RonnieAdventure #0031 – Lost Creek Trail, Red Rock Canyon NCA, Clark Co., Nevada

When you are responsible for watching the Grandkids all afternoon where do you go  -- The Lost Creek Trail at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area (RRCNCA)! The advantages of this  hike is that it can easily be expanded to include the Children’s Discovery Trail and the Willow Springs Loop Trail. This combination of trails takes more time and leads you past Native American pictographs, an agave roasting pit, and a small waterfall. Unfortunately, the waterfall only has a substantial water flow during the late winter and early spring months and the water flow is only a trickle at this time of year. The hike is not very strenuous, but there are plenty of rocks for kids to climb.

The best place to start the hike is at the Willow Springs Picnic Area parking lot. The agave roasting pit and some Native American pictographs are on the east side of the road (look for the large interpretive signs), while the hiking trails and waterfall are to the west.

The hiking trails in this area are narrow and wind through various patches of scrub Oak, Manzanita bushes, and other desert plants that closely line the one-track paths. Following the signs to the waterfall, the trail passes several areas used by rock climbers, so it is fun to stop and watch as climbers slowly make their way up the sheer rock faces. A little farther down the trail are some more Native American pictographs and shortly thereafter the trail splits with the right fork going to “Tunnel Arch” and the waterfall and the left fork returning to the parking lot. The ultimate destination, of course, is “Tunnel Arch” and the waterfall.

When we arrived at the waterfall, there was only a light dribble of water falling from the falls, but it still kept the rocks wet and slippery. Another attraction at the waterfall is “slide rock,” which all kids (and some adults) have to slide down to wear out the seat of their pants. (This is only allowed when the mothers are not along on the hike.)   

On the way back to the car, we followed a plank walkway across the marshy areas below the waterfall and then walked in a dry stream bed back up the canyon to the parking lot where we had left our car. A great time was had by all!

Willow Springs Loop Trail 

Willow Springs Loop Trail

Two young hikers holding up a large rock

Native American Pictographs

Waterfall during early winter months

Waterfall Area

"Slide Rock"

"Tunnel Arch"

Wooden Plank Walkway

Young hiker

Dry wash back to parking lot.