Summerlin Trail System continues to evolve

Today, June 1, is National Trails Day, as designated by the American Hiking Society. Yet, for residents of the master-planned community of Summerlin, every day feels like National Trails Day given the community’s 200-plus mile Summerlin Trail System connecting neighborhoods and residents with parks, shopping centers and schools, providing miles of uninterrupted scenery for walkers, strollers and runners — promoting a healthy, active lifestyle, according to Julie Cleaver, senior vice president, commercial and residential planning for Summerlin.

“Walkability and connectivity have long been pillars of Summerlin’s community planning and design philosophy, influencing the design of the Summerlin Trail System from the community’s inception,” Cleaver said. “It’s no surprise that trails consistently rank as residents’ top Summerlin amenity in community surveys and have become one of Summerlin’s most celebrated hallmark design features.”

In a growing area of the community west of the 215 Beltway, multi-modal trails and a central urban trail are planned to expand access for cyclists and pedestrians, connecting them to a planned urban center. An emerging trend nationwide, “complete street” design accommodates multi-modal transportation in a more integrated and safe manner.

According to Cleaver, the urban trail was developed with input from several focus groups made up of mountain bikers, serious cyclists and casual riders.

“Our design was guided by sensitivity to the potential conflict between casual riders, cars and pedestrians,” Cleaver said. “By incorporating a complete street design approach, we are able to safely accommodate all users. This new design separates bike lanes from motor vehicles and creates a safer experience for cyclists.”

The Summerlin Trail System, which is second-to-none in the Las Vegas Valley, is comprised of four kinds of trails. Landscaped and lighted street-side trails ideal for walking, jogging and strolling are the backbone of the system. Village trails are in arroyos and man-made open spaces and are designed to provide respite from noise and traffic for long-distance runners and walkers.

Regional trails are part of the proposed valley-wide trail system for multiple, non-motorized uses. They provide a link to Bureau of Land Management acreage in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area and are constructed as public/private partnerships by Clark County and the city of Las Vegas in cooperation with Howard Hughes, developer of Summerlin. And Summerlin will be home to natural earthen-tread trails within undeveloped areas of the community. They are intended for use by outdoor and hiking enthusiasts.

Eventually, Summerlin’s signature trail system will connect cyclists and hikers to Red Rock Canyon area from the village of Stonebridge thanks to a planned 20-mile bike and hike trail that will run alongside state Route 159. As part of the larger planned Clark County Red Rock Canyon Legacy Trails project, the 5.5-mile section will start in Summerlin near Sky Vista Drive, linking directly to the Red Rock Visitors Center. Howard Hughes is working closely with Clark County, the BLM, the Federal Highway Administration, and other groups to help design and implement the planned trail extension.

Now, in its 34th year of development, Summerlin offers more amenities than any other Southern Nevada community. These include 300-plus parks of all sizes; 200-plus miles of interconnected trails; resident-exclusive community centers; 10 golf courses; 26 public, private and charter schools; a public library and performing arts center; Summerlin Hospital Medical Center; houses of worship representing a dozen different faiths; office parks and neighborhood shopping centers. Downtown Summerlin offers fashion, dining, entertainment, Red Rock Resort and Class-A office buildings.

City National Arena is home of the Vegas Golden Knights’ practice facility. The Las Vegas Ballpark is a world-class Triple-A baseball stadium and home of the Las Vegas Aviators.

Summerlin offers nearly 100 floor plans in approximately 20 neighborhoods throughout nine distinct villages and districts. Homes, built by many of the nation’s top homebuilders, are available in a variety of styles — from single-family homes to town homes, priced from the mid-$400,000s to more than $1 million.

For information on all actively selling neighborhoods, visit Summerlin.com. Before you visit, call the builders to check on hours of operation. Phone numbers for each neighborhood are on Summerlin.com.