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 Reporter |
Summary: This may be the easiest 12 miles you'll hike in Red Rock Canyon. The trail is well marked, signed and easy to follow; especially if you've previously hiked the Grand Circle in sections and are familiar with Red Rock's layout. The climbs and descents along this trail are mild and well spread out, with very few places of rough or slippery footing. Don't get me wrong, the Grand Circle is no walk in the park, but if you're used to doing 6-8 miles in the Red Rock's canyons or the upper elevation in the Spring Mountains, this 12 miles should feel moderate to you. There are many great lunch and break spots along the Grand Circle -- just look for trees, water, or other nice shady spots. We like to begin/end at the visitor's center; which has the largest parking area and restroom facilities. Be sure and NOT cross the creek at the bottom of the Calico Hills trail or you'll end up in the red rocks (climbing trails). There are many confusing foot paths along Calico Hills. Trailhead: 18 miles W of Las Vegas Blvd. on Charleston Ave. (SR 159) to Red Rock entry (fee) station. The Grand Circle Adventure trail is a large loop below the foothills of Red Rock Canyon and can be accessed from many places along the paved Scenic Drive: Visitor's Center (largest parking area & RR), Calico I (limited pkg, no RR), Calico II (small pkg, small RR), Sandstone Quarry (busy pkg, RR), Willow Springs (lower or upper dirt pkg areas, RR at upper); and of course this loop can be hiked either clockwise or counter-clockwise. Most of the descriptions (including this one) describe the trail in the counter-clockwise direction, but personally I find it a little less strenuous and less crowded with people to reverse the direction and hike clockwise beginning (& ending) from the lower visitor center parking lot. Like most trails in Red Rock, this one can be dangerous during winter storms so beware of wet rock and flooding washes during & after rain. Not comfortable in summer. (Lat:36.13475 Lon:-115.42609) Trail Guides for Grand Circle Adventure (Red Rock Cyn NCA): Keystone Hiking Trails Information by BLM - Red Rock NCA (BLM - Red Rock NCA) Hiking Around Las Vegas by Jim Boone (Jim L. Boone) Hiking Las Vegas by Branch Whitney (Branch Whitney) Best Seasons: Fall, Spring, Winter, User Groups: Hikers, Dogs, Ranger Contact: Red Rock (BLM) ranger at entry to NCA (fee station) 702-515-5350 Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by Kat Green, who has posted 86 other hikes on this site Trail Reviews Submit your own review 
Reviewed by Todd on 5/1/2008 Oops, I meant counterclockwise. Definitely the way to go.
Reviewed by RYAN on 4/16/2008 i live in las vegas and i do this hike at least 3 times a month in non summer months. it takes me and my dogs about 3.5hrs with 2 water breaks for us. the scenery is awesome, i never get tired of it. go early (6 or 7 am) and start at visitors' center and go counter clock wise. the first 3 miles of the hike get very crowded with tourist taking pictures at about 9am. after that you will see few people until the front of white mt. and still you run into few. great for dogs that are in shape and have WATER 
Reviewed by CJ on 1/15/2008 Great Hike. Finished in about 3.25 hrs. I would consider the hike to be moderate for those who are in shape. Nothing too steep and not much elevation change, but you could get lost near the start (if following the suggested counter clockwise route). Some of the trails are a litle confusing and intertwined with climbers routes. Great scenery surround the entire loop. I did it in the late PM, but I bet the early AM would provide excellent reflection and lighting off the red rock canyons. I'll holla!
Reviewed by Todd on 1/30/2007 Fantastic hike that showcases the entire canyon. I don't think it makes any sense to start the hike anywhere but from the visitor's center--otherwise you have to drive the entire scenic loop, which takes 25 minute--essentially retracing the hike you just took. Hiking the loop clockwise also makes more sense to me--you start out over undulating terrain in the ravine near Calico Hills when you're fresh and finish with a long, very gradual descent over smooth terrain. Almost exactly halfway around, and almost exactly on the highest point on the trail is a very nice lunch spot: there's a shady bench at White Rock Spring, just a hundred yards off the main trail, and the water draws lots of birds for company. Try this hike--you'll love i
Reviewed by Travis on 4/25/2005 Hiked on Apr 23d, went clockwise. Nice flowers this year. Took 5 hrs, but we got a late start, so we hustled. Never think to take rain gear to Redocks but got lucky that it just sprinkled. 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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||