an overnigh Notice: Traveling in the backcountry can be hazardous. You are responsible for informing yourself about these hazards and taking necessary precautions. Information on this web site comes from volunteer reporters and may contain errors or omissions. A current guidebook and proper equipment are essential for safe enjoyment of the hikes posted on this site. Keys: Nevada Hiking, Nevada Trails, Nevada Hikes, Clark County Hiking, Clark County Trails, Clark County Hikes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||