As fall settles in, hiking around the valley abounds

With the cooler weather, more people are enjoying outdoor activities. One of the easiest in which to participate is hiking.

Erica Vatne said that for her, hiking is a calming, peaceful experience. In the heat of summer, she’ll do evening hikes.

“I like Red Rock (National Conservation Area), just to enjoy the outdoors,” she said. “You get to meet new people, make new friends.”

Jenna Roxbury takes her children out there “to scramble out on the rocks.” She said she likes hikes for “getting out in nature and getting the kids away from their electronics. Things don’t plug in way out there.”

In Red Rock, get started with First Creek Canyon Trail, which rewards hikers with a waterfall in the desert. It’s a seasonal event, so time it after the area sees rain.

The Lost Creek trail also offers a seasonal waterfall after an easy hike. For a little geography lesson, trek the Keystone Thrust trail, to the Keystone Thrust fault line, where older rock is on top of newer rock. Ask any park ranger to explain that phenomenon.

Mount Charleston offers a number of easy hikes, including Desert View Overlook, Echo Trail, Little Falls Trail (with a seasonal waterfall) and Robber’s Roost Trail, which leads to a cave where Mexican bandits were said to have holed up. Follow U.S. Highway 95 to Nevada state Route 157, Kyle Canyon Road. The ranger’s station will have hiking maps. Note that some trails may be closed due to damage from the Carpenter 1 Fire. Call 702-872-5486.

Trails on the eastern part of the valley include the roughly 2-mile Anniversary Narrows hike along Northshore Road in Lake Mead National Recreation Area. It’s rated easy with an elevation gain of 200 feet. See how Mother Nature sliced a 150-yard gap into the mountain.

To get to Lake Mead, take U.S. Highway 93/95 to Boulder City. Make a left at the second stoplight onto south 93. Expect a $10-per-vehicle fee to enter the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. The visitor center’s number is 702-293-8990.

The Historic Railroad Tunnel Trail offers sights high above Lake Mead and includes five 25-foot-diameter tunnels. This hike is located near Highway 93.

Drive south on Highway 93, through Boulder City, to Lakeshore Road. Turn left (north) onto Lakeshore Road and drive north about half a mile (just past the Visitor Center) to the trailhead, on the right. This trailhead is outside the fee area.

In the southwest part of the valley, try the Southern Highlands Radio Tower hike. The 2.5-mile route is flat and cuts between two 3,000-foot ridges. The more adventurous can opt for a quick but steep climb to the summit at the end that offers a great view but also exposure to the high-frequency radio waves, so don’t dawdle.

From Interstate 15, take exit 33 for Blue Diamond Road. Turn left (south) at Decatur Boulevard. After about 2 miles, take a slight right onto Southern Highlands Parkway. Turn right onto Starr Hills Avenue and continue on Chartan Avenue.

There are 18 snake varieties in the Las Vegas area. Three types are venomous, but none of those is found on Mount Charleston. Snakes tend to be most active in April and October and when temperatures are between 70 and 90 degrees. Remember, rattlesnakes don’t always rattle.

Contact Summerlin Area View reporter Jan Hogan at jhogan@viewnews.com or 702-387-2949.