By Natalie Burt Outdoor Adventures
June 19, 2026 - 7:00 am
Southern Nevada hikers pining for a new, close-to-home upland way are successful luck.
Lee Canyon skis edifice has laid retired a winding hiking way done a forested country of ponderosa, bristlecone and aspen precocious supra the Las Vegas Valley. The soon-to-be-named way climbs a moderately challenging 2 miles for a vertical summation of 850 feet.
Hikers person been investigating retired the way since aboriginal May, but its ceremonial motorboat is planned for Thursday, June 25, erstwhile its sanction volition beryllium officially revealed. The way is accessible via the skis resort, which opens its gates regular successful clip to commencement selling Brewin’ Burro java astatine 9 a.m. Scenic summertime chairlift rides statesman an hr later, and visitors tin take to wage for a thrust up to the trail’s extremity ($15 to $19 successful beforehand online) and past marque a 2-mile descent by foot. Prices summation sharply erstwhile chairlift tickets are purchased connected the upland the time of a visit.
Visitors tin besides skip the chairlift ride, and cost, by hiking the afloat 4 miles up and back.
New upland path
Our sojourn started with a locomotion done Lee Canyon’s gates astir 9:30 a.m. and up outdoor stairs that pb to a presumption of Lee Peak and the chairlifts that service skiers and snowboarders successful wintertime arsenic good arsenic upland bikers and present hikers successful summer. Walking past the chairlifts and looking to the left, hikers volition caput somewhat downhill and on a rocky way to an opening into the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. A motion and arrows people the trail’s introduction constituent and transition done a abbreviated passageway of aspens.
For years, the caller trail’s determination astatine the skis edifice has been a wintertime playground erstwhile snowfall conditions are favorable for skiers and snowboarders who bask traversing among the trees, alternatively than sticking exclusively to the resort’s wide-open skis runs. For them, the hiking way offers a accidental to measurement done acquainted terrain without snow. For the remainder of us, the heavy shaded way creates an accidental to hike for the archetypal clip successful an unfamiliar abstraction that comes with cooler summertime temperatures and stunning upland views.
In precocious May, wildflowers including agleam yellowish wallflowers and brushed pinkish blossoms connected bushes attracting noisy broad-tailed hummingbirds were spotted on the trail. Singing and calling birds were heard — Western tanagers, spotted towhees, Clark’s nutcrackers, chipping sparrows and red-breasted nuthatches.
Some sections and switchbacks connected the caller way are abbreviated and steep, others agelong and luxurious. The hike is moderately challenging successful portion due to the fact that there’s little disposable oxygen astatine 9,000 feet supra oversea level, compared with 2,400 feet successful the Las Vegas Valley. Extra water, snacks and sunscreen are essentials, and hiking poles are a astute downhill complement to sturdy walking shoes connected the dusty and rocky trail.
Enjoying highest views
The tree-lined way has the equivalent of branch-framed windows successful the treescape that let for peeks of adjacent peaks. At a mates of points on the trail, hikers besides person a bully presumption of upland bikers connected Lee Canyon’s adjacent downhill trails. And the quality and greenery of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest are changeless companions.
As the upland chickadee oregon communal raven flies, the caller way is straight crossed the canyon from the fashionable Bristlecone trail, which is managed by the U.S. Forest Service. That way remains partially closed due to the fact that of terrible harm caused by Tropical Storm Hilary successful the summertime of 2023.
Upper Bristlecone trail, which starts adjacent Lee Canyon skis resort, isn’t expected to reopen until 2028, a twelvemonth earlier than had been forecast. Lower Bristlecone trail, which begins successful a tiny parking batch disconnected authorities Route 156 beneath the skis area, has already reopened. The 2 parts volition reconnect aft enactment connected the precocious portion is completed.
From the caller Lee Canyon trail, hikers with binoculars tin look crossed the canyon to spot radical walking connected the Lower Bristlecone trail. Without binoculars, the views are inactive stunning and see the crisp ridgeline starring toward Lee Peak; person encounters with the contours of Mummy Mountain; and The Sisters peaks on with the agleam greenish spot of Upper Lee Meadows beneath them.
As the caller way ends adjacent the apical of the Sherwood chairlift, the big-sky presumption widens, and an appreciation deepens among admirers who walk plentifulness of clip successful the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area to flight the Las Vegas summertime heat.
Sharing the trail
After resting a spot and saying hullo to the chairlift attendant, we headed backmost down precisely the mode we came up. Hikers and upland bikers are constricted lone to the authoritative trails successful an effort to support works and carnal taxon that are endemic to the Spring Mountains. That includes the endangered and federally protected Mount Charleston bluish butterfly, which historically has been spotted successful the skis area.
For the astir part, the hiking way is separated from upland motorcycle trails and traffic, but the caller way is besides intended for uphill-only upland motorcycle traffic. Hikers volition request to beryllium vigilant astir sharing the path, but not to the grade that would beryllium required if faster-paced downhill upland motorcycle postulation were permitted.
Mountain biking has go a fashionable enactment successful caller years astatine the resort, arsenic Lee Canyon has invested successful trails and terrain arsenic good arsenic the instrumentality to transport bikes uphill connected a chairlift.
In an statement communal among skis resorts, Lee Canyon leases onshore from the U.S. Forest Service for recreational purposes. Since 2019, the section skis edifice has expanded importantly and has invested $23 cardinal successful projects that see the hiking trail, upland biking trails, caller chairlifts, a lodge and further parking.
English (US)·